The best...


Location is everything, according to the real estate adage. Many people learn the wisdom of these words after they move into their first apartment on a tight budget and have a view of a landfill and the smells that come from it.


The same holds true for job hunting. Your chances of finding the right job – or any job, really – depend on where you live. The unemployment rate is the ratio of job seekers to the working population. Therefore, a low percentage means few people are having any difficulty finding work.


If you’re looking for a job, you want to be in a state that has an unemployment rate lower than the national average, which is 5 percent according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Here are the 15 best states to find work ranked by their unemployment rates.


1. South Dakota
Unemployment rate: 3 percent*
Population: 796,214**
Mean annual wage: $30,460
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.9 percent)***


2. Idaho
Unemployment rate: 3 percent
Population: 1,499,402
Mean annual wage: $34,810
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.2 percent)


3. Wyoming
Unemployment rate: 3.1 percent
Population: 522,830
Mean annual wage: $34,290
Top industry: Government (23 percent)


4. Nebraska
Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent
Population: 1,774,571
Mean annual wage: $34,300
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (21.1 percent)


5. Utah
Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent
Population: 2,645,330
Mean annual wage: $35,540
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.7 percent)


6. Hawaii
Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent
Population: 1,283,388
Mean annual wage: $38,630
Top industry: Government (19.6 percent)


7. North Dakota
Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent
Population: 639,715
Mean annual wage: $32,440
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (21.4 percent)


8. Virginia
Unemployment rate: 3.5 percent
Population: 7,712,091
Mean annual wage: $41,450
Top industry: Government (18 percent)


9. Montana
Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent
Population: 957,861
Mean annual wage: $31,290
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.5 percent)


10. New Hampshire
Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent
Population: 1,315,828
Mean annual wage: $39,250
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (23.3 percent)


11. New Mexico
Unemployment rate: 3.7 percent
Population: 1,969,915
Mean annual wage: $33,980
Top industry: Government (23.2 percent)


12. Delaware
Unemployment rate: 3.8 percent
Population: 864,764
Mean annual wage: $41,680
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (18.7 percent)


13. Maryland
Unemployment rate: 3.8 percent
Population: 5,618,344
Mean annual wage: $44,030
Top industry: Government (18.2 percent)


14. Iowa
Unemployment rate: 4 percent
Population: 2,988,046
Mean annual wage: $33,250
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.4 percent)


15. Vermont
Unemployment rate: 4 percent
Population: 621,254
Mean annual wage: $36,350
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.4 percent)


The worst...


If you’ve rewritten that résumé several times and sent out dozens of applications but your job search still shows no promise, you might not be the problem.


One frequently overlooked but critical factor in finding a new job is your state’s unemployment rate. You can have the experience and skills of an employer’s dream, but they won’t do you any good if there just aren’t enough jobs available.


The unemployment rate is the percentage of job seekers in the work force who are still looking for work. The higher the percentage, the more difficult it is to find a job. The national unemployment rate is 5 percent, based on the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).


If you’re looking for a job, you should see how your state compares to the rest of the country. Here are the 10 worst states to find work ranked by their unemployment rates.


1. Michigan
Unemployment rate: 7.6 percent
Population: 10,071,822
Mean annual wage: $41,230
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (18.4 percent)***


2. Mississippi
Unemployment rate: 6.8 percent
Population: 2,918,785
Mean annual wage: $30,460
Top industry: Government (21.2 percent)


3. South Carolina
Unemployment rate: 6.6 percent
Population: 4,407,709
Mean annual wage: $33,400
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.4 percent)


4. Alaska
Unemployment rate: 6.5 percent
Population: 683,478
Mean annual wage: $43,920
Top industry: Government (25.9 percent)


5. California
Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent
Population: 36,553,215
Mean annual wage: $44,180
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (18.9 percent)


6. District of Columbia
Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent
Population: 588,292
Mean annual wage: $61,500
Top industry: Government (33.3 percent)


7. Ohio
Unemployment rate: 6 percent
Population: 11,466,917
Mean annual wage: $37,360
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.3 percent)


8. Arkansas
Unemployment rate: 5.9 percent
Population: 2,834,797
Mean annual wage: $30,870
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.6 percent)


9. Nevada
Unemployment rate: 5.8 percent
Population: 2,565,382
Mean annual wage: $36,000
Top industry: Leisure and hospitality (26.5 percent)


10. Kentucky
Unemployment rate: 5.7 percent
Population: 4,241,474
Mean annual wage: $33,490
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.4 percent)

i live in michigan and it is hard to find a job that pays

Wisconsin is not even on the list

I entered the twilight zone

just a hint .. no matter where you are ... education counts ~~

I live in Kentucky, like it was said try getting a job that pays well in this state without driving to Tennessee or becoming a farm worker..

10. Kentucky
Unemployment rate: 5.7 percent
Population: 4,241,474
Mean annual wage: $33,490
Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.4 percent)

Thats about right...

that's not the best and worst states to work in, sounds more like the "easiest" and "hardest" states to find a job in.

I find it hard to believe that South Dakota would be the best state to work in, especially factoring in the mean salary of $30,000

I have lived in Ohio for a year and a half. The first year, nothing. I couldn't pay anyone to give me a job (I have a very extensive clerical background). I finally found one, almost a year to the date I got here. I had to take a major step down in pay, but it was a job. My mother became seriously ill (she did pass away) and I had to go back to California to take care of her. Do you know, they wouldn't let me have my job back? I am leaving for Nevada on the 10th of March and I have already had 3 serious job offers. Go figure.

AZ is the worst I dont care what the statistics are!!!!!

I'm surprised California didn't rank higher on the "Worst" list. Between the idiot politicians here who seem to be all too willing to allow industry to leave in droves, the insanely high property and business taxes, the atrocious infrastructure system (roads, public services, etc.), the high cost-of-living, and stagnating pay scales, it's a wonder the cess-pool hasn't turned into Detroit by now.

Those lame-ass commercials of Ahhnold Da Guvenatuh's for the tourism board don't help- if I wanted to see a bunch of D-list celebs trying to pimp something, I'd watch "Pimp My Ride" instead.

You've read it here first, folks- California sucks eggs.

KENTUCKY SUCKS AT EVERYTHING

That's because the list only takes into account unemployment rates...which is only a tiny slice of the overall picture when considering the best and worst states to work in.

ACTUALLY, WITH ALL THE HARDSHIP WE THE PEOPLE PUT UP WITH, IT IS A MIRACLE OUR POLITICIANS ARE STILL BREATHING FOR THE ENORMOUS SCREWS WE GET ACROSS THIS NATION............TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE I THINK.............

Don't feel 2 bad folks.My state in which I currently reside"Mass"did not make the list either.I can see why.It is absolutely horrible here right now seriously.These over taxing heister's are looking 4 a Fed.grant 2 pony up 37 million that they owe the guys who run snow plows.There's no decent paying jobs here.I have 14 yrs.education & all I'm doing is the circle jerk resume scenario;( Good Luck ppls.Godspeed!CyPoet

Hmmm I live in Michigan....I think its time to start considering a move!

THEN WHY IS TEDDY RE-ELECTED? MAKES NO SENSE TO ME...........FIRE THE BUM

And even then, I have a feeling the unemployment rates are MUCH higher than is being reported.

I work in the film business, which was practically left for dead while the Writers Guild of America had their strike almost six months ago. NOBODY except for a few handful of people (whose shows were in production before the strike was called) was seeing any work, including yours truly.

In fact, DESPITE the fact that the Writer's strike is evidently over, the industry simply hasn't gotten back to running again. A great many people are scrambling about trying to figure out what is going on with something that was their bread and butter for most of their lives.

And since the film business here is still one of the largest industries in L.A. (despite "runaway production", which was started thanks in part to Bill Clinton's signing of NAFTA in 1993), it would make sense that a LOT of people in the business would be unemployed and getting unemployment.

So I personally call "bunk" on the unemployment figures for Cali. I wouldn't be surprised if it were a full point or two greater than what we're led to believe.

YEP.....BLOW JOB BILLY REALLY SCREWED A LOT OF PEOPLE ACROSS THIS LAND.............OHIO AND CALI PAID DEARLY FOR LOST JOBS IN AEROSPACE, TRUST ME, I KNOW WHAT HE DID TO US..............

Trying to find a job in kentucky is insanely hard. I've been trying for the last year and nothing has come up thats good

I didn't see canada on the list either...

Canada is only a state of mind...