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, over 4.5 million Americans quit their job in March 2022, the most ever recorded in a single month, and up from 4.4 million quits in February.
Explanations for the high quit rates vary. Survey data reveals unmanageable workloads, unsupportive colleagues, and lack of professional development to be among the most common reasons people give for quitting. 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.
While many states reported either no change in quits or a slight decline month over month, in much of the country, quits are on the rise.
Using data from the BLS, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states where quits are rising fastest. States are ranked by the change in number of people who quit in March 2022, the most recent month of available data, compared to the number of quits in February 2022.
It is important to note that even in states where quits fell in March, quit rates – the number of quits as a share of the total labor force – remained historically high. In nearly every state, the number of people who quit their job in March is higher than the number who quit their job in March of last year.
Though there are exceptions, states with higher quit rates tend to have March unemployment rates below the national average of 3.6%. Since quits do not include workers who retire, each of the 4.5 million Americans who quit in March presumably plans to take another job. A stronger job market, therefore, may incentivize workers to look for better opportunities, while workers in states with weaker job markers may be deterred. Here is a look at the industry laying off the most Americans.
Click here to see the states where quits are on the rise
Click here to read our detailed methodology
50. North Dakota
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -15.4% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 11,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.9%
> Labor force size: 409,949 people
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49. Ohio
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -14.3% (25,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 150,000 (2.7% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.1%
> Labor force size: 5,763,448 people
48. New Hampshire
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -14.3% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 18,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.5%
> Labor force size: 758,616 people
47. Tennessee
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -9.9% (11,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 100,000 (3.1% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.2%
> Labor force size: 3,370,618 people
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46. Montana
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -9.5% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 19,000 (3.8% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.3%
> Labor force size: 558,466 people
45. Iowa
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -9.1% (4,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 40,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.3%
> Labor force size: 1,692,502 people
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44. Missouri
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -8.6% (7,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 74,000 (2.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.6%
> Labor force size: 3,087,759 people
43. Connecticut
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -7.7% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 36,000 (2.2% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.6%
> Labor force size: 1,879,419 people
42. Wisconsin
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -7.1% (6,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 79,000 (2.7% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.8%
> Labor force size: 3,144,673 people
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41. Arkansas
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -6.7% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 42,000 (3.2% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.1%
> Labor force size: 1,343,907 people
40. Kentucky
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -6.0% (4,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 63,000 (3.3% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.0%
> Labor force size: 2,060,065 people
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39. Kansas
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -5.3% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 36,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.5%
> Labor force size: 1,499,603 people
38. Oklahoma
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -5.2% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 55,000 (3.3% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 1,862,120 people
37. Nevada
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -3.8% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 50,000 (3.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 5.0%
> Labor force size: 1,503,263 people
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36. Georgia
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -3.3% (6,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 177,000 (3.7% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.1%
> Labor force size: 5,251,130 people
35. Indiana
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -2.8% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 104,000 (3.3% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.2%
> Labor force size: 3,332,239 people
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34. Minnesota
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -2.6% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 74,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.5%
> Labor force size: 3,071,594 people
33. Massachusetts
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -2.5% (2,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 79,000 (2.2% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.3%
> Labor force size: 3,775,288 people
32. New York
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -1.6% (3,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 185,000 (2.0% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.6%
> Labor force size: 9,376,546 people
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31. California
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -1.4% (7,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 486,000 (2.8% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.9%
> Labor force size: 19,131,273 people
30. Michigan
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: -0.8% (1,000 fewer quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 117,000 (2.7% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.4%
> Labor force size: 4,819,131 people
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29. New Jersey
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 107,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 4,618,709 people
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28. Oregon
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 59,000 (3.0% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.8%
> Labor force size: 2,184,140 people
27. Mississippi
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 41,000 (3.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 1,259,602 people
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26. Nebraska
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 30,000 (2.9% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.0%
> Labor force size: 1,058,891 people
25. Maine
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 16,000 (2.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.6%
> Labor force size: 679,433 people
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24. Hawaii
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 19,000 (3.2% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.1%
> Labor force size: 672,576 people
23. Rhode Island
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 13,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.4%
> Labor force size: 568,879 people
22. Alaska
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 16,000 (5.1% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 5.0%
> Labor force size: 361,758 people
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21. Vermont
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 9,000 (3.0% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 331,412 people
20. Wyoming
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: No change
> Total quits in March 2022: 12,000 (4.2% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.4%
> Labor force size: 290,365 people
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19. North Carolina
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +0.6% (1,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 168,000 (3.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.5%
> Labor force size: 5,030,542 people
18. Colorado
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +1.0% (1,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 100,000 (3.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.7%
> Labor force size: 3,211,692 people
17. Texas
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +2.0% (8,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 411,000 (3.1% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.4%
> Labor force size: 14,414,591 people
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16. Illinois
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +2.5% (4,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 167,000 (2.8% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.7%
> Labor force size: 6,430,758 people
15. Pennsylvania
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +6.3% (8,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 136,000 (2.3% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.9%
> Labor force size: 6,387,365 people
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14. South Dakota
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +8.3% (1,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 13,000 (2.9% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.5%
> Labor force size: 472,658 people
13. West Virginia
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +9.1% (2,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 24,000 (3.4% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.7%
> Labor force size: 794,175 people
12. Idaho
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +11.1% (3,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 30,000 (3.7% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.7%
> Labor force size: 932,278 people
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11. New Mexico
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +12.5% (3,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 27,000 (3.2% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 5.3%
> Labor force size: 948,386 people
10. Virginia
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +13.7% (13,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 108,000 (2.7% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.0%
> Labor force size: 4,311,629 people
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9. Maryland
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +14.8% (9,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 70,000 (2.6% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.6%
> Labor force size: 3,198,116 people
8. Delaware
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +15.4% (2,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 15,000 (3.3% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.5%
> Labor force size: 498,638 people
7. Louisiana
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +15.8% (9,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 66,000 (3.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 2,089,731 people
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6. South Carolina
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +16.9% (13,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 90,000 (4.1% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.4%
> Labor force size: 2,384,364 people
5. Alabama
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +17.7% (11,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 73,000 (3.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.9%
> Labor force size: 2,270,463 people
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4. Washington
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +22.4% (19,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 104,000 (3.0% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 4.2%
> Labor force size: 4,003,490 people
3. Utah
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +26.5% (13,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 62,000 (3.8% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 2.0%
> Labor force size: 1,705,513 people
2. Florida
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +31.6% (97,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 404,000 (4.4% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.2%
> Labor force size: 10,513,164 people
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1. Arizona
> Change in quits, Feb.-March 2022: +35.6% (36,000 more quits)
> Total quits in March 2022: 137,000 (4.5% of workforce)
> March 2022 unemployment: 3.3%
> Labor force size: 3,548,773 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 percent change in the number of people who quit in March 2022 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 smaller labor force in March 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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