Florida ranked as 5th best state for jobs: Study

As we near the end of 2023, the U.S. job market remains relatively strong -- but there were some standout states, including the Sunshine State.

WalletHub conducted a study in which it compared all 50 states across 34 key indicators of job-market strength and economic vitality.

The data set included employment growth, job opportunities, monthly average starting salary, average work week length, job satisfaction, job security, work-related stress and the unemployment rate.

Considering all the categories, Florida ranked fifth overall.

In regards to specific category performances, the Sunshine State notably scored high in employment growth, coming in at #6. This metric measured the rate of annual job growth, adjusted by the working-age population growth, according to WalletHub.

See below for how Florida placed in the other key categories.

• 23^rd – Job Opportunities
• 6^th – Employment Growth
• 12^th – Monthly Average Starting Salary
• 16^th – Unemployment Rate
• 27^th – Avg. Length of Work Week (in Hours)
• 10^th – Job Satisfaction

In the overall ranking, Florida trailed behind Washington, Virginia, Utah and Vermont, which secured the top four spots.

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“Washington is the best state for jobs in 2023, in large part due to the fact that it’s one of the few states that doesn’t charge its workers income tax, on top of offering high wages and good employment protections,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub analyst.

Other states in the top 10 also displayed their own unique strengths. For instance, Virginia proved to be a state of high salaries and quality work environments, while Utah offers the shortest work week in the country -- at a weekly average of 37.1 hours.

For a full list of the top 10 best states for jobs, see below.

West Virginia took the 50th spot, making it WalletHub's worst state for jobs in this study. It scored poorly in work-related stress and ranked the worst in median annual income.

Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana and Pennsylvania were the other states that made it into the list of five worst states for jobs. See the full list below.