What States Are the Best — And Worst — To Find a Job?
If you’re one of the millions of Americans currently looking for work, you might want to consider moving — seems your odds of landing a job are better in some states than others.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recent breakdown of regional and state unemployment numbers for December 2011, “Twenty-four states reported jobless rates significantly lower than the US figure of 8.5 percent, eight states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 18 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.”
To determine which states are on the road to recovery and which ones are still suffering, job-search site CareerBuilder first reviewed each state’s unemployment rates as of December 2011, and then it looked at other factors like joblessness trends, foreclosures and household income.
Here’s what the site says are the best and worst states for job seekers. Check out the full report for the rationale behind each one.
BEST
1. North Dakota
2. Nebraska
3. South Dakota
4. New Hampshire
5. Vermont
6. Iowa
7. Minnesota
8. Wyoming
9. Utah
10. Oklahoma
WORST
1. Nevada
2. California
3. Rhode Island
4. Mississippi
5. District of Columbia
6. North Carolina
7. Florida
8. Illinois
9. Georgia
10. South Carolina