Kentucky Ranks Worst for Jobs in Recent Study

Looking for a job or want to make a job change? It may be a bit harder to find one in The Commonwealth based on a recent study from the personal-finance website WalletHub.com. South Dakota comes in the number one spot for job seekers and Indiana ranks 39th.

Is Kentucky the worst place to go job hunting in the country? According to this newly released report, it is indeed. 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.

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Now hiring signs can be seen up and down Frederica Street in Owensboro, and really everywhere in the tri-state. Job losses were felt by so many during the pandemic, and many haven't come back to the workforce yet. There are amazing manufacturing jobs that are available right now and many hiring at a higher pay rate than ever. Fast food restaurants can't hire enough employees to open back up their dining rooms in many cases. Locally-owned small businesses are hurting because they can't afford to pay workers what others are offering post-pandemic. The job market is certainly interesting right now everywhere. There's much "work" to be done. Especially, in Kentucky.

Kentucky Ranks Worst for Jobs

The personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2021’s Best & Worst States for Jobs and here's how Kentucky fared.

Finding a Job in Kentucky (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
• 23rd – Job Opportunities
• 37th – Employment Growth
• 25th – Monthly Average Starting Salary
• 22nd – Unemployment Rate
• 37th – Median Annual Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
• 31st – Avg. Length of Work Week (in Hours)
• 16th – Avg. Commute Time (in Minutes)
• 35th – Job Satisfaction
• 38th – COVID-19 Positive Tests in the Past Week per Capita

2021’s Best & Worst States for Jobs