The likelihood of being unemployed in the United States depends to some degree on race and ethnicity. In 2015, 5.3% of the U.S. labor force was unemployed. For people of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, the jobless rate was 6.6%, higher than the 5.0% rate for non-Hispanics.
To highlight not just how labor force statistics can vary between demographic groups, but also the pattern of these differences across the country, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the latest annual unemployment statistics by race and ethnicity in every state.
According to the BLS, Hispanic workers are overrepresented in certain occupations. For example, while Hispanics make up 16% of the U.S. labor force, they comprise close to half or more of agricultural workers, painters, construction and maintenance, maids and housekeeping cleaners, and construction laborers. Occupation and industry composition is among the main factors behind the variation in labor force characteristics between demographic groups.
Overall unemployment rates came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and are for 2015. People whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, and Other Hispanic or Latino comprise the Hispanic ethnicity category. The Central and South American and the Other Hispanic or Latino categories are expanded into five additional categories: Salvadoran, Other Central American, South American, Dominican, and Other Hispanic or Latino.
2015 Unemployment by Race and Ethnicity
| State | Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity |
White | Black or African American |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6.5% | 4.3% | 10.6% | 6.1% |
| Alaska | 5.1% | 5.2% | 4.6% | 6.7% |
| Arizona | 8.3% | 5.7% | 9.1% | 6.0% |
| Arkansas | 6.7% | 4.3% | 10.3% | 5.2% |
| California | 7.6% | 6.0% | 11.0% | 6.2% |
| Colorado | 5.5% | 3.8% | 5.9% | 3.9% |
| Connecticut | 11.3% | 4.5% | 13.2% | 5.6% |
| Delaware | 6.0% | 4.3% | 8.0% | 5.0% |
| Florida | 5.8% | 4.6% | 9.0% | 5.4% |
| Georgia | 5.1% | 4.0% | 9.3% | 5.8% |
| Hawaii | 4.1% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 3.7% |
| Idaho | 5.9% | 4.2% | . | 4.3% |
| Illinois | 7.2% | 5.0% | 12.2% | 5.9% |
| Indiana | 5.6% | 4.5% | 7.0% | 4.8% |
| Iowa | 4.5% | 3.2% | 14.8% | 3.6% |
| Kansas | 4.5% | 4.1% | 6.6% | 4.3% |
| Kentucky | 9.7% | 4.9% | 11.2% | 5.4% |
| Louisiana | 7.6% | 4.8% | 9.7% | 6.2% |
| Maine | 12.0% | 4.2% | 10.1% | 4.4% |
| Maryland | 5.4% | 3.6% | 8.3% | 5.2% |
| Massachusetts | 11.0% | 4.4% | 10.6% | 4.9% |
| Michigan | 8.6% | 4.5% | 11.6% | 5.4% |
| Minnesota | 3.8% | 2.9% | 14.1% | 3.8% |
| Mississippi | 5.4% | 4.7% | 9.4% | 6.5% |
| Missouri | 5.5% | 4.4% | 10.0% | 5.0% |
| Montana | 5.2% | 3.7% | . | 4.1% |
| Nebraska | 5.0% | 2.6% | 5.3% | 3.0% |
| Nevada | 8.0% | 6.1% | 13.5% | 6.9% |
| New Hampshire | 5.3% | 3.5% | 8.6% | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 7.6% | 5.2% | 10.0% | 5.8% |
| New Mexico | 6.4% | 5.7% | 6.5% | 6.8% |
| New York | 6.7% | 4.5% | 8.2% | 5.3% |
| North Carolina | 7.4% | 4.8% | 10.3% | 5.9% |
| North Dakota | . | 2.4% | . | 2.7% |
| Ohio | 5.8% | 4.0% | 10.9% | 4.9% |
| Oklahoma | 4.8% | 3.8% | 8.8% | 4.3% |
| Oregon | 6.5% | 5.7% | 7.4% | 5.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 7.7% | 4.5% | 10.5% | 5.2% |
| Rhode Island | 9.1% | 5.2% | 12.2% | 5.9% |
| South Carolina | 6.2% | 4.1% | 10.7% | 5.9% |
| South Dakota | 3.9% | 2.0% | . | 3.5% |
| Tennessee | 4.0% | 5.1% | 7.5% | 5.7% |
| Texas | 4.9% | 4.1% | 7.5% | 4.4% |
| Utah | 6.0% | 3.6% | . | 3.6% |
| Vermont | 3.7% | 3.6% | . | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 6.0% | 3.6% | 7.9% | 4.5% |
| Washington | 6.1% | 5.3% | 8.9% | 5.6% |
| West Virginia | 2.0% | 6.8% | 10.6% | 6.9% |
| Wisconsin | 6.7% | 4.1% | 11.1% | 4.6% |
| Wyoming | 4.8% | 3.9% | . | 4.1% |
| Note: People whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. | ||||
| Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | ||||
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