[These graphics have been updated.]
The Great Resignation's impact on states is continuing to develop as ongoing elevated quits levels have led to increased job openings. The interplay between hires, quits, job openings and unemployment rates gives a state-by-state look at the jobs market in January 2023, the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data available.
Turnover has not been distributed evenly across the country. The South has the highest percentage of workers quitting their jobs, at 2.9 percent. Meanwhile, 2.4 percent of workers have quit in both the Midwest and the West, while only 1.9 percent of those in the Northeast have quit.
The South also led all regions in hiring workers, with a rate of 4.5 percent. Meanwhile, both the Midwest and the West saw a hires rate of 4.1 percent, while the Northeast saw a rate of 3.4 percent.
Job openings have grown significantly in the South and the Midwest, at 7.1 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively. The West saw a job openings rate of 6.1 percent, while the Northeast saw a job openings rate of 5.9 percent.
The unemployment rate was highest in Nevada, at 5.5 percent, followed by Oregon at 4.8 percent. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate was lowest in North Dakota and South Dakota, both at 2.1 percent, followed by Utah, at 2.4 percent.
For more information on the Great Resignation, see SHRM's Resource Hub page on Turnover and Retention.