Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Interpretation

These three visualizations together provide a multi-dimensional view of U.S. unemployment patterns from 1975 to 2017.

The first map shows average unemployment rates by state, which helps reveals clear geographic patterns. States like Michigan, West Virginia, and Alaska exhibit the highest averages, while Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota maintain consistently low unemployment. Tooltips are provided for each state about its detail

The second chart displays the trends for all states to help compare, and it also highlights the three highest and three lowest states. Peaks in the early 1980s and around 2008 align with nationwide recessions, indicating that macroeconomic shocks may influence unemployment volatility.

The third faceted scatterplot examines the relationship between minimum wage and unemployment by decade. There is no stable correlation being observed. This suggests that minimum wage alone does not determine unemployment trends, and the observed extremes are more likely shaped by broader economic and structural factors, and further analysis is needed.