WEST VIRGINIA (WTRF) – West Virginias are quitting their jobs in droves, placing the Mountain State at the top of the list for states with the highest number of resignations, according to WalletHub.
Following the post-pandemic economic damage, employers have had difficulty filling open positions, even with a surge in job openings.
In addition, the U.S. labor force experienced what’s called The Great Resignation, where millions of people quit their jobs. The Great Resignations was fostered by workers who were dissatisfied with their jobs’ pay or working conditions.
Most experts say the Great Resignation is over, but some states, especially West Virginia, still have record numbers of workers calling it quits on their jobs.
States With the Highest Job Resignation Rates
| Rank | State | Resignation Rate (Latest Month) | Resignation Rate (Last 12 Months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | 4.00% | 3.40% |
| 2 | Arizona | 3.60% | 3.11% |
| 3 | Mississippi | 3.50% | 3.23% |
| 4 | Kentucky | 3.40% | 3.21% |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 3.40% | 3.06% |
| 6 | Montana | 3.10% | 3.61% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 3.10% | 3.57% |
| 8 | Arkansas | 3.40% | 3.01% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 3.30% | 3.19% |
| 10 | Louisiana | 3.20% | 3.34% |
| 11 | South Carolina | 3.20% | 3.17% |
| 12 | Alabama | 3.20% | 3.13% |
| 13 | Georgia | 3.10% | 3.28% |
| 14 | Idaho | 3.10% | 3.23% |
| 15 | Delaware | 3.00% | 3.42% |
| 16 | Indiana | 3.20% | 2.76% |
| 17 | Alaska | 2.50% | 3.98% |
| 18 | Florida | 3.00% | 2.92% |
| 19 | North Carolina | 3.00% | 2.84% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2.90% | 2.93% |
| 21 | Texas | 2.90% | 2.93% |
| 22 | North Dakota | 2.90% | 2.67% |
| 23 | Utah | 2.70% | 2.93% |
| 24 | Missouri | 2.90% | 2.41% |
| 25 | Virginia | 2.70% | 2.68% |
| 26 | South Dakota | 2.70% | 2.63% |
| 27 | Oregon | 2.60% | 2.68% |
| 28 | New Mexico | 2.60% | 2.64% |
| 29 | Ohio | 2.70% | 2.43% |
| 30 | Kansas | 2.60% | 2.54% |
| 31 | Maryland | 2.50% | 2.72% |
| 32 | Iowa | 2.60% | 2.52% |
| 33 | Colorado | 2.50% | 2.66% |
| 34 | Minnesota | 2.60% | 2.42% |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 2.60% | 2.34% |
| 36 | Vermont | 2.50% | 2.51% |
| 37 | Nebraska | 2.60% | 2.29% |
| 38 | Washington | 2.50% | 2.26% |
| 39 | Michigan | 2.50% | 2.22% |
| 40 | New Jersey | 2.60% | 2.03% |
| 41 | New Hampshire | 2.30% | 2.43% |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | 2.50% | 2.01% |
| 43 | District of Columbia | 2.40% | 2.19% |
| 44 | Rhode Island | 2.30% | 2.35% |
| 45 | Connecticut | 2.40% | 2.06% |
| 46 | Illinois | 2.10% | 2.26% |
| 47 | Hawaii | 2.10% | 2.21% |
| 48 | California | 2.00% | 2.12% |
| 49 | Maine | 1.70% | 2.36% |
| 50 | New York | 1.90% | 1.68% |
| 51 | Massachusetts | 1.50% | 1.73% |
Peter F. Orazem, Retired Faculty in Economics, Iowa State University, says labor force participation rates fell most for older workers who were able to tap into 401Ks. Orzem also said in general, states that shut down their economies during the pandemic more aggressively have had more trouble recovering their workforces.
Now, there are still more than 3 million unfilled vacancies per month, according to Orazem.
Victoria Prowse, Department of Economics, Purdue University, says The Great Resignation “led to increased competition among employers for a reduced workforce, giving employees leverage to secure jobs with better compensation or other advantages over their current roles.”
For this study, WalletHub took a look at the data to rank the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on how frequently people are leaving their places of employment.
