The Most Jaw-Dropping Increases in Unemployment Claims State by State

Unemployment claims continue to shatter records amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor, released May 7, shows 3.2 million initial claims for the week ending May 2, adjusted to account for seasonal hiring fluctuations. The total figure of adjusted claims filed since mid-March is a staggering 33.5 million. What's more, the number of people who filed for assistance in March and April surpasses all the jobs created since the Great Recession.

To help provide a fuller picture of how unemployment levels have spiked across the nation, Cheapism has compiled a state-by-state look at claims filed for March and April.

Related: Is Your State Doing Enough to Combat the Coronavirus?

Increase from start of March to end of April: 779%
Total claims filed in March: 48,133
Total claims filed in April: 422,943

Increase from start of March to end of April: 670%
Total claims filed in March: 186,774
Total claims filed in April: 1,437,317

Increase from start of March to end of April: 590%
Total claims filed in March: 76,354
Total claims filed in April: 527,033

Increase from start of March to end of April: 515%
Total claims filed in March: 187,364
Total claims filed in April: 1,152,459

Increase from start of March to end of April: 504%
Total claims filed in March: 243,244
Total claims filed in April: 1,469,632

Increase from start of March to end of April: 503%
Total claims filed in March: 132,779
Total claims filed in April: 800,595

Increase from start of March to end of April: 498%
Total claims filed in March: 152,192
Total claims filed in April: 910,165

Increase from start of March to end of April: 498%
Total claims filed in March: 606,876
Total claims filed in April: 3,630,307

Increase from start of March to end of April: 497%
Total claims filed in March: 115,243
Total claims filed in April: 687,968

Increase from start of March to end of April: 470%
Total claims filed in March: 220,027
Total claims filed in April: 1,253,652

Increase from start of March to end of April: 469%
Total claims filed in March: 140,019
Total claims filed in April: 796,338

Increase from start of March to end of April: 450%
Total claims filed in March: 517,164
Total claims filed in April: 2,843,112

Increase from start of March to end of April: 449%
Total claims filed in March: 357,436
Total claims filed in April: 1,963,150

Increase from start of March to end of April: 440%
Total claims filed in March: 69,647
Total claims filed in April: 376,173

Increase from start of March to end of April: 439%
Total claims filed in March: 196,251
Total claims filed in April: 1,057,322

Increase from start of March to end of April: 408%
Total claims filed in March: 53,365
Total claims filed in April: 271,094

Increase from start of March to end of April: 401%
Total claims filed in March: 46,505
Total claims filed in April: 232,818

Increase from start of March to end of April: 375%
Total claims filed in March: 89,590
Total claims filed in April: 425,525

Increase from start of March to end of April: 374%
Total claims filed in March: 775,211
Total claims filed in April: 3,675,488

Increase from start of March to end of April: 370%
Total claims filed in March: 2,255,265
Total claims filed in April: 10,600,485

Increase from start of March to end of April: 360%
Total claims filed in March: 86,513
Total claims filed in April: 397,644

Increase from start of March to end of April: 350%
Total claims filed in March: 199,228
Total claims filed in April: 896,897

Increase from start of March to end of April: 342%
Total claims filed in March: 110,296
Total claims filed in April: 487,332

Increase from start of March to end of April: 339%
Total claims filed in March: 14,166
Total claims filed in April: 438,082

Increase from start of March to end of April: 338%
Total claims filed in March: 225,550
Total claims filed in April: 988,665

Increase from start of March to end of April: 333%
Total claims filed in March: 16,388
Total claims filed in April: 70,991

Increase from start of March to end of April: 331%
Total claims filed in March: 1,361,184
Total claims filed in April: 5,866,744

Increase from start of March to end of April: 325%
Total claims filed in March: 211,486
Total claims filed in April: 899,050

Increase from start of March to end of April: 322%
Total claims filed in March: 190,101
Total claims filed in April: 801,537

Increase from start of March to end of April: 309%
Total claims filed in March: 56,800
Total claims filed in April: 278,025

Increase from start of March to end of April: 303%
Total claims filed in March: 65,848
Total claims filed in April: 265,523

Increase from start of March to end of April: 302%
Total claims filed in March: 47,315
Total claims filed in April: 190,151

Increase from start of March to end of April: 302%
Total claims filed in March: 966,979
Total claims filed in April: 3,884,993

Increase from start of March to end of April: 292%
Total claims filed in March: 86,613
Total claims filed in April: 339,196

Increase from start of March to end of April: 288%
Total claims filed in March: 47,483
Total claims filed in April: 184,112

Increase from start of March to end of April: 284%
Total claims filed in March: 87,855
Total claims filed in April: 337,032

Increase from start of March to end of April: 270%
Total claims filed in March: 602,609
Total claims filed in April: 2,227,574

Increase from start of March to end of April: 268%
Total claims filed in March: 653,909
Total claims filed in April: 2,404,196

Increase from start of March to end of April: 252%
Total claims filed in March: 797,361
Total claims filed in April: 2,808,696

Increase from start of March to end of April: 251%
Total claims filed in March: 99,841
Total claims filed in April: 1,115,563

Increase from start of March to end of April: 247%
Total claims filed in March: 650,736
Total claims filed in April: 2,256,941

Increase from start of March to end of April: 239%
Total claims filed in March: 41,711
Total claims filed in April: 141,301

Increase from start of March to end of April: 235%
Total claims filed in March: 60,974
Total claims filed in April: 266,659

Increase from start of March to end of April: 225%
Total claims filed in March: 59,494
Total claims filed in April: 193,558

Increase from start of March to end of April: 224%
Total claims filed in March: 77,204
Total claims filed in April: 250,366

Increase from start of March to end of April: 221%
Total claims filed in March: 197,047
Total claims filed in April: 633,013

Increase from start of March to end of April: 214%
Total claims filed in March: 110,880
Total claims filed in April: 348,464

Increase from start of March to end of April: 204%
Total claims filed in March: 395,393
Total claims filed in April: 1,201,853

Increase from start of March to end of April: 197%
Total claims filed in March: 21,907
Total claims filed in April: 65,026

Increase from start of March to end of April: 195%
Total claims filed in March: 646,567
Total claims filed in April: 1,907,929

Increase from start of March to end of April: 188%
Total claims filed in March: 556,822
Total claims filed in April: 1,605,569