Pennsylvania among ‘worst states for jobs’: report

The Associated Press reported how the U.S.’s unemployment rate “has stayed below 4 percent for the longest stretch since the 1960s.”

Nevertheless, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released data regarding which states are still struggling with unemployment as of October 2023. Now, a separate report has deemed Pennsylvania as one of those states.

WalletHub — which describes itself as “an award-winning personal finance company that empowers consumers to lead financially healthy lives” with “a number of services and tools” — published this report Wednesday, simply titling it “Best & Worst States for Jobs (2023).”

The report was based on the grades of all 50 states across two main dimensions: “Job Market” and “Economic Environment.” These dimensions were weighed on relevant metrics — “Job Opportunities;” “Share of Civilian Labor Force Unemployed 15 Weeks or Longer;” and “Monthly Average Starting Salary” among them — and lifted from sources such as the BLS, Indeed.com, and the Council for Community and Economic Research.

Pennsylvania ranked as the fifth worst state for jobs in the country, and received a particularly dismal grade in “Economic Environment.”

Rounding out the bottom five were Louisiana as the fourth worst state for jobs; Mississippi as the third worst; Kentucky in second; and West Virginia as the absolute worst state for employment in the nation.

On the flip side of things, Washington topped WalletHub’s list as the best state for those looking for work in the U.S.

“The past few years have been volatile for job seekers, going from massive unemployment all the way to worker shortages,” says WalletHub Analyst, Cassandra Happe.

“Living in one of the best state for jobs can help you not just secure a career, but also improve your chances of getting competitive wages, good benefits and high job security.”