New Hampshire is tops in the nation when it comes to job opportunities, study finds

The Granite State also has the lowest unemployment rate nationwide. (Courtesy photo)

With the unemployment rate at 3.7% and many businesses desperate to hire workers, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022'S Best and Worst States for Jobs as well as expert commentary.

To ease the process of finding employment for job seekers, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 35 key indicators of job-market strength, opportunity and economic vitality. The data set ranges from employment growth to median annual income to average commute time.

Finding a Job in New Hampshire (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

• 1^st - Job Opportunities
• 10^th - Employment Growth
• 24^th - Monthly Average Starting Salary
• 1^st - Unemployment Rate
• 11^th - Median Annual Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
• 18^th - Avg. Length of Work Week (in Hours)
• 20^th - % of Residents 5+ Who Are Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19

For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-jobs/35641

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to schedule a phone, Skype or in-studio interview with one of our experts. Feel free to embed this YouTube video summarizing the study on your website. You can also use or edit these raw files as you see fit. Full data sets for specific states are also available upon request.

Expert Commentary

What fields are expected to experience the highest rate of job growth in the next 10 years?

"Areas of expected growth, that also provide good earnings potential, include: medical professions below the level of the doctor, including physicians assistants and nurse practitioners down through lower-paying positions such as phlebotomists; jobs in clean energy, including wind and solar installation and maintenance; data scientists and statisticians; software developers, analysts, webpage creators, and maintainers; mental health counseling and other therapists, including physical therapists and athletic trainers."
Joyce Jacobsen - Professor, Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Professor, Wesleyan University

"​The sectors in which the most growth is expected are healthcare, leisure and hospitality, advanced technology, data and information analysis, and alternative energy. Jobs that involve the provision of care and services for the elderly and infirm are like to grow considerably. Included among the specific jobs expecting growth are nurse practitioners, statisticians, health services managers, data analysts, and technicians working in alternative energy."
Marick F. Masters - Professor, Wayne State University

What can we expect from the job market in 2023?

"I strongly expect the Federal Reserve's tightening monetary policy to absorb much of the excess labor demand that our labor market is currently experiencing. Assuming only moderate increases in labor supply, I expect to see little impact on the unemployment rate but to see a larger impact on wage growth, as intended by the Fed. I do not expect to see major job losses unless there is a significant recession caused by over-tightening or external economic factors."
Joshua M. Congdon-Hohman - Associate Professor, College of the Holy Cross

"Short of a significant recession, we will likely see continued employment growth in some areas, such as health care and technology, although there could be some downturn in tech as a long-awaited shakedown regarding startups may occur (twitter layoffs), and continued instability in food services as restaurants struggle to find the right balance with continuing employment shortages and rising food costs."
Joyce Jacobsen - Professor, Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Professor, Wesleyan University

How can local policymakers help diversify and strengthen local economies?

"There are three legs to the diversification stool. First, localities must have the requisite physical and human infrastructure, which includes sound transportation systems that offer accessible means of mobility, educational centers to tap for research and development, and safe communities. Second, local communities need to attract capital, by (a) signaling to financiers that they can be force multipliers, (b) ensuring access to distribution networks, product innovation and development, and communications systems that connect customers to producers and suppliers. Third, localities need to reduce the cost of business by streamlining government regulations, ensuring the public safety of workers, and promoting the micro-funding of promising start-ups."
Marick F. Masters - Professor, Wayne State University

"Though promotion through subsidizing relocation might have the most immediate results, investing in training facilities and the promotion of trades will be critical to offering a skilled labor market that meets the demands of advanced manufacturing and production. To increase the number of skilled tradespeople, policymakers can take a range of actions from promotional campaigns, to subsidizing educational opportunities, and loosening barriers to licensure."
Joshua M. Congdon-Hohman - Associate Professor, College of the Holy Cross