Nobody knows for certain when the economy tanked this time around. Although our direct orders come from Washington, D.C., it’s a turn of events that continue to hold many at its mercy. But, the economy ebbs, flows and has been the focal point of conversation for years now and rightfully so.

Why? On the heels of the current economic state comes an outpouring of stories about cash-strapped U.S. states teetering on the brink of disaster, followed by disproportionately high unemployment rates.

Question: Which U.S. state currently has the lowest rate of unemployment? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the answer is North Dakota.

Though these statistics tend to fluctuate, below is a breakdown of how other states are faring in this drastically tough economic climate:

Rank/State/Rate: 
1, North Dakota, 3.2%;
2, Nebraska, 3.7%;
3, South Dakota, 4.4%;
4, Iowa, 4.9%;
4, Wyoming, 4.9%;
6, Oklahoma, 5.1%;
6, Vermont, 5.1%;
8, Hawaii, 5.2%;
8, Utah, 5.2%;
10, Kansas, 5.4%;
11, Louisiana, 5.5%;
11, Minnesota, 5.5%;
11, Virginia, 5.5%;
14, Montana, 5.7%;
14, New Hampshire, 5.7%;
16, Texas, 6.1%;
17, New Mexico, 6.4%;
18, Alaska, 6.6%;
18, Idaho, 6.6%;
18, Maryland, 6.6%;
18, Wisconsin, 6.6%;
22, Massachusetts, 6.7%;
22, Missouri, 6.7%;
22, Ohio, 6.7%;
25, Delaware, 6.9%;
26, Alabama, 7.1%;
26, Arkansas, 7.1%;
28, Maine, 7.3%;
29, West Virginia, 7.5%;
30, Colorado, 7.6%;
30, Tennessee, 7.6%;
30, Washington, 7.6%;
33, Arizona, 7.9%;
33, Pennsylvania, 7.9%;
35, Florida, 8.0%;
36, Kentucky, 8.1%;
37, Indiana, 8.2%;
37, New York, 8.2%;
39, Oregon, 8.4%;
39, South Carolina, 8.4%;
41, District of Columbia, 8.5%;
42, Connecticut, 8.6%;
42, Georgia, 8.6%;
42, Mississippi, 8.6%;
45, Illinois, 8.7%;
46, Michigan, 8.9%;
47, North Carolina, 9.2%;
48, New Jersey, 9.6%;
49, California, 9.8%;
49, Nevada, 10.2%;
50, Rhode Island, 10.2%.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Web Links:

–http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

-Kimberly Williams