In what has been dubbed the Great Resignation, Americans have been quitting their jobs in record numbers in recent months – a trend that shows few signs of slowing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some 4.3 million Americans quit their job in December 2021, down only slightly from an all time high of 4.5 million quits a month earlier and more than anything reported in the United States up to and including the summer of 2021.
Broad explanations for high quit rates are varied. Survey data reveals unmanageable workloads, unsupportive colleagues, and lack of professional development to be among the most common explanatreciions. Often, however, the reasons are as simple as a desire for higher pay or more benefits. This is the industry people are quitting the fastest.
In keeping with the national trend, most states reported a month-over-month decline in quits. However, in a handful of states, quits surged over the same period.
Using data from the BLS, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states where quits are on the rise. States are ranked by the change in number of people who quit in December 2021, the most recent month of available data, compared to November 2021.
It is important to note that even in states where quits fell in December 2021, quit rates – the number of quits as a share of the total labor force – remains historically high. In every state, the number of people who quit their job in December is higher than the number who quit at the same time last year. Generally, states with lower quit rates tend to have higher than average unemployment. Since quits do not include workers who retire, each of the 4.3 million Americans who quit in December will presumably take another job. A weaker job market, therefore, may act as a deterrent to those who consider quitting in some parts of the country, while a stronger job market may encourage some workers. Here is a look at the worst states to look for a job.
Click here to see the states where the Great Resignation is getting worse
Click here to read our detailed methodology
50. New Hampshire
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -34.5% (10,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 19,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.2%
> Labor force size: 743,280 people
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49. Montana
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -23.8% (5,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 16,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 1.9%
> Labor force size: 541,665 people
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48. North Dakota
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -23.5% (4,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 13,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.8%
> Labor force size: 396,900 people
47. Kentucky
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -21.5% (17,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 62,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.4%
> Labor force size: 2,014,005 people
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46. Alabama
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -19.2% (15,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 63,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.8%
> Labor force size: 2,238,778 people
45. North Carolina
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -18.8% (34,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 147,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.2%
> Labor force size: 5,070,354 people
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44. Connecticut
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -17.0% (8,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 39,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.4%
> Labor force size: 1,832,459 people
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43. Illinois
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -16.0% (30,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 157,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.3%
> Labor force size: 6,320,577 people
42. Maine
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -13.6% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 19,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.0%
> Labor force size: 665,686 people
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41. Kansas
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -13.6% (6,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 38,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.2%
> Labor force size: 1,487,429 people
40. Hawaii
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -12.5% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 14,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.9%
> Labor force size: 649,265 people
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39. Georgia
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -12.1% (24,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 175,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.4%
> Labor force size: 5,207,912 people
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38. Oklahoma
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -11.7% (7,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 53,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 1.8%
> Labor force size: 1,862,935 people
37. Iowa
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -11.4% (5,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 39,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.9%
> Labor force size: 1,660,698 people
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36. Utah
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -10.9% (6,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 49,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 1.3%
> Labor force size: 1,686,575 people
35. Wyoming
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -10.0% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 09,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.4%
> Labor force size: 290,223 people
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34. South Carolina
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -9.9% (8,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 73,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.3%
> Labor force size: 2,391,893 people
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33. Tennessee
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -9.7% (11,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 102,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.3%
> Labor force size: 3,348,942 people
32. Mississippi
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -8.9% (4,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 41,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.1%
> Labor force size: 1,255,553 people
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31. Colorado
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -8.8% (8,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 83,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.1%
> Labor force size: 3,227,853 people
30. South Dakota
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -8.3% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 11,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.4%
> Labor force size: 467,186 people
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29. Vermont
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -8.3% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 11,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.2%
> Labor force size: 315,107 people
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28. Louisiana
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -7.2% (5,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 64,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.7%
> Labor force size: 2,057,188 people
27. Idaho
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -7.1% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 26,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 1.9%
> Labor force size: 907,663 people
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26. Pennsylvania
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -7.0% (10,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 133,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.0%
> Labor force size: 6,141,644 people
25. Delaware
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -6.3% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 15,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 491,967 people
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24. Indiana
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -6.1% (7,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 108,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 1.3%
> Labor force size: 3,277,064 people
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23. Arkansas
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -4.4% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 43,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.4%
> Labor force size: 1,352,420 people
22. Arizona
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -4.1% (4,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 94,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.8%
> Labor force size: 3,657,606 people
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21. West Virginia
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -4.0% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 24,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.9%
> Labor force size: 782,740 people
20. Nebraska
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -3.4% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 28,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 1.3%
> Labor force size: 1,025,634 people
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19. Maryland
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -2.9% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 67,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.0%
> Labor force size: 3,120,513 people
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18. Nevada
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -2.2% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 44,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 5.2%
> Labor force size: 1,536,416 people
17. Wisconsin
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -2.2% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 90,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.0%
> Labor force size: 3,093,829 people
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16. New Jersey
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -1.0% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 99,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.9%
> Labor force size: 4,451,722 people
15. Florida
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -0.9% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 315,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.2%
> Labor force size: 10,622,172 people
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14. New York
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: -0.5% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 195,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 5.0%
> Labor force size: 9,140,537 people
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13. Rhode Island
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: 0%
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 15,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.7%
> Labor force size: 551,653 people
12. New Mexico
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: 0%
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 25,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.8%
> Labor force size: 959,857 people
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11. Oregon
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: 0%
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 59,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.6%
> Labor force size: 2,166,263 people
10. Washington
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: 0%
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 84,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.8%
> Labor force size: 3,975,042 people
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9. Texas
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +0.5% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 409,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.3%
> Labor force size: 14,398,693 people
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8. California
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +0.7% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 431,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 5.0%
> Labor force size: 19,065,788 people
7. Michigan
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +5.9% (8,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 143,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 4.4%
> Labor force size: 4,772,856 people
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6. Minnesota
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +6.7% (5,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 80,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 3,030,129 people
5. Massachusetts
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +9.4% (8,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 93,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.5%
> Labor force size: 3,692,403 people
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4. Missouri
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +12.2% (10,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 92,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 3,053,267 people
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3. Ohio
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +18.6% (26,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 166,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 3.4%
> Labor force size: 5,679,536 people
2. Virginia
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +27.5% (28,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 130,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 4,252,784 people
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1. Alaska
> Change in quits, Nov.-Dec. 2021: +41.7% (5,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in Dec. 2021: 17,000
> Dec. 2021 unemployment: 5.4%
> Labor force size: 351,565 people
Methodology
To determine the states where quits are on the rise, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. States are ranked by the change in number of people who quit in December 2021 compared to the previous month. Quits are defined as voluntary departures from an employer and do not include those entering retirement. In the case of a tie, the state with a larger number of quits in December ranked higher.
Figures on unemployment and labor force size, which includes Americans either working or actively looking for work, are also from the BLS.
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