The U.S. is currently grappling with a massive labor shortage. During the pandemic, early retirements surged, parents of school-age children left the workforce en masse, and slowed considerably. This led to millions of fewer workers than there otherwise would have been. Meanwhile, American workers – primarily in low-wage sectors – continued to quit their jobs in record numbers in search of better opportunities.
Currently, the labor force participation rate – the share of Americans 16 and older either working or looking for work – stands at 62.4%, a low not seen in the pre-pandemic United States since the 1970s. This is what it costs to retire comfortably in each state.
The national shortage of workers has left employers struggling to fill open positions – forcing some businesses to reduce hours of operation and others to shutter completely. There were 11.3 million job openings nationwide at the end of February 2022, 43% more than the same month last year – and in much of the country, the problem shows few signs of slowing. In the last month alone, 22 states reported an increase in the number of unfilled jobs.
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states where job openings are surging. States are ranked by the change in the number of open jobs between January 2022 and February 2022, the most recent months of available data.
Of the 50 states, 28 reported a month-to-month drop in unfilled jobs, and in four of the 22 that reported an increase, job openings surged by over 10%.
Despite the need for workers, a small percentage of the labor force remains unemployed, suggesting that among the unemployed there is a mismatch between either the skills employers are seeking and the labor pool or the kind of work or benefits job seekers desire and what is available. The national unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in February 2022. Depending on the state, unemployment ranges from 2.1% to 5.6%. Here is a look at the worst states to look for a job.
Click here to see the state that added the most job openings in February
Click here to read our detailed methodology
50. Pennsylvania
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -23.4% (117,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 382,000 (6.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 5.1%
> Labor force size: 6,370,062 people
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49. Nebraska
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -23.0% (20,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 67,000 (6.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.1%
> Labor force size: 1,057,000 people
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48. Delaware
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -20.0% (8,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 32,000 (6.6% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.6%
> Labor force size: 498,219 people
47. Minnesota
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -16.3% (43,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 221,000 (7.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 3,059,493 people
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46. Maine
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -15.8% (9,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 48,000 (7.0% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.0%
> Labor force size: 680,015 people
45. Colorado
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -15.3% (38,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 210,000 (6.9% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.0%
> Labor force size: 3,199,344 people
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44. Indiana
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -13.1% (33,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 219,000 (6.5% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.3%
> Labor force size: 3,315,935 people
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43. North Dakota
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -11.4% (4,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 31,000 (6.8% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.9%
> Labor force size: 409,405 people
42. Iowa
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -8.4% (10,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 109,000 (6.5% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.5%
> Labor force size: 1,686,648 people
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41. New Hampshire
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -8.1% (5,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 57,000 (7.8% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 756,659 people
40. Michigan
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -6.7% (24,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 335,000 (7.2% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.7%
> Labor force size: 4,804,242 people
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39. South Dakota
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -6.1% (2,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 31,000 (6.5% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.6%
> Labor force size: 471,304 people
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38. Illinois
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -5.7% (27,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 449,000 (7.0% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.8%
> Labor force size: 6,403,328 people
37. Wisconsin
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -5.7% (14,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 231,000 (7.3% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.9%
> Labor force size: 3,139,677 people
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36. Utah
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -5.4% (7,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 122,000 (6.9% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.1%
> Labor force size: 1,697,136 people
35. Tennessee
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -4.4% (12,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 260,000 (7.5% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.4%
> Labor force size: 3,356,786 people
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34. Kentucky
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -4.2% (7,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 160,000 (7.6% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 2,056,085 people
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33. Missouri
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -3.9% (9,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 222,000 (7.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.7%
> Labor force size: 3,080,111 people
32. New Jersey
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -3.7% (11,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 290,000 (6.5% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.6%
> Labor force size: 4,622,687 people
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31. Arizona
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -3.6% (9,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 242,000 (7.4% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.6%
> Labor force size: 3,543,498 people
30. Arkansas
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -3.4% (3,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 85,000 (6.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.1%
> Labor force size: 1,339,399 people
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29. Kansas
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -3.2% (3,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 90,000 (6.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.5%
> Labor force size: 1,496,305 people
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28. New Mexico
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -2.8% (2,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 69,000 (7.6% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 5.6%
> Labor force size: 947,443 people
27. Connecticut
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -2.7% (3,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 109,000 (6.2% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.9%
> Labor force size: 1,869,116 people
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26. Rhode Island
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -2.6% (1,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 38,000 (7.2% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.9%
> Labor force size: 568,599 people
25. Maryland
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -2.4% (5,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 207,000 (7.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 5.0%
> Labor force size: 3,194,561 people
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24. Florida
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -1.9% (13,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 688,000 (6.9% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.3%
> Labor force size: 10,470,721 people
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23. Oklahoma
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: -0.8% (1,000 fewer open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 118,000 (6.6% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.6%
> Labor force size: 1,853,819 people
22. South Carolina
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +1.6% (3,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 188,000 (7.9% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.5%
> Labor force size: 2,378,347 people
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21. Texas
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +1.6% (15,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 932,000 (6.6% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.7%
> Labor force size: 14,373,632 people
20. Virginia
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +2.0% (6,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 313,000 (7.2% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.2%
> Labor force size: 4,292,097 people
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19. Montana
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +2.3% (1,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 44,000 (8.0% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.6%
> Labor force size: 556,361 people
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18. Ohio
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +3.8% (15,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 409,000 (7.0% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 5,749,599 people
17. Vermont
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +4.0% (1,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 26,000 (8.0% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.9%
> Labor force size: 330,023 people
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16. Oregon
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +4.0% (6,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 156,000 (7.5% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.0%
> Labor force size: 2,174,003 people
15. North Carolina
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +4.7% (17,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 378,000 (7.5% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.7%
> Labor force size: 5,015,299 people
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14. Alabama
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +5.6% (8,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 152,000 (6.9% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.0%
> Labor force size: 2,260,562 people
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13. New York
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +5.9% (35,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 627,000 (6.3% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.9%
> Labor force size: 9,369,054 people
12. Idaho
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +6.3% (4,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 67,000 (7.6% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 2.8%
> Labor force size: 927,196 people
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11. Louisiana
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +6.3% (9,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 152,000 (7.4% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.3%
> Labor force size: 2,078,228 people
10. Alaska
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +6.7% (2,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 32,000 (9.2% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 5.3%
> Labor force size: 361,562 people
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9. Nevada
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +7.7% (8,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 112,000 (7.2% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 5.1%
> Labor force size: 1,498,303 people
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8. Massachusetts
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +8.3% (22,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 286,000 (7.3% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.7%
> Labor force size: 3,772,543 people
7. Hawaii
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +8.5% (4,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 51,000 (7.8% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 672,596 people
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6. Wyoming
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +9.1% (2,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 24,000 (7.7% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.6%
> Labor force size: 290,282 people
5. Mississippi
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +9.9% (8,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 89,000 (7.1% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.5%
> Labor force size: 1,255,930 people
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4. West Virginia
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +13.0% (7,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 61,000 (8.0% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.9%
> Labor force size: 793,816 people
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3. Georgia
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +13.5% (54,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 454,000 (8.8% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 3.2%
> Labor force size: 5,234,632 people
2. California
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +13.9% (158,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 1,297,000 (7.0% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 5.3%
> Labor force size: 19,068,225 people
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1. Washington
> Change in job openings, Jan. 2022-Feb. 2022: +21.4% (45,000 more open jobs)
> Total job openings at the end of Feb. 2022: 255,000 (6.8% of all jobs)
> Feb. 2022 unemployment: 4.3%
> Labor force size: 3,981,799 people
Methodology
To determine the states where employers cannot hire fast enough, 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 the number of open jobs between January 2022 and February 2022.
Job openings are the number of positions – full-time, part-time, seasonal, short-term, or permanent – open on the last business day of a given month. In order to be counted as open, a job has to start within 30 days of when the employer can find a suitable candidate.
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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