Unemployment Benefits Comparison by State

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. D earness 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

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:

If you want to know more, check out the UI Performance Awards page

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:

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