Unemployment Benefits Comparison by State
Updated : August 4th, 2020
Unemployment insurance programs are governed by state governments and are funded by state, federal, and private companies that pay employment tax. Ultimately, the onus is on the state government to balance the checkbook, so the state has to decide the benefits maximum amount, duration, and eligibility to receive the benefits. For this reason, you notice that unemployment benefits largely vary by state.
Some states like Massachusetts could pay as high as $1,220 depending on the eligibility criteria. But only a handful of states such as Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey provide such generous benefits. The majority of the states provide average benefits in the range of $300 to $500.
Before we get to the details, you can now check your eligibility and calculate benefits in your state.
Benefits Amount and Duration by State
This table provides a complete list of unemployment benefits and duration for all 50 states. It provides the maximum dollar amount per week and also the maximum number of weeks benefits provided by each state.
Comparison of State Unemployment Benefits
State
Unemployment Rate
Max. Weeks of Benefits
Max. Weekly Benefits
Max. Dearness Allowance
Total Weekly Benefits
Alabama
7.5
26
$275
$275
Alaska
12.4
26
$370
$72
$442
Arizona
10
20
$240
$240
Arkansas
8
26
$451
$451
California
14.9
26
$450
$450
Colorado
10.5
26
$597
$597
Connecticut
9.8
26
$649
$75
$724
Delaware
12.5
26
$400
$400
Florida
10.4
26
$275
$275
Georgia
7.6
12
$365
$365
Hawaii
13.9
14
$648
$648
Idaho
5.6
26
$414
$414
IIinois
14.6
26
$471
$178
$649
Indiana
11.2
21
$390.00
$390
Iowa
8
26
$591
$106
$697
Kansas
7.5
26
$488.00
$488
Kentucky
4.3
16
$552
$552
Louisiana
9.7
26
$247
$247
Maine
6.6
26
$414.00
$215
$629
Maryland
8
30
$430
$430
Massachusetts
17.4
26
$823
$397
$1,220
Michigan
14.8
26
$362
$209
$571
Minnesota
5.6
20
$717
$717
Mississippi
8.7
26
$235
$235
Missouri
7.9
13
$320
$320
Montana
7.1
26
$552
$552
Nebraska
6.7
28
$440
$440
Nevada
15
12
$450
$450
New Hampshire
11.8
26
$427
$427
New Jersey
16.6
26
$696.00
$696
New Mexico
8.3
26
$492
$50
$542
New York
15.7
26
$504
$504
North Carolina
7.6
26
$350.00
$50
$400
North Dakota
6.1
26
$618
$618
Ohio
10.9
26
$647
$155
$802
Oklahoma
6.6
26
$520
$520
Oregon
11.2
26
$648
$648
Pennsylvania
13
26
$572
$8
$580
Rhode Island
12.4
26
$586.00
$144
$730
South Carolina
8.7
26
$326
$326
South Dakota
7.2
20
$414
$414
Tennessee
9.7
26
$275
$275
Texas
8.6
26
$521
$521
Utah
5.1
26
$560
$560
Vermont
9.4
26
$513
$513
Virginia
8.4
26
$378
$378
Washington DC
8.6
26
$425
$425
Washington
9.8
26
$790
$790
West Virginia
10.4
26
$424
$424
Wisconsin
8.5
26
$370
$370
Wyoming
7.6
26
$508
$508
Benefits Comparison Chart
State | Unemployment Rate | Max. Weeks of Benefits | Max. Weekly Benefits | Max. Dearness Allowance |
Total Weekly Benefits
|
Alabama | 7.5 | 26 | $275 | $275 | |
Alaska | 12.4 | 26 | $370 | $72 | $442 |
Arizona | 10 | 20 | $240 | $240 | |
Arkansas | 8 | 26 | $451 | $451 | |
California | 14.9 | 26 | $450 | $450 | |
Colorado | 10.5 | 26 | $597 | $597 | |
Connecticut | 9.8 | 26 | $649 | $75 | $724 |
Delaware | 12.5 | 26 | $400 | $400 | |
Florida | 10.4 | 26 | $275 | $275 | |
Georgia | 7.6 | 12 | $365 | $365 | |
Hawaii | 13.9 | 14 | $648 | $648 | |
Idaho | 5.6 | 26 | $414 | $414 | |
IIinois | 14.6 | 26 | $471 | $178 | $649 |
Indiana | 11.2 | 21 | $390.00 | $390 | |
Iowa | 8 | 26 | $591 | $106 | $697 |
Kansas | 7.5 | 26 | $488.00 | $488 | |
Kentucky | 4.3 | 16 | $552 | $552 | |
Louisiana | 9.7 | 26 | $247 | $247 | |
Maine | 6.6 | 26 | $414.00 | $215 | $629 |
Maryland | 8 | 30 | $430 | $430 | |
Massachusetts | 17.4 | 26 | $823 | $397 | $1,220 |
Michigan | 14.8 | 26 | $362 | $209 | $571 |
Minnesota | 5.6 | 20 | $717 | $717 | |
Mississippi | 8.7 | 26 | $235 | $235 | |
Missouri | 7.9 | 13 | $320 | $320 | |
Montana | 7.1 | 26 | $552 | $552 | |
Nebraska | 6.7 | 28 | $440 | $440 | |
Nevada | 15 | 12 | $450 | $450 | |
New Hampshire | 11.8 | 26 | $427 | $427 | |
New Jersey | 16.6 | 26 | $696.00 | $696 | |
New Mexico | 8.3 | 26 | $492 | $50 | $542 |
New York | 15.7 | 26 | $504 | $504 | |
North Carolina | 7.6 | 26 | $350.00 | $50 | $400 |
North Dakota | 6.1 | 26 | $618 | $618 | |
Ohio | 10.9 | 26 | $647 | $155 | $802 |
Oklahoma | 6.6 | 26 | $520 | $520 | |
Oregon | 11.2 | 26 | $648 | $648 | |
Pennsylvania | 13 | 26 | $572 | $8 | $580 |
Rhode Island | 12.4 | 26 | $586.00 | $144 | $730 |
South Carolina | 8.7 | 26 | $326 | $326 | |
South Dakota | 7.2 | 20 | $414 | $414 | |
Tennessee | 9.7 | 26 | $275 | $275 | |
Texas | 8.6 | 26 | $521 | $521 | |
Utah | 5.1 | 26 | $560 | $560 | |
Vermont | 9.4 | 26 | $513 | $513 | |
Virginia | 8.4 | 26 | $378 | $378 | |
Washington DC | 8.6 | 26 | $425 | $425 | |
Washington | 9.8 | 26 | $790 | $790 | |
West Virginia | 10.4 | 26 | $424 | $424 | |
Wisconsin | 8.5 | 26 | $370 | $370 | |
Wyoming | 7.6 | 26 | $508 | $508 |
The following comparison data provides an overview of benefits and shows which states pay well:
State Unemployment Benefits Comparison. (Click to Enlarge)
States that pay the highest unemployment insurance compensation
- Massachusetts – $1,220
- Ohio – $802
- Washington – $790
- Rhode Island – $730
- Connecticut – $724
Massachusetts provides the highest amount, but please note that the amount ranges from $769 to $1,220 depending on your eligibility.
States that pay lowest unemployment insurance compensation
- Mississippi – $235
- Arizona – $240
- Louisiana – $247
- Alabama – $275
- Florida – $275
Mississippi pays the lowest amount in the country, followed by Arizona.
States that provide unemployment compensation for a longer duration
- Massachusetts – 30 Weeks
- Montana – 28 Weeks
States that provide unemployment compensation for a shorter duration
- Florida – 12 Weeks
- North Carolina – 12 Weeks
- Missouri – 13 Weeks
- Georgia – 14 Weeks
- Kansas – 16 Weeks
Not surprisingly, the states that provide unemployment insurance coverage for a shorter duration also provide less money. These are the “stingy” states you don’t want to live if you fear unemployment. These states are more likely to be business-friendly as businesses don’t have to pay as much employment taxes compared to other states.
State Performance Excellence Awards
Dept. of Labor awards the states based on their performance every year. The awards are given based on management, planning, and oversight resulting in inefficient service to workers and employers. This map shows six states that won the Performance Excellence Awards for 2018:
Source:
Data was collected from various govt. websites. There may be some minor errors and you are advised to contact the State employment office for the most accurate and up-to-date info. Information is current as of December 2017. For further reading on unemployment insurance, please refer to the following articles:
- Unemployment Benefits Calculator
- Eligibility Calculator
- Applying for Unemployment Benefits
- United States Department of Labor
- How to File Unemployment in Ohio
- How to File Unemployment in PA
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