While the nation’s unemployment rate has improved in recent years, dropping to 6.3% in May, the lowest its has been since September 2008, there are still nearly 12 million Americans who are out of work. In some states, the unemployed have to contend with slow job growth, extreme competition and limited benefits. In other parts of the U.S., the situation is markedly better.

Based on Department of Labor data for unemployment insurance benefits and employment statistics, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 worst states to be unemployed:

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10. Tennessee

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 16% (tied, 2nd lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 27.6% (8th lowest)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (19th highest)

1-yr. job growth: 1.8% (16th highest)

The number of jobs in Tennessee grew 1.8% in the 12 months before April 2014, among the higher growth rates in the country. For the 6.3% of the workforce that was unemployed, however, unemployment insurance didn't offer much help. The average unemployment insurance was $232, or just 27.6% of the weekly average wage in Tennessee — both well below the $312 and 33% averages for the nation, respectively. Additionally, only 16% of people who applied for unemployment insurance received it, less than in all but two other states. At left, President Barack Obama makes a speech about the economy and jobs at an Amazon.com Fulfillment Center in Chattanooga last year.

Also read: The 10 best states to be unemployed at 24/7 Wall St.

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9. Louisiana

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 20% (tied-7th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 24.8% (2nd lowest)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (10th lowest)

1-yr. job growth: 0.7% (11th lowest)

Louisiana is one of the least generous states as far as unemployment insurance is concerned, offering out-of-job workers an average of $208 a week in the 12 months through the first quarter of 2014, less than all but two other states. And while Louisiana is hardly the nation’s wealthiest state, the unemployment insurance benefits amounted to just 24.8% of workers’ previous average wages, the second-lowest rate in the nation. Additionally, just 20% of the unemployed received benefits, well below the nationwide share of 27%. Louisiana’s unemployment rate has improved recently. As of April, just 4.5% of the state’s labor force was unemployed, the 10th-lowest rate in the U.S.

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8. Georgia

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 16% (tied-2nd lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 30% (13th lowest)

Unemployment rate: 7% (8th highest)

1-yr. job growth: 1.9% (13th highest)

While Georgia still had a relatively high unemployment rate of 7% in April, it was a significant improvement — of 1.3 percentage points — from the year before. The state’s relatively high job growth of 1.9% in the 12 months ending in April 2014 likely helped. The strong job growth could also explain why Georgia residents spent only 11 weeks on average collecting unemployment insurance, the shortest period in the country. However, only 16% of applicants for unemployment insurance actually received it. This was tied with Tennessee for the nation’s second-lowest recipiency rate. Of those who received benefits, the average benefits amounted to just 30% of the average weekly wage, one of the lowest in the nation.

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7. Virginia

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 19% (6th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 30.7% (15th lowest)

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (15th lowest)

1-yr. job growth: -0.1% (2nd lowest)

Just 19% of out-of-work residents in Virginia received unemployment benefits in the 12 months through the first quarter of 2014, a lower proportion than in all but a handful of states. It’s likely many of the unemployed simply ran out of benefit eligibility. According to the Department of Labor, during that time the state’s exhaustion rate — a rough measure of how many workers have exhausted their unemployment benefits — was 48%. This was one of the highest rates in the nation. Slow job growth likely contributed to the high exhaustion rate. In the 12 months through April, the state actually lost jobs. The total number of nonfarm jobs shrank by 0.1% in that time, more than any state except for New Mexico.

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6. Arizona

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 17% (tied-4th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 25.3% (3rd lowest)

Unemployment rate: 6.9% (tied-9th highest)

1-yr. job growth: 1.6% (18th highest)

Unemployed Arizona residents received an average of $221 in benefits. This was equal to just 25.3% of their average weekly wage, less than in all but two other states. Additionally, just 17% of the unemployed received benefits in the 12 months through the first quarter of the year, less than in all but a handful of states. This may be in part due to the state’s high benefit exhaustion rate of 45.8%, which was higher than in the majority of states. As of April, the total number of jobs in Arizona rose by 1.6% in the preceding 12 months, while the unemployment rate dropped to 6.9%. However, many of the residents who found a job in that time may have not found full-time work. The state’s underemployment rate during that time was 16.1%, third worst nationwide behind only California and Nevada.

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5. Illinois

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 26% (24th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 32.3% (17th lowest)

Unemployment rate: 7.9% (3rd highest)

1-yr. job growth: 0.5% (7th lowest)

Illinois’ April unemployment rate of 7.9% was among the highest in the nation, likely due in part to tepid job creation. Nonfarm payrolls grew by only 0.5% in the 12 months through April. While job growth is slow, duration of unemployment insurance benefits was among the longest in the country. The nearly 18 weeks unemployed workers received benefits was the 10th longest span in the country. Still, nearly three-quarters of the states’ unemployed didn't receive benefits, less than in about half of all states. Further, not all workers with a job were necessarily well off. As of the first quarter, Illinois’ underemployment rate, which includes all workers not working to the extent they want to, was 15.6% over the preceding 12 months. This was higher than in all but four other states. At left, people attend a job fair in Chicago June 12.

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4. Kentucky

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 20% (tied-7th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 37.5% (19th highest)

Unemployment rate: 7.7% (5th highest)

1-yr. job growth: 0.3% (4th lowest)

Compared with the other worst states to be unemployed, Kentucky was generous with its unemployment insurance, offering 37.5% of the average weekly wage in benefits. However, it only apportioned benefits to 20% of total applicants, one of the lowest recipiency rates in the nation. The state’s slow one-year job growth of 0.3% will likely not help much in reducing Kentucky’s 7.7% unemployment rate, which is the fifth highest in the country. Still, those who received unemployment insurance received benefits for nearly 22 weeks, the longest period of any state in the country.

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3. Michigan

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 23% (16th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 32.6% (18th lowest)

Unemployment rate: 7.4% (7th highest)

1-yr. job growth: 0.6% (8th lowest)

Michigan’s unemployed workers received unemployment insurance benefits for an average of slightly more than 13 weeks. This was lower than in all but five other states and more than three weeks less than the average length nationwide. Additionally, only 23% of people who applied for unemployment insurance received benefits, among the lower recipiency rates for applications nationwide. These factors may lead some residents to take any job, including part-time work — Michigan’s high underemployment rate of 15.2% was one of the highest in the U.S. The state’s unemployment rate of 7.4% in April was also among the highest in the nation. Unfortunately, Michigan’s job growth of 0.6% doesn't bode well for the state’s unemployed. At left, people attend a job fair in Detroit in March.

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2. Alabama

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 24% (18th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 26.2% (6th lowest)

Unemployment rate: 6.9% (tied-9th highest)

1-yr. job growth: 0.7% (10th lowest)

Alabama was one of the least generous states with its unemployment insurance, providing residents with only 26.2% of average weekly income. This was the sixth lowest coverage in the country. The recipiency rate was also slightly below the national rate of 27%. While unemployment was 6.9%, roughly in line with the national rate of 6.7%, underemployment in Alabama was a full percentage point lower than the national underemployment rate. This suggests that state residents found jobs commensurate with their skills and education, despite the slow job growth. In the 12 months through April, Alabama’s total nonfarm payrolls rose by just 0.7%, lower than 40 other states.

Read more about the best and worst states to be unemployed at 24/7 Wall St.

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1. Mississippi

Percent unemployed getting benefits: 22% (14th lowest)

Percent average weekly wage covered: 28.3% (10th lowest)

Unemployment rate: 7.5% (6th highest)

1-yr. job growth: 0.9% (16th lowest)

Mississippi is the worst state in the country to be unemployed. Recipients of unemployment insurance collected an average of just $194 a week, the only state offering unemployed residents less than $200 a week. This accounted for 28.3% of the average weekly wage in the year preceding April 2014, much lower than the 33% coverage unemployed Americans received nationwide. Moreover, only 22% of applicants received unemployment benefits, below the national recipiency rate of 27%. While Mississippi’s unemployment rate declined in recent years, it still remained 0.8 percentage points above the national rate.

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