These states rank as the best for jobs in 2025, data suggests

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FILE-A sign is displayed at a NYS Department Of Labor job fair is at the Downtown Central Library in Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (Lauren Petracca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The nation’s economy is uncertain, which in part is influencing the job market as candidates search for available roles at companies.

In a highly-competitive job market, one factor that may influence finding quality employment opportunities is where you’re located, according to a new WalletHub report. 

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The personal finance website compiled data and created a list of the most appealing states for employment by evaluating all 50 states across 34 key categories, including job strength and economic health. WalletHub also assessed each state's employment growth, median annual income, and average commute times.

2025 top states for jobs 

Why you should care:

WalletHub’s ranking of the best states for jobs using the two criteria of job market and economic environment as well as the 34 metrics, with each one graded on a 100-point scale. 

Below is a list of the top states:

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. Minnesota
4. Vermont
5. New Hampshire
6. South Dakota
7. Texas
8. North Dakota
9. Maine
10. Rhode Island
11. Nebraska
12. Maryland
13. Virginia
14. Utah
15. Wisconsin
16. Washington
17. New Jersey
18. Colorado
19. Missouri
20. Arizona

To see the complete list of states, click here. 

What the data reveals about the top three states for jobs

Dig deeper:

Researchers offered insights into their rankings of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Minnesota as the top three areas for jobs.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts ranks first in part because the state has the highest worker protection ratings, including protections for pregnant or breastfeeding women, mandates for equal pay, pay secrecy, or no salary history, and protections around flexible scheduling. 

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WalletHub reveals that the number of available jobs in the state grows roughly 2.4% annually, representing the fourth highest in the U.S.

The state also has the third-best job security nationwide and has the eighth-highest number of employees with private health insurance, and workers also benefit from workshare programs, which allow businesses to temporarily lower the hours of their employees, instead of laying them off during economic downturns.

Moreover, the state also has the third-lowest percentage of the workforce living in poverty and ranks as the best state for both working dads and working moms.

Connecticut

Connecticut is second on WalletHub’s list with a 3.2% unemployment rate, one of the lowest in the nation. The state also has the highest average annual growth rate for the number of available jobs, and the second-lowest number of discouraged workers, referring to individuals in the labor force who didn’t actively look for work, held back by discouragement, lack of skills, age bias, or similar barriers, WalletHub noted. 

Employees in the state also work an average of only 38 hours per week, which is fourth-fewest hours in the nation, and workers have the sixth-best job security in the U.S. and the fourth-highest worker protection score.

Additionally, Connecticut has the second-lowest income tax burden for people earning $25,000 or less annually and the 11th-lowest burden for workers making between $25,000 and $50,000. And the region also boasts the second-best state for working moms and working dads.

Minnesota

Minnesota comes in third on the list because it has the third-highest median household income, at almost $86,000. The state also has the 11th-highest average monthly starting salary, at roughly $3,800.

Employees in the state also enjoy quality benefits, with Minnesota having the eighth-highest number of workers with private health insurance and the 12th-best access to employer-based retirement plans, according to WalletHub.

Furthermore, Minnesota has one of the lowest unemployment rates nationwide, at only 3%. And for employees who are parents, the state has the fifth-best state for working moms and working dads.