(THE CENTER SQUARE) – A new study ranks Ohio as one of the worst states in the nation for job seekers to find employment.
WalletHub, a personal finance website, reports the state’s tax burden and low job satisfaction ranking have put it in the bottom 10 states for those continuing to try to find a job.
Ohio ranks 38th in the report for job market and 36th for economic climate. The report compares all 50 states across 35 metrics, including job-market strength, opportunity and the health of the economy.
"Ohio ranks in the bottom 10 states for finding a job," WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez said. "The state has low employment growth – less than 1.6% in the past year – and a high unemployment rate. It's also at a high automation risk, low job security and satisfaction and very few four-plus star job opportunities available. Other factors that kept Ohio from ranking higher include the lack of commuter-friendly jobs and the high-income tax burden, especially for low- and middle-income earners."
As previously reported by The Center Square, the new report teams with one from nearly a year ago that listed the state as one of the worst places to find a job. That report compared more than 180 cities across the United States to find the best places to find jobs. Using 32 key indicators – ranging from job opportunities to employment growth to monthly average starting salary – it found the best and worst across the nation.
The Buckeye State fell toward the bottom, with Cleveland ranking in the bottom 10 at 174th. Cincinnati was the only Ohio city to rank in the top 100, coming in at 72. Columbus ranked 120th, while Akron finished at 154 and Toledo 163.
Cleveland had one of the lowest median annual incomes in the state, ranking only ahead of Detroit, Hialeah, Florida and Newark, New Jersey.
The top states to find a job, according to WalletHub, include Washington, Vermont, New Hampshire, Colorado and Minnesota. The bottom states include West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.
