States with the highest rate of layoffs

CK Foto // Shutterstock It’s been three years since the arrival of COVID-19 triggered historic job losses, and the looming stress of potential layoffs has once again lodged itself in the minds of American workers. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to compare preliminary December layoff levels and rates across all 50 states and Washington D.C. States are ranked primarily by their layoff rates, then by the total number of layoffs. Data released by the agency for January shows a slight uptick in layoffs, but the bureau’s data for December is the most recent available that allows an analysis of the layoff rate by state. The bureau calculates layoff rates by taking the number of layoffs and discharges through the end of the month, and dividing that by the total number of people who worked during that month. If you’re worried the next pay day could come with a surprise message telling you to check your inbox for a termination notice, you aren’t alone. In December, 1 in 3 Americans surveyed by LinkedIn said they worried about the potential of layoffs at their place of business. Workers responded with varying anxiety levels, however, depending on their sector. Those holding jobs in product management, quality assurance, marketing, finance, and IT expressed the most anxiety. That’s despite an annual average layoff rate of just 1% of workers nationwide for 2022. Large shares of the roughly 1.5 million workers laid off in 2022 made headlines, with layoffs at massive tech firms like Google, Salesforce, and Microsoft dominating corporate media and cable news shows. That publicity can have the effect of warping reality for consumers. Still, layoff activity hit those fields reporting high anxiety about losing their jobs particularly hard in recent months. In January, the professional and business services sector experienced the most significant uptick in layoffs. The industry includes IT jobs, accountants, financial advisers, and lawyers. Stacker’s analysis found that layoff activity has varied from state to state much as it has varied across industries. Layoff rates as a ratio of the workforce were above the national average in 23 states. You may also like: The most common jobs in America today #51. Arizona Canva – Layoff rate: 0.7% (0.3 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 23,000 (1.6% of all layoffs nationwide) #50. Pennsylvania Canva – Layoff rate: 0.7% (0.3 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 44,000 (3.0% of all layoffs nationwide) #49. New York Canva – Layoff rate: 0.7% (0.3 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 70,000 (4.8% of all layoffs nationwide) #48. Washington DC Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 6,000 (0.4% of all layoffs nationwide) #47. Connecticut Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 13,000 (0.9% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: Comparing minimum wage to the cost of living in every state #46. Oregon Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 15,000 (1.0% of all layoffs nationwide) #45. Minnesota Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 24,000 (1.6% of all layoffs nationwide) #44. Massachusetts Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 29,000 (2.0% of all layoffs nationwide) #43. Virginia Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 34,000 (2.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #42. North Carolina Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 41,000 (2.8% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: The unemployment rate the year you turned 16 #41. Florida Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 74,000 (5.0% of all layoffs nationwide) #40. Texas Canva – Layoff rate: 0.8% (0.2 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 107,000 (7.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #39. New Mexico Canva – Layoff rate: 0.9% (0.1 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 8,000 (0.5% of all layoffs nationwide) #38. Nevada Canva – Layoff rate: 0.9% (0.1 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 14,000 (1.0% of all layoffs nationwide) #37. Utah Canva – Layoff rate: 0.9% (0.1 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 15,000 (1.0% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: America’s most and least trusted professions #36. Colorado Canva – Layoff rate: 0.9% (0.1 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 26,000 (1.8% of all layoffs nationwide) #35. Washington Canva – Layoff rate: 0.9% (0.1 percentage points below the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 31,000 (2.1% of all layoffs nationwide) #34. Vermont Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 3,000 (0.2% of all layoffs nationwide) #33. Hawaii Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 6,000 (0.4% of all layoffs nationwide) #32. Nebraska Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 10,000 (0.7% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: 50 first jobs of famous actors #31. Arkansas Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 13,000 (0.9% of all layoffs nationwide) #30. Kentucky Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 20,000 (1.4% of all layoffs nationwide) #29. Wisconsin Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 30,000 (2.0% of all layoffs nationwide) #28. Tennessee Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 34,000 (2.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #27. Michigan Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 44,000 (3.0% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: 50 most common jobs in America 100 years ago #26. Georgia Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 48,000 (3.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #25. Ohio Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 53,000 (3.6% of all layoffs nationwide) #24. California Canva – Layoff rate: 1.0% (same as national rate) – Number of layoffs: 174,000 (11.9% of all layoffs nationwide) #22. Delaware Canva – Layoff rate: 1.1% (0.1 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 5,000 (0.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #22. South Dakota Canva – Layoff rate: 1.1% (0.1 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 5,000 (0.3% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: 25 richest families in America #21. Maine Canva – Layoff rate: 1.1% (0.1 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 7,000 (0.5% of all layoffs nationwide) #20. West Virginia Canva – Layoff rate: 1.1% (0.1 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 8,000 (0.5% of all layoffs nationwide) #19. Mississippi Canva – Layoff rate: 1.1% (0.1 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 13,000 (0.9% of all layoffs nationwide) #18. Alabama Canva – Layoff rate: 1.1% (0.1 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 23,000 (1.6% of all layoffs nationwide) #17. Maryland Canva – Layoff rate: 1.1% (0.1 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 29,000 (2.0% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: The most important well-being programs, according to workers #16. North Dakota Canva – Layoff rate: 1.2% (0.2 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 5,000 (0.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #15. Rhode Island Canva – Layoff rate: 1.2% (0.2 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 6,000 (0.4% of all layoffs nationwide) #14. Kansas Canva – Layoff rate: 1.2% (0.2 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 17,000 (1.2% of all layoffs nationwide) #13. Iowa Canva – Layoff rate: 1.2% (0.2 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 19,000 (1.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #12. Louisiana Canva – Layoff rate: 1.2% (0.2 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 23,000 (1.6% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: How different generations feel about remote work #11. South Carolina Canva – Layoff rate: 1.2% (0.2 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 26,000 (1.8% of all layoffs nationwide) #10. Illinois Canva – Layoff rate: 1.2% (0.2 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 71,000 (4.8% of all layoffs nationwide) #9. Idaho Canva – Layoff rate: 1.3% (0.3 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 11,000 (0.7% of all layoffs nationwide) #8. Oklahoma Canva – Layoff rate: 1.3% (0.3 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 22,000 (1.5% of all layoffs nationwide) #7. Missouri Canva – Layoff rate: 1.3% (0.3 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 39,000 (2.7% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: 50 most physical jobs in America #6. Wyoming Canva – Layoff rate: 1.4% (0.4 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 4,000 (0.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #5. Montana Canva – Layoff rate: 1.4% (0.4 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 7,000 (0.5% of all layoffs nationwide) #4. New Jersey Canva – Layoff rate: 1.4% (0.4 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 58,000 (4.0% of all layoffs nationwide) #3. Alaska Canva – Layoff rate: 1.5% (0.5 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 5,000 (0.3% of all layoffs nationwide) #2. Indiana Canva – Layoff rate: 1.5% (0.5 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 48,000 (3.3% of all layoffs nationwide) You may also like: Fastest-growing jobs that pay over $100K #1. New Hampshire Canva – Layoff rate: 1.6% (0.6 percentage points above the national rate) – Number of layoffs: 11,000 (0.7% of all layoffs nationwide)