With the labor force participation rate at 62.4%, one of the lowest rates in decades, WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring, plus expert commentary.
In order to see where employers are struggling the most in hiring, they compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the rate of job openings for both the latest month and the last 12 months.
South Carolina came in at #6 on the list and North Carolina came in at #17.
States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring
| Rank | State | Job Openings Rate (Latest Month) | Job Openings Rate (Last 12 Months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 8.50% | 9.25% |
| 2 | West Virginia | 9.10% | 7.92% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 8.70% | 7.59% |
| 4 | Montana | 7.60% | 7.98% |
| 5 | Iowa | 8.00% | 6.97% |
| 6 | South Carolina | 7.70% | 7.48% |
| 7 | New Mexico | 7.70% | 7.28% |
| 8 | Virginia | 7.50% | 7.47% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 7.50% | 7.34% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 7.70% | 6.93% |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 7.50% | 7.17% |
| 12 | Kentucky | 7.10% | 7.83% |
| 13 | Delaware | 7.40% | 7.14% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 7.10% | 7.61% |
| 15 | Michigan | 7.40% | 7.03% |
| 16 | Georgia | 6.90% | 7.81% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 7.20% | 7.19% |
| 18 | Illinois | 7.30% | 6.98% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 7.20% | 7.13% |
| 20 | Idaho | 7.10% | 7.08% |
| 21 | Colorado | 7.00% | 7.21% |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 7.10% | 7.02% |
| 23 | Alabama | 7.00% | 6.80% |
| 23 | Massachusetts | 6.70% | 7.32% |
| 25 | Mississippi | 6.90% | 6.89% |
| 26 | Maryland | 6.80% | 7.05% |
| 27 | Arkansas | 6.90% | 6.76% |
| 28 | Oregon | 6.90% | 6.73% |
| 29 | Ohio | 6.80% | 6.78% |
| 30 | New Hampshire | 6.50% | 7.25% |
| 31 | Texas | 6.80% | 6.72% |
| 32 | South Dakota | 6.70% | 6.86% |
| 33 | Missouri | 6.70% | 6.81% |
| 34 | Nevada | 6.60% | 6.92% |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | 6.70% | 6.73% |
| 36 | Maine | 6.50% | 6.99% |
| 37 | Rhode Island | 6.40% | 7.08% |
| 38 | Vermont | 6.20% | 7.40% |
| 39 | California | 6.60% | 6.57% |
| 40 | Arizona | 6.40% | 6.88% |
| 41 | Nebraska | 6.50% | 6.68% |
| 42 | Kansas | 6.50% | 6.50% |
| 43 | Indiana | 6.20% | 6.59% |
| 44 | Utah | 6.30% | 6.38% |
| 45 | District of Columbia | 6.60% | 5.85% |
| 46 | Florida | 6.10% | 6.51% |
| 47 | Hawaii | 5.80% | 6.74% |
| 48 | Washington | 6.10% | 6.01% |
| 49 | Connecticut | 5.70% | 6.19% |
| 50 | New Jersey | 5.40% | 5.88% |
| 51 | New York | 4.60% | 5.38% |