The States Where Job Turnover is on the Rise and on the Decline the Most

Journo Research

Wednesday, February 14th, 2024

  • New data has revealed the states where job quitting is rising and declining the most

  • Resignation rates are rising the most in South Dakota, by 21.4%, and decreasing the most in California, by 44.8%

  • The study analyzed the change in the job quits rate between November 2022 and November 2023 

New data has found the states where the job quits rate is on the rise and the decline the most, with the rate increasing the most in South Dakota and decreasing the most in California.    

The ranking, collated by HR Tech experts SelectSoftware Reviews, shows the percentage change in the job quits rate for each state between November 2022 and November 2023 (the latest figures available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics). The job quits rate is defined as the number of people resigning during an entire month as a percentage of the number of people employed.   

South Dakota has been crowned the state with the highest rise in job quitting, with the job quits rate increasing by 21.4% between November 2022 and November 2023. The Mount Rushmore State diverges from the national trend quite considerably, with the national quits rate decreasing by 18.5% across the same 12-month period.  

Top 8 states with the greatest increase in quitting

Rank

State

% change in the resignation rate

1

South Dakota

21.4%

2

North Dakota

15.4%

3

Wisconsin

13.6%

4

Michigan

9.1%

5

Nebraska

8.7%

6

Maine

8.0%

7

New Hampshire

5.0%

8

Illinois

4.8% 

California has topped the ranking for the states with the greatest decline in job quitting, with the job quits rate decreasing by 44.8% between November 2022 and November 2023. The Golden State is following the national trend, with the decline in quitting, but is doing so at a faster rate. 

Top 8 states with the greatest decrease in quitting 

Rank

State

% change in the resignation rate

1

California

-44.8%

2

North Carolina

-35.7%

3

Maryland

-35.5%

4

Georgia

-33.3%

5

Tennessee

-27.3%

6

Alaska

-26.1%

7

Texas

-25.8%

8

Delaware

-25.0%  

Discussing the findings, Phil Strazzulla, CEO of SelectSoftware Reviews said:    

“The majority of states have seen a decline in the resignation rate, which is reassuring to see after the shockingly high resignation rates seen in 2020 and 2021. This could be due to job openings and hiring rates also being down; employees are aware that the job market has become more competitive, and they might not be able to find another position if they were to resign. Or it could be that the workplace is shifting in its attitude towards work-life balance by putting more of an emphasis on the wellbeing of their staff, meaning that employees are less burnt out and value their employment more. Whatever the reasons, it is reassuring to see that resignation rates are generally lowering.”