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Unemployment Benefits Rankings

State-by-state comparison of unemployment benefits ranked by total potential with quartile bands.

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Number of states (including DC) with unemployment benefit data.
51
States Tracked
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The highest maximum weekly unemployment benefit amount available in any state.
$1,152.00
Highest Weekly Benefit
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Average of the maximum weekly benefit amounts across all states.
$560.75
National Avg (Weekly)
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Minimum total potential benefit (weekly × duration) to rank in the top 25% of states.
$19,006.00
Top Quartile Cutoff
Total potential
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States at or below this total potential fall in the Bottom Quartile (lowest 25%).
$9,620.00
Bottom Quartile Cutoff
Total potential
Unemployment Benefits by State 51 states
# QuartileQ State Max Weekly BenefitWkly Max Max Duration (wks)Dur Max Total PotentialTotal Waiting Period (days)Wait
1 Top QuartileTop Massachusetts (MA)Massachusetts $1,105.00$1,105 30 $33,150.00$33,150 7
2 Top QuartileTop Washington (WA)Washington $1,152.00$1,152 26 $29,952.00$29,952 7
3 Top QuartileTop Rhode Island (RI)Rhode Island $931.00$931 26 $24,206.00$24,206 7
4 Top QuartileTop Minnesota (MN)Minnesota $914.00$914 26 $23,764.00$23,764 7
5 Top QuartileTop New Jersey (NJ)New Jersey $905.00$905 26 $23,530.00$23,530 None
6 Top QuartileTop Illinois (IL)Illinois $859.00$859 26 $22,334.00$22,334 7
7 Top QuartileTop Colorado (CO)Colorado $844.00$844 26 $21,944.00$21,944 7
8 Top QuartileTop Oregon (OR)Oregon $835.00$835 26 $21,710.00$21,710 7
9 Top QuartileTop Connecticut (CT)Connecticut $826.00$826 26 $21,476.00$21,476 None
10 Top QuartileTop Ohio (OH)Ohio $789.00$789 26 $20,514.00$20,514 7
11 Top QuartileTop Maine (ME)Maine $781.00$781 26 $20,306.00$20,306 7
12 Top QuartileTop Hawaii (HI)Hawaii $765.00$765 26 $19,890.00$19,890 7
13 Top QuartileTop Iowa (IA)Iowa $731.00$731 26 $19,006.00$19,006 None
14 Mid QuartileMid North Dakota (ND)North Dakota $673.00$673 26 $17,498.00$17,498 7
15 Mid QuartileMid Montana (MT)Montana $588.00$588 28 $16,464.00$16,464 7
16 Mid QuartileMid Utah (UT)Utah $622.00$622 26 $16,172.00$16,172 7
17 Mid QuartileMid Vermont (VT)Vermont $622.00$622 26 $16,172.00$16,172 7
18 Mid QuartileMid Texas (TX)Texas $605.00$605 26 $15,730.00$15,730 7
19 Mid QuartileMid Pennsylvania (PA)Pennsylvania $605.00$605 26 $15,730.00$15,730 7
20 Mid QuartileMid Kentucky (KY)Kentucky $569.00$569 26 $14,794.00$14,794 7
21 Mid QuartileMid Wyoming (WY)Wyoming $560.00$560 26 $14,560.00$14,560 None
22 Mid QuartileMid Michigan (MI)Michigan $530.00$530 26 $13,780.00$13,780 None
23 Mid QuartileMid Nebraska (NE)Nebraska $526.00$526 26 $13,676.00$13,676 7
24 Mid QuartileMid New Mexico (NM)New Mexico $511.00$511 26 $13,286.00$13,286 7
25 Mid QuartileMid New York (NY)New York $504.00$504 26 $13,104.00$13,104 7
26 Mid QuartileMid Oklahoma (OK)Oklahoma $649.00$649 20 $12,980.00$12,980 7
27 Mid QuartileMid South Dakota (SD)South Dakota $487.00$487 26 $12,662.00$12,662 7
28 Mid QuartileMid Nevada (NV)Nevada $469.00$469 26 $12,194.00$12,194 None
29 Mid QuartileMid California (CA)California $450.00$450 26 $11,700.00$11,700 7
30 Mid QuartileMid District of Columbia (DC)District of Columbia $444.00$444 26 $11,544.00$11,544 7
31 Mid QuartileMid Maryland (MD)Maryland $430.00$430 26 $11,180.00$11,180 None
32 Mid QuartileMid New Hampshire (NH)New Hampshire $427.00$427 26 $11,102.00$11,102 7
33 Mid QuartileMid West Virginia (WV)West Virginia $424.00$424 26 $11,024.00$11,024 7
34 Mid QuartileMid Idaho (ID)Idaho $531.00$531 20 $10,620.00$10,620 7
35 Mid QuartileMid Delaware (DE)Delaware $400.00$400 26 $10,400.00$10,400 None
36 Mid QuartileMid Indiana (IN)Indiana $390.00$390 26 $10,140.00$10,140 7
37 Mid QuartileMid Virginia (VA)Virginia $378.00$378 26 $9,828.00$9,828 7
38 Mid QuartileMid Alaska (AK)Alaska $370.00$370 26 $9,620.00$9,620 7
39 Mid QuartileMid Wisconsin (WI)Wisconsin $370.00$370 26 $9,620.00$9,620 7
40 Bottom QuartileBtm Kansas (KS)Kansas $560.00$560 16 $8,960.00$8,960 7
41 Bottom QuartileBtm Arizona (AZ)Arizona $320.00$320 26 $8,320.00$8,320 7
42 Bottom QuartileBtm Georgia (GA)Georgia $365.00$365 20 $7,300.00$7,300 None
43 Bottom QuartileBtm Louisiana (LA)Louisiana $275.00$275 26 $7,150.00$7,150 7
44 Bottom QuartileBtm Alabama (AL)Alabama $275.00$275 26 $7,150.00$7,150 7
45 Bottom QuartileBtm Tennessee (TN)Tennessee $275.00$275 26 $7,150.00$7,150 7
46 Bottom QuartileBtm South Carolina (SC)South Carolina $326.00$326 20 $6,520.00$6,520 7
47 Bottom QuartileBtm Missouri (MO)Missouri $320.00$320 20 $6,400.00$6,400 7
48 Bottom QuartileBtm Mississippi (MS)Mississippi $235.00$235 26 $6,110.00$6,110 7
49 Bottom QuartileBtm Florida (FL)Florida $275.00$275 20 $5,500.00$5,500 7
50 Bottom QuartileBtm Arkansas (AR)Arkansas $451.00$451 12 $5,412.00$5,412 7
51 Bottom QuartileBtm North Carolina (NC)North Carolina $350.00$350 12 $4,200.00$4,200 7
Source: US DOL Unemployment Insurance. Last updated: January 2026. Actual benefits depend on your earnings history and may be lower than the maximums shown.
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