Jobs
California vs New York: Unemployment Benefit
New York pays a higher maximum weekly unemployment benefit than California by $54.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for unemployment benefit.
California
#31 · $450/wk
New York
#28 · $504/wk
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — Unemployment Benefit
#1
Massachusetts
$1,033/wk
Massachusetts
#2
Washington
$999/wk
Washington
#3
Rhode Island
$867/wk
Rhode Island
#4
Minnesota
$857/wk
Minnesota
#5
New Jersey
$854/wk
New Jersey
#6
Colorado
$823/wk
Colorado
#7
Hawaii
$823/wk
Hawaii
#8
Connecticut
$759/wk
Connecticut
#9
Oregon
$733/wk
Oregon
#10
Illinois
$707/wk
Illinois
Selected states
#31
California
$450/wk
California
#28
New York
$504/wk
New York
California ranks 31st and New York ranks 28th nationally for unemployment benefit.
What this means
California vs New York: Unemployment Benefit in context
New York's unemployment benefit is $504/wk, compared with $450/wk in California, a gap of 12.0%. Maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefit (IndeedFlex 2026).
California
$450/wk
New York
$504/wk
Difference
$54
People also ask
California vs New York Unemployment Benefit — common questions
QWhat is California's unemployment benefit?
California's unemployment benefit is $450/wk.
QWhat is New York's unemployment benefit?
New York's unemployment benefit is $504/wk.
QWhich state has a higher unemployment benefit — California or New York?
New York pays a higher maximum weekly unemployment benefit than California by $54.
More comparisons: California vs New York
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
2026 dataset
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Maximum weekly benefit; eligibility and duration vary.