- In the US, certain states provide a superior work environment that might appeal to job seekers.
- WalletHub ranked the states based on factors like the unemployment rate, average commute times, and monthly starting salaries.
- The state of Washington topped the list.
Finding a great job can be tough.
But it’s definitely easier in some parts of the United States. According to a recent report from personal finance site WalletHub, certain states provide a far better environment for job seekers.
WalletHub assigned each US state a score based on numerous factors, including median annual income adjusted for the cost of living, share of employees living under the poverty line, and the unemployment and underemployment rates.
WalletHub also assigned each state an employment outlook score using Gallup’s job creation index. The score is based on the amount workers say their place of employment is increasing or decreasing the size of its workforce, with the highest score of 42 indicating the best employment outlook.
To read more about the study's methodology, check out the full report here.
Here are the top 15 states for finding a job:
15. Nevada
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $50,711
Unemployment rate: 5.0%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 7.10%
Employment outlook: 40
Nevada tops the list of all of the states in the United States when it comes to job security.
14. New Jersey
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $60,461
Unemployment rate: 4.6%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 4.55%
Employment outlook: 27
New Jersey has many available internships and a low share of workers living under the poverty line.
13. South Dakota
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $52,340
Unemployment rate: 3.3%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 7.16%
Employment outlook: 30
South Dakota's has a short average commute time of 16.9 minutes.
12. North Dakota
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $59,292
Unemployment rate: 2.6%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 6.55%
Employment outlook: 21
North Dakota ranks first in terms of its long-term unemployment rate.
11. Nebraska
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $58,540
Unemployment rate: 2.9%
Share of workers living under the poverty line:6.95%
Employment outlook: 34
Nebraska features a low unemployment rate and a low underemployment rate, as well as strong employee benefits.
10. Texas
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $60,008
Unemployment rate: 4.3%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 8.37%
Employment outlook: 30
Texas benefits from its high median annual income and monthly average starting salary.
9. Florida
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $49,245
Unemployment rate: 4.2%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 7.77%
Employment outlook: 34
Florida's strong job security and high share of engaged workers allowed the state to place on the list.
8. Massachusetts
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living):$53,389
Unemployment rate: 3.7%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 4.64%
Employment outlook: 34
Massachusetts has a ton of available internships and the fourth shortest work week out of all of the states.
7. Vermont
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $46,482
Unemployment rate: 3.0%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 5.69%
Employment outlook: 22
Vermont has a low unemployment rate and a low underemployment rate.
6. Tennessee
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $51,864
Unemployment rate: 3.7%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 7.98%
Employment outlook: 33
Tennessee workers are highly engaged and enjoy a strong monthly average starting salary of $2,886.
5. New Hampshire
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living):$59,552
Unemployment rate: 2.7%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 3.99%
Employment outlook: 28
New Hampshire offers plentiful job opportunities and a low unemployment rate.
4. Utah
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living):$65,327
Unemployment rate: 3.2%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 7.37%
Employment outlook: 38
Employees in Utah enjoy strong job security and high job satisfaction.
3. Minnesota
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $63,407
Unemployment rate: 3.5%
Share of workers living under the poverty line: 5.85%
Employment outlook: 36
Minnesota boasts strong employer-based retirement access and participation, excellent work-share programs, and powerful state nondiscrimination laws and policies.
2. Colorado
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $61,114
Unemployment rate: 6.71%
Share of workers living under the poverty line:6.17%
Employment outlook: 33
Colorado's abundance of job opportunities, strong employment growth, and low unemployment rate allowed it to snag the second spot in the rankings.
1. Washington
Median annual income (adjusted for the cost of living): $58,682
Unemployment rate: 4.8%
Share of workers living under the poverty line:6.17%
Employment outlook: 36
Washington's high monthly average starting salary and low state income-tax murders propelled it to the top of the list.