[
]()The numbers recording the long-term unemployed in the U.S. are among the most dire. These are job-seekers who have been out of work for more than 27 weeks, or more than six months. Many states, however, are finding their job-seekers being unemployed, on average, for much longer than that.
In our latest Marketplace Map, we take a look at America at Work. The data on unemployment from 2010 reveal that a great number of states reported almost half of their unemployed are long-term. And the average duration of unemployment in some states has reached beyond 30 weeks.
Here are the top 10 states with the most long-term unemployed, and the highest averages of unemployment duration:
Top 10 U.S. states with people unemployed for 27 weeks or more:
1. South Carolina (51.9%)
2. New Jersey (51.4%)
3. Georgia (51.2%)
4. Michigan (49.7%)
4. Connecticut (49.7%)
6. Florida (49.5%)
7. Illinois (48.9%)
8. North Carolina (48.9%)
9. Rhode Island (47.7%)
10. Alabama (46.5%)
Top 10 U.S. states by average duration of weeks unemployed:
1. New Jersey (41.6)
2. Michigan (39.7)
3. Georgia (38.4)
4. South Carolina (37.6)
5. Florida (37.2)
6. Illinois (36.9)
7. Connecticut (36.4)
8. North Carolina (35.9)
9. California (35)
9. Nevada (35)
To see how your state fared, check out Marketplace Maps: America at Work.
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