states with the best weekly unemployment benefits in the U.S.

Massachusetts has the best unemployment safety net in the country, offering a laid-off or furloughed worker $823 for 26 weeks. An individual with dependents can qualify for as much as $1234 a week.

The weekly benefits reflected in this table are for those without any dependents. Having dependents makes individuals eligible for slightly higher amounts in many states. The maximum number of payable weeks often varies with the state's rate of unemployment at any given time. The figures represented in this table are the upper-limit of that range.