US  Unemployment Benefits by State — Updated October 2026

Unemployment Benefits by State 2026: Calculator, Weekly Maximums and Weeks for All 50 States

⚠️ Informational only, not legal advice. Each state’s unemployment insurance agency makes the official determination on every claim. Figures below come from the RemoteLaws page for each state (which cites the state statute and agency publications) and the U.S. Department of Labor; anything we calculated ourselves is labeled “Computed by RemoteLaws.”

By the RemoteLaws Editorial Team · Updated October 29, 2026 · Sources: state UI statutes and agencies, U.S. Department of Labor

Unemployment Benefits at a Glance (2026)

How States Calculate Your Weekly Benefit

All states look at your base period, usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file, and turn those wages into a weekly amount between a state minimum and maximum. The formulas fall into five families (each state page cites the statute):

Three states give you the better of two formulas: Colorado (capped at $804 on the quarterly formula, $884 on the base-period alternative), Minnesota ($611 and $948) and Montana (1% of base-period wages or 1.9% of your two highest quarters). Most states also cap your total claim at a share of base-period wages (one-third in many states), so a short or uneven work history can mean fewer weeks than the state maximum.

Unemployment Calculator by State: Pick Your State and Compare

Choose your state to see its 2026 weekly range, the weeks it pays now, the largest possible claim, the formula, the waiting week, part-time rules and the appeal deadline. The button under each result opens that state’s own calculator, which estimates your weekly amount from your quarterly wages. The second tab puts two states side by side.

All 50 States: Unemployment Benefit Amounts and Weeks (2026)

Minimum and maximum weekly benefits without dependents, the higher maximum where a state adds dependents, the number of weeks payable for a claim filed now, and the largest possible claim (maximum weekly benefit × maximum weeks). Each state name links to the full guide and calculator.

Several maximums change during the year: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming reset in the summer, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas in October, and Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Utah in January. Michigan’s maximum rises to $614 for claims filed from January 1, 2027.

States With the Highest and Lowest Unemployment Benefits

The weekly maximum alone can mislead. Kentucky ranks 14th with $746 a week but pays 16 weeks, so its largest claim ($11,936) is smaller than Virginia’s ($12,428), where the maximum is only $478 but lasts 26 weeks. Mississippi has the lowest weekly maximum, yet its 26 weeks make a full claim ($6,110) larger than in Florida ($3,300), North Carolina ($4,200), Tennessee ($3,900) or Louisiana ($3,384), all of which pay 12 weeks (Computed by RemoteLaws).

How Long Unemployment Lasts in Each State

34 states pay up to 26 weeks. In the others the limit is either fixed lower or tied to the state unemployment rate, so it rises automatically in a downturn. In every state the weeks you actually get can be fewer, because your total claim is also capped by your base-period wages.

States That Add Dependents Allowances

Thirteen states add an allowance for children or other dependents. In Maryland, Michigan and New Jersey the allowance cannot push you above the regular maximum, so it only helps claimants below the cap; Massachusetts pays $25 per child with no overall cap.

Waiting Weeks

Most states do not pay the first week you are eligible. Colorado, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wyoming have no waiting week, and we found none in the Connecticut or Iowa statutes. Some states repay it later: Tennessee pays it with your fourth consecutive eligible week, and Kentucky and Texas release it only at the end of the claim or when you return to work. In a 26-week state, a waiting week does not always cost you money: California and New Hampshire, for example, keep your maximum benefit amount unchanged.

Which State Pays Unemployment to Remote Workers?

Unemployment is paid by the state where your employer reported your wages, which for most remote employees is the state where they physically work. Moving after a layoff does not change which state pays, and the paying state’s amounts and weeks apply even if you live elsewhere. If your wages were reported in more than one state during the base period, you can ask the state where you file to combine them in a combined wage claim (20 CFR part 616). Contractors paid on a 1099 are generally not covered by state unemployment insurance.

Are Unemployment Benefits Taxable?

Yes, for federal income tax: unemployment compensation is fully taxable and reported on Form 1099-G (IRS Topic 418). At the state level, our state pages confirm that benefits are not taxed by California, New Jersey or Pennsylvania, are exempt in Alabama, and that Florida, Nevada and South Dakota have no personal income tax. Most other states tax benefits like wages. You can usually ask for 10% federal withholding when you file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an unemployment calculator by state?

Yes. The RemoteLaws Unemployment Benefits Calculator by State on this page shows the 2026 weekly range, weeks, largest possible claim and formula for each state, and links to a full calculator for every state that estimates your own weekly benefit from your quarterly wages.

Which state has the highest unemployment benefits in 2026?

Washington, with a maximum of $1,208 a week for claims opened from July 5, 2026. Massachusetts is second at $1,154 for benefit years from October 4, 2026, but adds $25 per child with no cap and pays up to 30 weeks, so its largest claim ($34,620) is the biggest in the country.

Which state has the lowest unemployment benefits?

Mississippi, with a $235 weekly maximum. Because it pays up to 26 weeks, its largest claim ($6,110) is still higher than in Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee, which pay 12 weeks.

How long does unemployment last?

Up to 26 weeks in 34 states. Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee pay 12 weeks now, Alabama and Georgia 14, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma 16, Missouri and South Carolina 20, Arizona and Montana 24, and Massachusetts up to 30.

How is my weekly unemployment benefit calculated?

Most states pay a fixed share of your highest-paid quarter or of your two highest quarters in the base period, usually about half of your weekly pay, up to the state maximum. Some use your whole base period, your average weekly wage or a statutory table.

If I work remotely, which state pays my unemployment?

The state where your employer reported your wages, usually the state where you physically worked. Moving after a layoff does not change the paying state. Wages reported in several states can be combined in a combined wage claim.

Are unemployment benefits taxable?

Yes, for federal income tax. Most states tax them too; California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania do not, Alabama exempts them, and states without a personal income tax such as Florida, Nevada and South Dakota do not tax them.

What We Verified & Correction Log

• Verified on October 29, 2026 against the glance table of each of the 50 RemoteLaws state pages (each one sourced to the state statute and agency) and the U.S. DOL Significant Provisions of State UI Laws, July 2026 for the District of Columbia and Massachusetts minimum.
• Corrected: the previous version of this hub used January 2025 DOL figures and listed outdated maximums, including Washington $1,152 (now $1,208), Massachusetts $1,105 ($1,154), Minnesota $857 ($948), Colorado $844 ($884), Kentucky $569 ($746), New York $504 ($869), Hawaii $765 ($868), North Dakota $673 ($815), Texas $605 ($619) and Tennessee $275 ($325). It also gave 26 weeks for states that now pay fewer (Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana and Tennessee) and 28 weeks for Montana (24).
• Added: the state picker and comparison calculator, formula families, largest possible claim for every state, dependents allowances, waiting weeks and the rule for remote workers.
• Open: the Massachusetts minimum ($60) is the DOL July 2026 figure and may change with the October 2026 update; Minnesota adjusts its maximum each October.

Related Pages

• California Unemployment Benefits
• Texas Unemployment Benefits
• Florida Unemployment Benefits
• New York Unemployment Benefits
• Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits
• Illinois Unemployment Benefits
• Massachusetts Unemployment Benefits
• Washington Unemployment Benefits