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States with the Lowest Job Openings Rate

States ranked by lowest 3-month average job openings rate (minimum 20K average openings).

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, Washington leads on the 3-month average openings rate at 3.1% (about 118K average openings) , against a cohort median of 4.2% (-1.1 pp vs median). Only states with at least 20K average openings in the window appear here ; window ends Dec 2025. Even above that floor, state JOLTS estimates are volatile, so treat the #1 spot as directional rather than definitive.

0%8%Cohort median4%3.1%
Washington openings rate versus the 3-month cohort median among states that clear the 20K openings floor

What This Ranking Tells Us

States with the lowest openings rates have fewer reported vacancies relative to employment over the 3-month window. That can reflect fast filling, strong retention, or weaker demand, the rate alone does not distinguish those stories. This is a descriptive ranking of reported openings rates, not a claim that the market is "tight" for workers.

Rates come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), state-level series. State totals are typically not seasonally adjusted and carry larger sampling variability than the national release. Differences smaller than roughly ±0.3 percentage points at the state level should be treated as statistically indistinguishable. See our methodology page and the BLS JOLTS state data issues notice.

Bar length shows each state's openings rate as a share of the largest value on this list, hover or focus a bar for the exact share and rank.

# State Openings Rate
1 Washington WA
3.1%
2 Hawaii HI
3.3%
3 Nevada NV
3.3%
4 California CA
3.6%
5 Iowa IA
3.6%
6 Oregon OR
3.6%
7 Colorado CO
3.7%
8 Massachusetts MA
3.7%
9 Nebraska NE
3.7%
10 Pennsylvania PA
3.7%
11 Utah UT
3.7%
12 Illinois IL
3.8%
13 Connecticut CT
3.9%
14 New Mexico NM
3.9%
15 Wisconsin WI
3.9%
16 Idaho ID
4.0%
17 Indiana IN
4.0%
18 Arizona AZ
4.1%
19 Florida FL
4.1%
20 Kansas KS
4.1%
21 Missouri MO
4.1%
22 Texas TX
4.1%
23 Alabama AL
4.2%
24 New Hampshire NH
4.2%
25 New York NY
4.2%
26 North Carolina NC
4.2%
27 District of Columbia DC
4.3%
28 Minnesota MN
4.3%
29 New Jersey NJ
4.3%
30 North Dakota ND
4.4%
31 Rhode Island RI
4.4%
32 South Carolina SC
4.4%
33 South Dakota SD
4.4%
34 Tennessee TN
4.4%
35 Delaware DE
4.5%
36 Kentucky KY
4.5%
37 Maine ME
4.5%
38 Arkansas AR
4.6%
39 Maryland MD
4.6%
40 Montana MT
4.6%
41 Ohio OH
4.7%
42 Michigan MI
4.9%
43 Virginia VA
4.9%
44 Louisiana LA
5.0%
45 Mississippi MS
5.1%
46 Oklahoma OK
5.5%
47 West Virginia WV
5.5%
48 Georgia GA
5.6%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). Values are 3-month averages; floor ≥20K average openings.

Top of the List, State Detail

Quick links to the detail pages for the leading states in this ranking, each page carries the full JOLTS time series and year-over-year context.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a low job openings rate bad for workers?

Not always. A low rate can mean employers successfully retain workers (low turnover), leaving fewer positions to fill. However, if paired with high unemployment, it signals genuine scarcity of opportunity. Check the state's unemployment rate alongside the openings rate for the full picture.

What causes low job openings rates?

Common factors include population decline reducing economic activity, dominant industries with stable workforces (e.g., government), geographic factors limiting business growth, and strong employer retention programs that minimize turnover-driven vacancies.

Explore More Rankings

Highest Openings Rate Highest Quits Rate Lowest Quits Rate Highest Hires Rate Highest Layoff Rate
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Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), state-level series · Dec 2025 3-month averages; states below 20K average openings are excluded. Not seasonally adjusted. A high rate is not a job-quality ranking.

Every figure on PlainLabor is rendered from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS); no number is typed in by an editor. Ranking positions use the displayed JOLTS measure and reference period; they are not recommendations or forecasts. See our editorial standards and corrections policy, methodology, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-17. JOLTS figures are employer-survey openings and turnover rates for a published reference month - not job-quality rankings, hiring recommendations, or real-time vacancy postings.