With the unemployment rate at 4.1% and labor force participation at one of the highest levels in years, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the Best & Worst States for Jobs in 2024, to help those still seeking jobs find the best locations for their new careers.
WalletHub compared the 50 states across 34 key indicators of job-market strength and economic vitality. The data set ranges from employment growth to the median annual income to the average commute time.
| Best States for Jobs | Worst States for Jobs |
| 1. New Hampshire | 41. New York |
| 2. Vermont | 42. Idaho |
| 3. Minnesota | 43. Wyoming |
| 4. Massachusetts | 44. Oklahoma |
| 5. North Dakota | 45. Montana |
| 6. Virginia | 46. Alaska |
| 7. Maine | 47. Kentucky |
| 8. Rhode Island | 48. Indiana |
| 9. South Dakota | 49. Louisiana |
| 10. Maryland | 50. West Virginia |
Best vs. Worst
- Washington has the highest monthly average starting salary, which is 2.4 times higher than in Alaska, the lowest.
- Maryland has the fewest part-time employees per 100 full-time employees, which is 1.6 times fewer than in Alaska, the most.
- New Hampshire has the lowest share of workers living in poverty, which is 3.3 times lower than in New Mexico, the highest.
Key takeaways and WalletHub commentary are included below in text and video format. Feel free to use the provided content as is or edit the raw files as you see fit.
