Massachusetts is the best state to find a job and West Virginia is the worst, according to WalletHub’s 2025 ranking, published Oct. 29.
To determine the most attractive states for employment, the personal finance website compared states on two key dimensions: job market and economic environment. Analysts examined those dimensions using 34 metrics, ranging from employment growth to the average commute time.
Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for job seekers. WalletHub then calculated a weighted average across all metrics for each state to determine its overall score and ranking.
Below are the 10 best and worst states to find a job, per the analysis, along with their corresponding scores. The full ranking and scoring methodology are available here.
Best states to find a job:
1. Massachusetts — 61.75
2. Connecticut — 61.18
3. Minnesota — 60.94
4. Vermont — 60.16
5. New Hampshire — 60.06
6. South Dakota — 59.81
7. Texas — 59.32
8. North Dakota — 59.12
9. Maine — 58.89
10. Rhode Island — 58.29
Worst states to find a job:
1. West Virginia — 37.93
2. Louisiana — 39.89
3. Kentucky — 43.68
4. Alaska — 43.97
5. Oregon — 44.39
6. North Carolina — 45.21
7. Pennsylvania— 45.22
8. Montana — 45.68
9. Indiana — 45.97
10. Oklahoma — 46.07
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