Location: New York
Author: Rebecca Updegraph
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009
MainStreet.com, the personal finance site from TheStreet.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSCM; http://www.thestreet.com), has unveiled the results of its first “Job Opportunity Index,” a new national survey that looks at number of job openings relative to population in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia in order to identify states that provide individuals with the best chance of landing a job.*
North Dakota came in at number one, with the 10th highest number of job openings per capita and the lowest state unemployment anywhere in the US; followed by Wyoming (#2) and Virginia (#3).
“In the face of a rising national unemployment rate, our new index demonstrates that not all job markets are equal,” said Harleen Kahlon, General Manager of MainStreet.com. “In fact, the index shows there are areas of the country with many employment vacancies waiting to be filled.”
Similar to MainStreet.com’s previously announced Happiness Index, rural states, such as North Dakota (#1), Wyoming (#2) and Nebraska (#4), fared well in the Job Opportunity Index due to low levels of unemployment. Additionally, low population levels ensured that the per capita number of available jobs postings would go farther than in much more densely populated areas.
Statistics from Virginia (#3), Maryland (#5), and Washington, D.C. (#22) showed these Mid-Atlantic states have the first, second and third largest numbers of job openings relative to their populations, respectively. Washington, D.C.’s high unemployment rate, however, weighed the state down in the Index’s results.
Meanwhile, Michigan ranks as the state with the worst employment opportunities, preceded by Oregon (#50) and Indiana (#49).
“Given the recent troubles in the auto industry and the threat of even more layoffs on a daily basis, it is no surprise that Michigan found itself at the very bottom of the list,” added Kahlon.
For a complete list of the “Job Opportunity Index” rankings and in-depth analysis, go to:http://www.mainstreet.com/jobindex/
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