(Minnesota) — Nov 1st, 2024 — Job hunting is hard work from searching for employment openings and updating résumés to contacting references and preparing for interviews. Not knowing where to look can make finding a job even more difficult, so narrowing your search area is crucial. Since that part requires research, WalletHub did the homework to help you focus on the most important task: finding your dream position in a place you’ll love.
To determine the most attractive states for employment, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 34 key indicators of job-market strength and economic health. Our data set ranges from employment growth to the median annual income to the average commute time.
For a more local breakdown of the job market, check out WalletHub’s ranking of the Best Cities for Jobs.
Main Findings
| Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Job Market Rank | Economic Environment Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 65.99 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | Vermont | 64.97 | 2 | 15 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 63.14 | 8 | 3 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 62.70 | 5 | 22 |
| 5 | North Dakota | 62.28 | 9 | 6 |
| 6 | Virginia | 61.47 | 6 | 16 |
| 7 | Maine | 61.34 | 3 | 33 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 61.22 | 13 | 4 |
| 9 | South Dakota | 60.74 | 11 | 11 |
| 10 | Maryland | 60.25 | 4 | 36 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 60.05 | 7 | 20 |
| 12 | Connecticut | 58.15 | 21 | 10 |
| 13 | Missouri | 57.96 | 16 | 19 |
| 14 | Washington | 57.36 | 44 | 1 |
| 15 | Nebraska | 57.23 | 18 | 24 |
| 16 | Texas | 56.75 | 27 | 7 |
| 17 | Michigan | 56.28 | 22 | 21 |
| 18 | Colorado | 55.94 | 30 | 8 |
| 19 | Arizona | 55.81 | 19 | 29 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 54.91 | 32 | 14 |
| 21 | Illinois | 54.89 | 24 | 30 |
| 22 | Utah | 54.83 | 37 | 5 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 54.75 | 17 | 34 |
| 24 | New Jersey | 54.46 | 42 | 2 |
| 25 | Georgia | 54.38 | 12 | 39 |
| 26 | Delaware | 54.37 | 26 | 27 |
| 27 | Florida | 54.12 | 34 | 12 |
| 28 | Iowa | 53.76 | 29 | 25 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | 52.02 | 10 | 45 |
| 30 | Nevada | 51.82 | 38 | 23 |
| 31 | Ohio | 51.41 | 33 | 31 |
| 32 | North Carolina | 51.03 | 25 | 38 |
| 33 | Hawaii | 50.97 | 23 | 44 |
| 34 | California | 50.81 | 41 | 18 |
| 35 | Oregon | 50.77 | 14 | 47 |
| 36 | New Mexico | 50.54 | 45 | 13 |
| 37 | Kansas | 50.14 | 36 | 32 |
| 38 | Alabama | 49.95 | 15 | 48 |
| 39 | Arkansas | 49.26 | 28 | 43 |
| 40 | Mississippi | 49.16 | 20 | 46 |
| 41 | New York | 48.82 | 43 | 28 |
| 42 | Idaho | 48.40 | 35 | 40 |
| 43 | Wyoming | 48.35 | 47 | 17 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | 47.69 | 40 | 35 |
| 45 | Montana | 46.97 | 39 | 41 |
| 46 | Alaska | 45.81 | 49 | 26 |
| 47 | Kentucky | 45.61 | 31 | 49 |
| 48 | Indiana | 45.10 | 46 | 37 |
| 49 | Louisiana | 42.56 | 48 | 42 |
| 50 | West Virginia | 37.71 | 50 | 50 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
