States where hiring outpaces layoff notices
Key facts
- #1 Minnesota: 513 openings per 100 workers
- #2 Massachusetts: 248 openings per 100 workers
- #3 Arizona: 215 openings per 100 workers
- 36 states ranked across the United States
- Data as of November 2026
- 1Minnesota 513 openings per 100 workers
- 2Massachusetts 248 openings per 100 workers
- 3Arizona 215 openings per 100 workers
- 4New York 196 openings per 100 workers
- 5Virginia 152 openings per 100 workers
- 6District of Columbia 148 openings per 100 workers
- 7Colorado 139 openings per 100 workers
- 8West Virginia 132 openings per 100 workers
- 9Florida 129 openings per 100 workers
- 10Alabama 122 openings per 100 workers
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Minnesota (513 openings per 100 workers) is well clear of Alabama at #10 (122 openings per 100 workers).
- Small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Layoff notices and openings pull in opposite directions. Where openings are plentiful for the workers named in notices, people who lose a job have more places to land.
How to use it
Use it to compare states, not to count your own odds. The figures cover notices of 50 or more workers and the professional roles on career sites we track.
The top 25
- 1
Minnesota
513 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 4,464
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 870
- People unemployed
- 139,459
- 2
Massachusetts
248 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 13,702
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 5,524
- People unemployed
- 161,227
- 3
Arizona
215 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 6,743
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 3,134
- People unemployed
- 172,827
- 4
New York
196 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 31,595
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 16,099
- People unemployed
- 447,984
- 5
Virginia
152 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 14,307
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 9,385
- People unemployed
- 162,198
- 6
District of Columbia
148 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 4,634
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 3,122
- People unemployed
- 21,337
- 7
Colorado
139 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 8,005
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 5,740
- People unemployed
- 140,248
- 8
West Virginia
132 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 750
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 568
- People unemployed
- 26,877
- 9
Florida
129 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 15,876
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 12,293
- People unemployed
- 466,413
- 10
Alabama
122 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 3,164
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,597
- People unemployed
- 87,275
- 11
Missouri
119 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 3,767
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 3,176
- People unemployed
- 104,008
- 12
Utah
118 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 2,650
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,252
- People unemployed
- 58,488
- 13
Idaho
118 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 821
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 698
- People unemployed
- 32,512
- 14
Ohio
112 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 10,468
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 9,361
- People unemployed
- 191,340
- 15
Mississippi
105 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 972
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 926
- People unemployed
- 41,878
- 16
Connecticut
103 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 3,049
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,966
- People unemployed
- 96,521
- 17
North Carolina
101 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 10,030
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 9,975
- People unemployed
- 164,945
- 18
Wisconsin
96 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 4,156
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 4,350
- People unemployed
- 90,546
- 19
Oregon
91 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 2,689
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,971
- People unemployed
- 94,837
- 20
Texas
87 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 30,013
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 34,375
- People unemployed
- 686,383
- 21
Georgia
86 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 11,067
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 12,853
- People unemployed
- 196,848
- 22
Maryland
84 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 6,796
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 8,128
- People unemployed
- 113,037
- 23
Louisiana
77 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 1,691
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,196
- People unemployed
- 79,569
- 24
Indiana
77 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 4,454
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 5,802
- People unemployed
- 127,820
- 25
Illinois
73 openings per 100 workers
- Our professional openings
- 15,209
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 20,841
- People unemployed
- 270,918
Full ranking
All 36 states that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | State | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 513 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 248 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 3 | Arizona | 215 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 4 | New York | 196 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 5 | Virginia | 152 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 148 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 7 | Colorado | 139 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 8 | West Virginia | 132 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 9 | Florida | 129 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 10 | Alabama | 122 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 11 | Missouri | 119 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 12 | Utah | 118 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 13 | Idaho | 118 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 14 | Ohio | 112 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 15 | Mississippi | 105 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 16 | Connecticut | 103 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 17 | North Carolina | 101 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 96 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 19 | Oregon | 91 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 20 | Texas | 87 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 21 | Georgia | 86 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 22 | Maryland | 84 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 23 | Louisiana | 77 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 24 | Indiana | 77 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 25 | Illinois | 73 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 26 | Kentucky | 73 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 27 | Tennessee | 62 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 28 | Nevada | 60 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 29 | California | 59 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 30 | Michigan | 56 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 31 | Iowa | 50 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 32 | New Jersey | 49 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 33 | South Carolina | 45 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 34 | Nebraska | 27 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 35 | Washington | 25 openings per 100 workers | – |
| 36 | Rhode Island | 7 openings per 100 workers | – |
How this ranking works
A state's score is the number of open professional roles in our data for every 100 workers named in layoff notices (WARN) filed in the last 12 months.
WARN notices cover layoffs of 50 or more workers and each state files them differently, and our openings cover professional roles on the career sites we track, so the figure compares states with one another. It is not a count of jobs for the people laid off. Only states with at least 500 openings and 500 workers in notices are ranked.
Sample bar: states with fewer than 0 jobs are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles; State WARN layoff notices filed in the last 12 months. Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which state ranks first: states where hiring outpaces layoff notices?
- Minnesota has the most professional openings for the workers named in its layoff notices: 513 openings per 100 workers.
- How many states are ranked?
- 36 states have at least 0 states, so the list has 36 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A state's score is the number of open professional roles in our data for every 100 workers named in layoff notices (WARN) filed in the last 12 months. WARN notices cover layoffs of 50 or more workers and each state files them differently, and our openings cover professional roles on the career sites we track, so the figure compares states with one another. It is not a count of jobs for the people laid off. Only states with at least 500 openings and 500 workers in notices are ranked.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “States where hiring outpaces layoff notices,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-where-hiring-outpaces-layoff-notices
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-where-hiring-outpaces-layoff-notices">States where hiring outpaces layoff notices (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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