Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims · national and by state
How many people file new jobless claims each week?
Initial jobless claims were 198,000 in the week that ended , against 207,000 the week before (seasonally adjusted, from the Department of Labor).
Last updated . This page normally updates every week; the latest update is late.
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Initial jobless claims each week, seasonally adjusted
The linesLatest:
- Initial claims198,000
- Four-week average204,000
Initial jobless claims, average week of each month, seasonally adjusted
Continued jobless claims (insured unemployment) each week, seasonally adjusted
Each point is one week, dated the Saturday it ended, or the average week of one month (ours). Pointing at the chart shows the week or the month and the claims.
Select a line to followLatest:
Inspect and compare dates
The latest week beside the one before it and the nearest one a year earlier. Every week of the last two years is in the tables under "The numbers behind the chart".
| Measure | Latest | The week before | A year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week ended | |||
| Initial claims | 198,000 | 207,000 | 233,000 |
| Four-week average | 204,000 | 206,250 | 239,250 |
| Continued claims | 1,712,000 | 1,717,000 | 1,916,000 |
| Insured unemployment rate | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims. Observed .
Right now
Initial jobless claims were 198,000 in the week that ended , the fewest since the week of .
The week before: 207,000. The same week a year earlier, ended : 233,000. The four-week average was 204,000.
Continued claimsSeasonally adjusted
1,712,000 continued claims were filed for the week, an insured unemployment rate of 1.1%.
By stateWeek ended 26 September 2026, not seasonally adjusted
California had the most initial claims, 34,462, then Texas with 12,404 and New York with 12,155.
Understanding jobless claims
Where it stands today
Initial claims were 198,000 in the week that ended .
What are initial and continued claims?
An initial claim is a claim for unemployment insurance filed after a person loses a job, to start a period of benefits; continued claims count the weeks of unemployment claimed by people already receiving benefits, so they follow how many people draw benefits (insured unemployment). The Department of Labor publishes the national figures each Thursday for the week that ended the Saturday before, and each state's figures with them.
Read more
The national figures here are seasonally adjusted, as the Department of Labor publishes them, so that weeks of the year can be compared with each other; the four-week average smooths out one-week moves. Each state's figures are not seasonally adjusted, so a state's week is compared with the same week a year earlier. The insured unemployment rate is continued claims as a share of the jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
What 500metrics adds: the last week with more or fewer claims, and each month's and each year's average week, worked out from the published weekly figures.
The numbers behind the chart
How many claims were filed in each recent week?105 weeks, newest first
| Week ended | Initial | Four-week average | Continued | Insured rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 198,000 | 204,000 | 1,712,000 | 1.1% | |
| 207,000 | 206,250 | 1,717,000 | 1.1% | |
| 207,000 | 207,500 | 1,765,000 | 1.1% | |
| 204,000 | 205,750 | 1,775,000 | 1.2% | |
| 207,000 | 204,250 | 1,771,000 | 1.2% | |
| 212,000 | 199,750 | 1,796,000 | 1.2% | |
| 200,000 | 199,000 | 1,781,000 | 1.2% | |
| 198,000 | 203,250 | 1,799,000 | 1.2% | |
| 189,000 | 208,000 | 1,777,000 | 1.2% | |
| 209,000 | 214,750 | 1,789,000 | 1.2% | |
| 217,000 | 219,250 | 1,798,000 | 1.2% | |
| 217,000 | 222,500 | 1,821,000 | 1.2% |
Show 93 more rows
| Week ended | Initial | Four-week average | Continued | Insured rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 216,000 | 224,500 | 1,806,000 | 1.2% | |
| 227,000 | 223,500 | 1,812,000 | 1.2% | |
| 230,000 | 219,250 | 1,800,000 | 1.2% | |
| 225,000 | 214,750 | 1,786,000 | 1.2% | |
| 212,000 | 208,250 | 1,771,000 | 1.2% | |
| 210,000 | 202,750 | 1,785,000 | 1.2% | |
| 212,000 | 204,000 | 1,771,000 | 1.2% | |
| 199,000 | 203,000 | 1,776,000 | 1.2% | |
| 190,000 | 207,750 | 1,758,000 | 1.1% | |
| 215,000 | 211,000 | 1,776,000 | 1.2% | |
| 208,000 | 210,000 | 1,808,000 | 1.2% | |
| 218,000 | 209,250 | 1,809,000 | 1.2% | |
| 203,000 | 208,000 | 1,787,000 | 1.2% | |
| 211,000 | 210,750 | 1,832,000 | 1.2% | |
| 205,000 | 210,750 | 1,816,000 | 1.2% | |
| 213,000 | 211,500 | 1,851,000 | 1.2% | |
| 214,000 | 215,750 | 1,847,000 | 1.2% | |
| 211,000 | 219,750 | 1,871,000 | 1.2% | |
| 208,000 | 219,750 | 1,827,000 | 1.2% | |
| 230,000 | 220,250 | 1,865,000 | 1.2% | |
| 230,000 | 213,000 | 1,859,000 | 1.2% | |
| 211,000 | 207,250 | 1,842,000 | 1.2% | |
| 210,000 | 205,250 | 1,823,000 | 1.2% | |
| 201,000 | 206,500 | 1,865,000 | 1.2% | |
| 207,000 | 212,250 | 1,875,000 | 1.2% | |
| 203,000 | 219,250 | 1,900,000 | 1.2% | |
| 215,000 | 222,500 | 1,860,000 | 1.2% | |
| 224,000 | 223,250 | 1,910,000 | 1.2% | |
| 235,000 | 222,750 | 1,887,000 | 1.2% | |
| 216,000 | 221,000 | 1,894,000 | 1.2% | |
| 218,000 | 224,000 | 1,932,000 | 1.3% | |
| 222,000 | 224,750 | 1,943,000 | 1.3% | |
| 228,000 | 227,000 | 1,949,000 | 1.3% | |
| 228,000 | 225,500 | 1,946,000 | 1.3% | |
| 221,000 | 226,750 | 1,962,000 | 1.3% | |
| 231,000 | 227,750 | 1,953,000 | 1.3% | |
| 222,000 | 224,750 | 1,947,000 | 1.3% | |
| 233,000 | 227,500 | 1,928,000 | 1.3% | |
| 225,000 | 234,000 | 1,929,000 | 1.3% | |
| 219,000 | 236,750 | 1,921,000 | 1.3% | |
| 233,000 | 239,250 | 1,916,000 | 1.3% | |
| 259,000 | 239,250 | 1,925,000 | 1.3% | |
| 236,000 | 230,500 | 1,927,000 | 1.3% | |
| 229,000 | 228,000 | 1,937,000 | 1.3% | |
| 233,000 | 225,500 | 1,942,000 | 1.3% | |
| 224,000 | 221,750 | 1,957,000 | 1.3% | |
| 226,000 | 221,000 | 1,942,000 | 1.3% | |
| 219,000 | 221,500 | 1,963,000 | 1.3% | |
| 218,000 | 224,500 | 1,936,000 | 1.3% | |
| 221,000 | 229,000 | 1,941,000 | 1.3% | |
| 228,000 | 234,500 | 1,949,000 | 1.3% | |
| 231,000 | 239,000 | 1,952,000 | 1.3% | |
| 236,000 | 242,250 | 1,954,000 | 1.3% | |
| 243,000 | 242,250 | 1,960,000 | 1.3% | |
| 246,000 | 237,750 | 1,935,000 | 1.3% | |
| 244,000 | 232,750 | 1,947,000 | 1.3% | |
| 236,000 | 228,750 | 1,896,000 | 1.2% | |
| 225,000 | 229,500 | 1,917,000 | 1.3% | |
| 226,000 | 229,250 | 1,889,000 | 1.2% | |
| 228,000 | 227,000 | 1,884,000 | 1.2% | |
| 239,000 | 225,750 | 1,876,000 | 1.2% | |
| 224,000 | 221,000 | 1,906,000 | 1.3% | |
| 217,000 | 221,000 | 1,840,000 | 1.2% | |
| 223,000 | 223,000 | 1,876,000 | 1.2% | |
| 220,000 | 222,750 | 1,852,000 | 1.2% | |
| 224,000 | 223,750 | 1,889,000 | 1.2% | |
| 225,000 | 228,000 | 1,852,000 | 1.2% | |
| 222,000 | 227,500 | 1,876,000 | 1.2% | |
| 224,000 | 226,000 | 1,857,000 | 1.2% | |
| 241,000 | 225,000 | 1,889,000 | 1.2% | |
| 223,000 | 217,750 | 1,849,000 | 1.2% | |
| 216,000 | 217,750 | 1,862,000 | 1.2% | |
| 220,000 | 218,500 | 1,840,000 | 1.2% | |
| 212,000 | 215,000 | 1,876,000 | 1.2% | |
| 223,000 | 215,000 | 1,854,000 | 1.2% | |
| 219,000 | 214,000 | 1,891,000 | 1.2% | |
| 206,000 | 214,750 | 1,850,000 | 1.2% | |
| 212,000 | 222,750 | 1,868,000 | 1.2% | |
| 219,000 | 225,250 | 1,833,000 | 1.2% | |
| 222,000 | 225,250 | 1,881,000 | 1.2% | |
| 238,000 | 223,750 | 1,865,000 | 1.2% | |
| 222,000 | 218,750 | 1,859,000 | 1.2% | |
| 219,000 | 218,500 | 1,866,000 | 1.2% | |
| 216,000 | 218,500 | 1,887,000 | 1.2% | |
| 218,000 | 221,250 | 1,887,000 | 1.2% | |
| 221,000 | 227,000 | 1,870,000 | 1.2% | |
| 219,000 | 236,250 | 1,876,000 | 1.2% | |
| 227,000 | 238,250 | 1,853,000 | 1.2% | |
| 241,000 | 236,750 | 1,882,000 | 1.2% | |
| 258,000 | 232,250 | 1,869,000 | 1.2% | |
| 227,000 | 224,500 | 1,858,000 | 1.2% | |
| 221,000 | 224,500 | 1,825,000 | 1.2% | |
| 223,000 | 227,250 | 1,831,000 | 1.2% |
The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.
What was the average week of each month?The 120 months since Sep 2016, newest first; each year since 1967 is in the next table
| Month | Average week | Weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 206,000 | 5 | |
| 203,250 | 4 | |
| 222,500 | 4 | |
| 211,600 | 5 | |
| 207,750 | 4 | |
| 208,000 | 4 | |
| 215,750 | 4 | |
| 211,800 | 5 | |
| 219,250 | 4 | |
| 222,400 | 5 | |
| 226,750 | 4 | |
| 234,000 | 4 | |
| 229,600 | 5 | |
| 221,500 | 4 | |
| 239,000 | 4 | |
| 231,800 | 5 | |
| 225,750 | 4 | |
| 223,000 | 5 | |
| 225,000 | 4 | |
| 215,000 | 4 | |
| 222,750 | 4 | |
| 219,200 | 5 | |
| 236,250 | 4 | |
| 224,500 | 4 |
Show 96 more rows
| Month | Average week | Weeks |
|---|---|---|
| 230,600 | 5 | |
| 237,250 | 4 | |
| 234,800 | 5 | |
| 222,000 | 4 | |
| 210,250 | 4 | |
| 215,200 | 5 | |
| 210,000 | 4 | |
| 211,500 | 4 | |
| 207,800 | 5 | |
| 218,000 | 4 | |
| 210,250 | 4 | |
| 218,600 | 5 | |
| 245,000 | 4 | |
| 235,200 | 5 | |
| 250,750 | 4 | |
| 226,000 | 4 | |
| 216,400 | 5 | |
| 229,000 | 4 | |
| 214,750 | 4 | |
| 204,500 | 4 | |
| 208,200 | 5 | |
| 210,750 | 4 | |
| 202,600 | 5 | |
| 197,500 | 4 | |
| 216,500 | 4 | |
| 218,200 | 5 | |
| 212,500 | 4 | |
| 209,750 | 4 | |
| 213,000 | 5 | |
| 215,000 | 4 | |
| 219,000 | 4 | |
| 239,200 | 5 | |
| 216,250 | 4 | |
| 236,500 | 4 | |
| 284,400 | 5 | |
| 354,750 | 4 | |
| 359,750 | 4 | |
| 370,000 | 5 | |
| 409,500 | 4 | |
| 469,200 | 5 | |
| 589,000 | 4 | |
| 669,250 | 4 | |
| 755,000 | 4 | |
| 827,800 | 5 | |
| 836,750 | 4 | |
| 751,250 | 4 | |
| 795,400 | 5 | |
| 851,750 | 4 | |
| 922,400 | 5 | |
| 1,383,500 | 4 | |
| 1,490,250 | 4 | |
| 2,173,400 | 5 | |
| 4,663,250 | 4 | |
| 2,335,250 | 4 | |
| 210,200 | 5 | |
| 215,500 | 4 | |
| 236,000 | 4 | |
| 224,400 | 5 | |
| 212,250 | 4 | |
| 209,500 | 4 | |
| 211,000 | 5 | |
| 208,500 | 4 | |
| 225,200 | 5 | |
| 218,500 | 4 | |
| 209,750 | 4 | |
| 211,800 | 5 | |
| 222,500 | 4 | |
| 222,750 | 4 | |
| 224,600 | 5 | |
| 225,250 | 4 | |
| 213,000 | 4 | |
| 205,200 | 5 | |
| 208,500 | 4 | |
| 209,500 | 4 | |
| 222,600 | 5 | |
| 221,250 | 4 | |
| 221,500 | 4 | |
| 225,800 | 5 | |
| 221,000 | 4 | |
| 235,250 | 4 | |
| 242,600 | 5 | |
| 247,750 | 4 | |
| 242,250 | 4 | |
| 272,400 | 5 | |
| 247,750 | 4 | |
| 250,800 | 5 | |
| 248,000 | 4 | |
| 239,000 | 4 | |
| 227,800 | 5 | |
| 233,750 | 4 | |
| 230,250 | 4 | |
| 244,000 | 4 | |
| 252,200 | 5 | |
| 245,750 | 4 | |
| 255,800 | 5 | |
| 251,500 | 4 |
What were the average, highest and lowest week of each year?60 calendar years, newest first
| Year | Average week | Highest | Week of the highest | Lowest | Week of the lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 210,297 | 230,000 | 189,000 | ||
| 2025 | 226,135 | 259,000 | 203,000 | ||
| 2024 | 223,019 | 258,000 | 195,000 | ||
| 2023 | 222,750 | 259,000 | 200,000 | ||
| 2022 | 213,774 | 250,000 | 190,000 | ||
| 2021 | 463,788 | 890,000 | 206,000 | ||
| 2020 | 1,358,019 | 6,137,000 | 202,000 | ||
| 2019 | 217,712 | 247,000 | 196,000 | ||
| 2018 | 219,462 | 252,000 | 201,000 | ||
| 2017 | 244,212 | 297,000 | 216,000 |
Show 50 more rows
| Year | Average week | Highest | Week of the highest | Lowest | Week of the lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 262,019 | 290,000 | 232,000 | ||
| 2015 | 277,808 | 317,000 | 260,000 | ||
| 2014 | 307,981 | 345,000 | 276,000 | ||
| 2013 | 343,308 | 375,000 | 300,000 | ||
| 2012 | 374,615 | 446,000 | 340,000 | ||
| 2011 | 408,604 | 468,000 | 368,000 | ||
| 2010 | 459,000 | 507,000 | 404,000 | ||
| 2009 | 573,731 | 665,000 | 468,000 | ||
| 2008 | 417,942 | 587,000 | 321,000 | ||
| 2007 | 320,750 | 360,000 | 296,000 | ||
| 2006 | 312,365 | 349,000 | 282,000 | ||
| 2005 | 331,075 | 424,000 | 302,000 | ||
| 2004 | 342,212 | 380,000 | 313,000 | ||
| 2003 | 402,269 | 450,000 | 349,000 | ||
| 2002 | 403,731 | 479,000 | 377,000 | ||
| 2001 | 405,538 | 517,000 | 318,000 | ||
| 2000 | 299,340 | 364,000 | 259,000 | ||
| 1999 | 297,500 | 345,000 | 268,000 | ||
| 1998 | 317,038 | 376,000 | 294,000 | ||
| 1997 | 321,615 | 347,000 | 301,000 | ||
| 1996 | 351,788 | 426,000 | 326,000 | ||
| 1995 | 358,731 | 390,000 | 324,000 | ||
| 1994 | 340,019 | 406,000 | 314,000 | ||
| 1993 | 343,692 | 415,000 | 290,000 | ||
| 1992 | 409,404 | 564,000 | 313,000 | ||
| 1991 | 447,346 | 509,000 | 408,000 | ||
| 1990 | 385,019 | 474,000 | 331,000 | ||
| 1989 | 329,865 | 407,000 | 282,000 | ||
| 1988 | 309,321 | 361,000 | 284,000 | ||
| 1987 | 324,827 | 370,000 | 289,000 | ||
| 1986 | 377,981 | 416,000 | 344,000 | ||
| 1985 | 391,923 | 426,000 | 359,000 | ||
| 1984 | 373,558 | 439,000 | 333,000 | ||
| 1983 | 440,623 | 534,000 | 362,000 | ||
| 1982 | 586,096 | 695,000 | 489,000 | ||
| 1981 | 450,904 | 558,000 | 392,000 | ||
| 1980 | 488,231 | 642,000 | 394,000 | ||
| 1979 | 383,308 | 471,000 | 336,000 | ||
| 1978 | 341,154 | 429,000 | 304,000 | ||
| 1977 | 373,849 | 565,000 | 334,000 | ||
| 1976 | 383,481 | 423,000 | 333,000 | ||
| 1975 | 473,500 | 575,000 | 365,000 | ||
| 1974 | 351,962 | 537,000 | 269,000 | ||
| 1973 | 244,000 | 326,000 | 214,000 | ||
| 1972 | 263,057 | 350,000 | 225,000 | ||
| 1971 | 295,731 | 359,000 | 244,000 | ||
| 1970 | 296,558 | 374,000 | 230,000 | ||
| 1969 | 196,385 | 232,000 | 177,000 | ||
| 1968 | 197,058 | 251,000 | 162,000 | ||
| 1967 | 226,942 | 310,000 | 191,000 |
The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.
How many claims were filed in each state?53 states and territories, by name
| State | Week ended | Initial | Week before | A year earlier | Continued | Insured rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,637 | 1,813 | 1,889 | 7,007 | 0.34% | |
| Alaska | 425 | 431 | 467 | 3,157 | 0.99% | |
| Arizona | 2,362 | 2,343 | 2,463 | 21,459 | 0.68% | |
| Arkansas | 993 | 1,020 | 1,035 | 4,993 | 0.39% | |
| California | 34,462 | 34,931 | 37,670 | 303,621 | 1.69% | |
| Colorado | 2,768 | 2,891 | 2,601 | 29,223 | 1.03% | |
| Connecticut | 1,967 | 2,031 | 2,365 | 19,318 | 1.14% | |
| Delaware | 447 | 469 | 256 | 4,067 | 0.86% | |
| District of Columbia | 525 | 541 | 742 | 6,854 | 1.23% | |
| Florida | 5,127 | 5,284 | 5,609 | 30,524 | 0.31% | |
| Georgia | 3,562 | 4,105 | 4,006 | 23,194 | 0.49% | |
| Hawaii | 1,734 | 2,906 | 931 | 7,276 | 1.20% | |
| Idaho | 593 | 578 | 688 | 3,939 | 0.46% | |
| Illinois | 5,639 | 6,264 | 8,646 | 77,716 | 1.30% | |
| Indiana | 1,848 | 2,060 | 2,285 | 17,043 | 0.54% | |
| Iowa | 1,355 | 1,369 | 1,534 | 6,500 | 0.42% | |
| Kansas | 805 | 812 | 946 | 6,096 | 0.43% | |
| Kentucky | 1,248 | 1,311 | 4,388 | 9,022 | 0.45% | |
| Louisiana | 1,141 | 1,204 | 1,427 | 5,681 | 0.30% | |
| Maine | 344 | 411 | 422 | 4,022 | 0.64% | |
| Maryland | 2,029 | 1,924 | 2,136 | 21,104 | 0.81% | |
| Massachusetts | 4,005 | 4,125 | 4,437 | 62,442 | 1.74% | |
| Michigan | 4,563 | 3,824 | 4,344 | 38,602 | 0.89% | |
| Minnesota | 2,838 | 2,933 | 3,234 | 31,789 | 1.09% | |
| Mississippi | 778 | 862 | 811 | 5,816 | 0.51% | |
| Missouri | 2,064 | 2,186 | 2,352 | 14,408 | 0.51% | |
| Montana | 512 | 501 | 513 | 3,539 | 0.71% | |
| Nebraska | 465 | 502 | 525 | 4,543 | 0.45% | |
| Nevada | 2,605 | 2,438 | 2,427 | 24,865 | 1.58% | |
| New Hampshire | 316 | 361 | 359 | 3,234 | 0.48% | |
| New Jersey | 7,392 | 7,522 | 7,921 | 85,529 | 2.02% | |
| New Mexico | 668 | 728 | 679 | 8,551 | 1.01% | |
| New York | 12,155 | 12,974 | 12,226 | 137,118 | 1.42% | |
| North Carolina | 2,748 | 2,769 | 3,095 | 17,388 | 0.36% | |
| North Dakota | 215 | 189 | 199 | 1,434 | 0.34% | |
| Ohio | 4,333 | 4,440 | 4,497 | 33,942 | 0.62% | |
| Oklahoma | 1,041 | 1,168 | 1,414 | 9,455 | 0.57% | |
| Oregon | 3,733 | 3,823 | 3,644 | 29,903 | 1.53% | |
| Pennsylvania | 7,431 | 7,481 | 8,445 | 72,227 | 1.21% | |
| Puerto Rico | 1,392 | 1,593 | 1,330 | 15,727 | 1.70% | |
| Rhode Island | 526 | 711 | 732 | 7,274 | 1.49% | |
| South Carolina | 1,638 | 2,084 | 1,901 | 13,814 | 0.61% | |
| South Dakota | 160 | 163 | 177 | 891 | 0.20% | |
| Tennessee | 2,279 | 2,464 | 2,860 | 13,835 | 0.43% | |
| Texas | 12,404 | 12,910 | 16,390 | 133,278 | 0.97% | |
| Utah | 1,243 | 1,266 | 1,247 | 10,126 | 0.60% | |
| Vermont | 244 | 260 | 242 | 1,840 | 0.61% | |
| Virgin Islands | 31 | 57 | 41 | 448 | 1.32% | |
| Virginia | 2,207 | 2,196 | 2,262 | 19,330 | 0.49% | |
| Washington | 4,534 | 4,647 | 4,972 | 63,770 | 1.80% | |
| West Virginia | 518 | 555 | 585 | 4,618 | 0.67% | |
| Wisconsin | 2,034 | 2,043 | 2,530 | 14,437 | 0.50% | |
| Wyoming | 256 | 244 | 265 | 1,254 | 0.46% |
The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.
Where do these figures come from?Limits, sources and how to cite
What this number cannot tell you
- Claims count filings under state unemployment insurance programs; people who are not eligible, or who do not file, are not in them.
- The latest week is revised the next week; this page shows each week as published now.
- A state's continued claims are dated by the week they were filed in and count the week before.
Source
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims. Observed . Checked .
How to cite this
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims (ETA 539), initial claims, seasonally adjusted, week ended 12 September 2026. Compiled by 500metrics, "How many people file new jobless claims each week?", https://500metrics.com/jobless-claims.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims. Figures for .
Sources and licence
Sources and licence
- U.S. Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims (source). Licence: Public domain, a work of the US federal government
Our text and compilation: CC BY 4.0. How to reuse and cite this page.