Numbers of long-term unemployed, or those out of work for 27 or more weeks, skyrocketed during the recession, exceeding six million in 2010. Although that figure has since dropped, levels of long-term unemployment remain elevated in states. Last year, long-term unemployment, as a percentage of total unemployment, was highest in Florida, New Jersey and New Mexico.
The following table shows 2014 annual averages, along with average durations of unemployment, for each state:
| State | Long-term Share of Total Unemployed | 2014 Long-term Unemployed | Average Unemployment Duration (weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 50.0% | 15,000 | 51.0 |
| New Mexico | 45.3% | 29,000 | 43.5 |
| New Jersey | 41.4% | 125,000 | 40.7 |
| Florida | 40.3% | 244,000 | 43.7 |
| New York | 39.1% | 238,000 | 39.0 |
| Maryland | 39.7% | 71,000 | 40.0 |
| Georgia | 39.4% | 135,000 | 38.6 |
| Connecticut | 38.7% | 48,000 | 36.3 |
| Illinois | 40.3% | 184,000 | 38.5 |
| Alabama | 39.2% | 60,000 | 36.8 |
| Nevada | 38.0% | 41,000 | 42.5 |
| Rhode Island | 37.2% | 16,000 | 35.9 |
| Mississippi | 35.1% | 33,000 | 37.4 |
| North Carolina | 34.1% | 98,000 | 35.7 |
| Delaware | 34.6% | 9,000 | 30.4 |
| California | 34.7% | 488,000 | 34.9 |
| Massachusetts | 34.6% | 71,000 | 34.9 |
| South Carolina | 33.1% | 47,000 | 31.2 |
| Pennsylvania | 31.9% | 116,000 | 31.0 |
| West Virginia | 30.8% | 16,000 | 37.0 |
| Michigan | 34.7% | 119,000 | 37.1 |
| Colorado | 31.7% | 44,000 | 30.7 |
| Kentucky | 30.0% | 39,000 | 30.1 |
| Ohio | 32.4% | 103,000 | 30.2 |
| New Hampshire | 32.3% | 10,000 | 30.5 |
| Virginia | 31.2% | 69,000 | 33.4 |
| Louisiana | 31.2% | 43,000 | 27.8 |
| Arizona | 29.0% | 63,000 | 31.1 |
| Missouri | 30.9% | 60,000 | 31.4 |
| Oregon | 28.3% | 39,000 | 29.1 |
| Tennessee | 28.1% | 56,000 | 28.5 |
| Wisconsin | 27.6% | 48,000 | 30.4 |
| Hawaii | 27.6% | 8,000 | 27.7 |
| Maine | 25.0% | 10,000 | 24.5 |
| Minnesota | 28.6% | 34,000 | 28.8 |
| Indiana | 27.0% | 53,000 | 28.9 |
| Washington | 26.0% | 57,000 | 27.6 |
| Kansas | 25.0% | 17,000 | 25.1 |
| Arkansas | 23.4% | 18,000 | 23.6 |
| Texas | 26.1% | 173,000 | 24.6 |
| Oklahoma | 21.3% | 17,000 | 21.8 |
| Iowa | 19.0% | 15,000 | 20.1 |
| Alaska | 15.4% | 4,000 | 21.5 |
| Idaho | 21.6% | 8,000 | 26.3 |
| Vermont | 28.6% | 4,000 | 26.4 |
| Montana | 20.8% | 5,000 | 21.2 |
| Nebraska | 18.2% | 6,000 | 19.4 |
| Utah | 20.0% | 11,000 | 21.5 |
| Wyoming | 23.1% | 3,000 | 19.8 |
| South Dakota | 18.8% | 3,000 | 20.4 |
| North Dakota | 16.7% | 2,000 | 14.2 |
SOURCE: Governing calculations 2014 annual averages published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey
