States where workforce help is needed most
Key facts
- #1 Rhode Island: 1,484 workers per 100 openings
- #2 Washington: 398 workers per 100 openings
- #3 Nebraska: 374 workers per 100 openings
- 36 states ranked across the United States
- Data as of November 2026
- 1Rhode Island 1,484 workers per 100 openings
- 2Washington 398 workers per 100 openings
- 3Nebraska 374 workers per 100 openings
- 4South Carolina 224 workers per 100 openings
- 5New Jersey 202 workers per 100 openings
- 6Iowa 199 workers per 100 openings
- 7Michigan 179 workers per 100 openings
- 8California 170 workers per 100 openings
- 9Nevada 166 workers per 100 openings
- 10Tennessee 161 workers per 100 openings
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Rhode Island (1,484 workers per 100 openings) is well clear of Tennessee at #10 (161 workers per 100 openings).
- Small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Where layoff notices are large against the professional openings in our data, workforce boards, job centers and training providers have the most to do.
How to use it
If you are in a state near the top, use your job center and rapid-response services early, and read the layoff pages for the programs that apply.
The top 25
- 1
Rhode Island
1,484 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 10,726
- Our professional openings
- 723
- American Job Centers
- 3
- 2
Washington
398 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 42,483
- Our professional openings
- 10,662
- American Job Centers
- 39
- 3
Nebraska
374 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 4,494
- Our professional openings
- 1,202
- American Job Centers
- 11
- 4
South Carolina
224 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 5,679
- Our professional openings
- 2,536
- American Job Centers
- 39
- 5
New Jersey
202 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 15,290
- Our professional openings
- 7,568
- American Job Centers
- 26
- 6
Iowa
199 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 3,606
- Our professional openings
- 1,809
- American Job Centers
- 18
- 7
Michigan
179 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 10,196
- Our professional openings
- 5,687
- American Job Centers
- 87
- 8
California
170 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 97,163
- Our professional openings
- 57,029
- American Job Centers
- 183
- 9
Nevada
166 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 3,042
- Our professional openings
- 1,833
- American Job Centers
- 12
- 10
Tennessee
161 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 7,824
- Our professional openings
- 4,862
- American Job Centers
- 65
- 11
Kentucky
137 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 4,870
- Our professional openings
- 3,552
- American Job Centers
- 73
- 12
Illinois
137 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 20,841
- Our professional openings
- 15,209
- American Job Centers
- 82
- 13
Indiana
130 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 5,802
- Our professional openings
- 4,454
- American Job Centers
- 71
- 14
Louisiana
130 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,196
- Our professional openings
- 1,691
- American Job Centers
- 56
- 15
Maryland
120 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 8,128
- Our professional openings
- 6,796
- American Job Centers
- 30
- 16
Georgia
116 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 12,853
- Our professional openings
- 11,067
- American Job Centers
- 38
- 17
Texas
115 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 34,375
- Our professional openings
- 30,013
- American Job Centers
- 170
- 18
Oregon
110 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,971
- Our professional openings
- 2,689
- American Job Centers
- 38
- 19
Wisconsin
105 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 4,350
- Our professional openings
- 4,156
- American Job Centers
- 34
- 20
North Carolina
99 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 9,975
- Our professional openings
- 10,030
- American Job Centers
- 87
- 21
Connecticut
97 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,966
- Our professional openings
- 3,049
- American Job Centers
- 16
- 22
Mississippi
95 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 926
- Our professional openings
- 972
- American Job Centers
- 29
- 23
Ohio
89 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 9,361
- Our professional openings
- 10,468
- American Job Centers
- 86
- 24
Idaho
85 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 698
- Our professional openings
- 821
- American Job Centers
- 8
- 25
Utah
85 workers per 100 openings
- Workers in layoff notices (12 months)
- 2,252
- Our professional openings
- 2,650
- American Job Centers
- 30
Full ranking
All 36 states that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | State | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | 1,484 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 2 | Washington | 398 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 3 | Nebraska | 374 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 4 | South Carolina | 224 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 5 | New Jersey | 202 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 6 | Iowa | 199 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 7 | Michigan | 179 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 8 | California | 170 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 9 | Nevada | 166 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 10 | Tennessee | 161 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 11 | Kentucky | 137 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 12 | Illinois | 137 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 13 | Indiana | 130 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 14 | Louisiana | 130 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 15 | Maryland | 120 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 16 | Georgia | 116 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 17 | Texas | 115 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 18 | Oregon | 110 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 105 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 20 | North Carolina | 99 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 21 | Connecticut | 97 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 22 | Mississippi | 95 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 23 | Ohio | 89 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 24 | Idaho | 85 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 25 | Utah | 85 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 26 | Missouri | 84 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 27 | Alabama | 82 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 28 | Florida | 77 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 29 | West Virginia | 76 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 30 | Colorado | 72 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 31 | District of Columbia | 67 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 32 | Virginia | 66 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 33 | New York | 51 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 34 | Arizona | 46 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 35 | Massachusetts | 40 workers per 100 openings | – |
| 36 | Minnesota | 19 workers per 100 openings | – |
How this ranking works
A state's score is the number of workers named in layoff notices (WARN) filed in the last 12 months for every 100 open professional roles in our data. It counts notices and workers only; no employer is named.
It is a guide for where workforce boards, job centers and training providers have the most to do, not a measure of how a state's economy is doing. WARN notices cover layoffs of 50 or more workers and each state files them differently. 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: State WARN layoff notices filed in the last 12 months; NextChapter job data: open professional roles. 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 workforce help is needed most?
- Rhode Island has the most workers named in layoff notices for the professional openings in our data: 1,484 workers per 100 openings.
- 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 workers named in layoff notices (WARN) filed in the last 12 months for every 100 open professional roles in our data. It counts notices and workers only; no employer is named. It is a guide for where workforce boards, job centers and training providers have the most to do, not a measure of how a state's economy is doing. WARN notices cover layoffs of 50 or more workers and each state files them differently. 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 workforce help is needed most,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-where-workforce-help-is-needed-most
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-where-workforce-help-is-needed-most">States where workforce help is needed most (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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