It can be grueling pounding the pavement in search of a new job, what with all of the resume prep, job board scouring, and interview processes. WalletHub wanted to see which parts of America were more job-hunter friendly, so it looked at nearly three dozen metrics in all 50 states, using two key categories: the overall job market (everything from job opportunities and unemployment rates to job security and worker benefits) and a state's economic environment, meaning such factors as median annual income, the share of workers who hold down more than one job, and average commute times. Washington state jumped to the top of the rankings, while West Virginia takes the last-place slot. Here, the top and bottom 10 states for those on the hunt for a new gig:
Best States for Jobs
- Washington (No. 1 in "Economic Environment" category)
- Virginia (No. 1 in "Job Market" category)
- Utah
- Vermont
- Florida
- Maryland
- South Dakota
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
Worst States for Jobs - Idaho
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Oregon
- Indiana
- Pennsylvania
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Kentucky
- West Virginia
See how the rest of America fared
here. (Check out the
10 best and worst cities in the US to start a career.)
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