What is the BEST state for jobs? Massachusetts used to be the best for football, baseball, and sometimes hockey. We still do well at cream pie, rowing, arts, music, colleges, history and culture. Don’t ask about the rudest state! But what about jobs? Where do we rank?
Best State For Jobs
Our friends at Wallethub are back with a great survey sharing solid intel on what states are the best and WORST for jobs.
With the unemployment rate at 3.9% and labor force participation at the highest level since the onset of the pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best & Worst States for Jobs.
To ease the process of finding employment for job seekers, 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.
Believe or not, our commute time is not the worst! The list is interesting. You would think Hawaii would be a great place to work. Not according to the list.
Tips for Finding a Job
Before we find Massachusetts, here are some tips on finding a great job that fits you:
Finding a job can be stressful, but there are some actions you can take to make the process easier.
- Look for jobs in the best states: One of the biggest reasons people move in general is to be closer to their employer, so if you’re flexible about where you live, you’ll have a better shot at the best careers. Some states simply provide better quality employment opportunities than others.
- Consider online jobs: Following the pandemic, many jobs have started offering work-from-home positions. If you find a good job that offers this, you can work in a different state without having to uproot your life. Alternatively, you can move to a state with a low cost of living and/or low taxes and work for a company based elsewhere.
- Network: The expression often goes that it’s not what you know but who you know. Having contacts who can let you know when jobs open up at their company and put in a good word with their employer improves your chances of getting hired. Plus, the more people you know in your industry, the more knowledge and advice you have access to. You can start networking on sites like LinkedIn.
Now, let’s go find BEST state for jobs!
1-Washington State
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According to Wallethub: “Washington is the best state for jobs in 2023, in large part due to the fact that it’s one of the few states that doesn’t charge its workers income tax, on top of offering high wages and good employment protections,”
3-Utah
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This state wins at everything. Maybe because it brags the shortest work week?
“Utah, the third-best state for jobs, may appeal to people tired of the 40-hour work week, as Utahans only work an average of 37.1 hours, the shortest work week in the nation. Plus, Utah has a lower unemployment rate than either of the top two states, at 2.7%, and it boasts a competitive median household income, at $76,685″
4-Vermont
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Vermont wins for more than it’s green mountains. Overall Vermont comes in at #3 for job market.
9-Massachusetts
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Our state is NUMBER ONE for THE LOWEST unemployment rate. Here are some other stats:
Finding a Job in Massachusetts (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- Overall rank for Massachusetts: 9th
- 8th – Job Opportunities
- 16th – Monthly Average Starting Salary
- 1st – Unemployment Rate
- 14th – Median Annual Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
- 5th – Avg. Length of Work Week (in Hours)
