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Jul 05, 2023

Mapped: The Best U.S. States for Jobs by Worker Availability

Published on By In the United States, there were about 75 workers available for every 100 job openings as of July 2023. This means there is a significant gap between labor and jobs available, but also

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In the United States, there were about 75 workers available for every 100 job openings as of July 2023. This means there is a significant gap between labor and jobs available, but also many opportunities present in some states for potential job seekers.

This map, using data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, showcases the number of available workers per 100 job openings in each U.S. state.

Note: Available workers are unemployed workers who are in the labor force but do not have a job, have looked for one in the previous four weeks, and are currently able and available to work. Job openings are simply all unfulfilled positions that offer available work.

The below table lists out the number of unemployed workers per 100 jobs in every state.

Higher ratios, such as 110 workers per 100 job openings, mean there is more competition for each job opening in that state. Lower ratios suggest that it is harder to find workers in a given state.

While states like New Jersey and California have more workers that they know what to do with, states like North Dakota have a 0.35 ratio of people to jobs, potentially tipping the balance of power to job seekers.

Over the last three years, job openings have increased the most in the state of Georgia, where there were only 0.57 people available for every open role in July. But despite growth in open positions, unemployment has hardly changed over the last year, wavering around 3%.

“If every unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have 4 million open jobs.”– U.S. Chamber of Commerce

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the main driver of the current labor shortage was the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing more than 100,000 businesses to close temporarily and resulting in millions losing their jobs.

Subsequent government support for those who lost work and other subsidies made it easier for people to stay home and out of the workforce. A Chamber of Commerce survey found that 1-in-5 people have changed their work style since the pandemic, with 17% having retired, 19% having transitioned to a homemaker role, and another 14% working only part time.

The industries with the highest unemployment rates are also those that have added the most jobs, with leisure and hospitality experiencing the highest rates (5.1%) just ahead of wholesale and retail trade (4.4%).

Overall, though the job marker has started to cool somewhat, hiring is still outpacing quit rates. The national quit rate in July 2023 was 3.8%, compared to a hiring rate of 4%. And with 9.8 million job openings in the U.S., there should be ample opportunities for job seekers.

Where does this data come from?

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Notes/Definitions: Hire rates are calculated by dividing the number of hires by employment and multiplying that quotient by 100. Quit rates are calculated by estimating the number of quits for a reference period, then dividing quits by employment and multiplying by 100. The labor force participation rate is the share of the population that is either working or actively looking for work. Unemployment rates are calculated as the share of the labor force that is unemployed.

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Where are various types of livestock concentrated globally? And how do regional habits influence animal husbandry?

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Combined together, meat, dairy, and eggs make up nearly 18% of the average person’s diet.

But in order for these meat and animal products to reach consumers, a vast global livestock industry—one supporting the livelihoods of 1.3 billion people globally—operates in fields and farms largely unseen from major cities.

So where are the various types of livestock concentrated in the world? And how do national consumption habits influence animal husbandry?

These maps from Adam Symington help to answer these questions, using the Gridded Livestock of the World database from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which models livestock densities from 2010 around the world.

As a starting point, it’s worth noting that the above map of all livestock might seem reminiscent to a human population density map.

Though there is definite correlation, especially when it comes to natural obstacles for both humans and livestock like deserts, forests, and mountain ranges, the concentration of livestock spreads far further than the densest human cities.

We dive into each category of livestock below.

The UN FAO estimates that the world produced more than 121 million tonnes of chicken meat in 2021, making it the world’s most harvested meat. Chicken eggs are also estimated to account for 93% of the world’s 86 million tonnes of poultry eggs.

These numbers and the map below help illustrate the sheer number of chickens needed to support the world’s appetite for chicken goods.

Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution.

Just by glancing at the heatmap map of chicken distribution, two things stand out clearly. First is how ubiquitous chickens are, with a high density of chicken livestock in almost all of the world’s populated regions.

But the map also gives us insight into where most farms are located. In the U.S. for example, Southern states including Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas are major chicken producers. Likewise in countries like Brazil and China, the chicken industry can be seen continuing inland far beyond the more populated coastal regions.

Shifting attention to pig livestock, we see densities begin to concentrate in a few specific regions.

Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution.

China stands out on the map with large concentrations of pig livestock, which comes as no surprise given the country is far and away the world’s top producer of pork.

Also clear is the regionality of pork consumption. The U.S. has a strong concentration of pig livestock in the Midwest, while Central Europe has multiple countries with a noted history of pork consumption including Germany and Poland. Finally, partially thanks to its premium production of jamón ibérico, the country of Spain also stands out.

On the flip side, there is a clear absence of pig-rearing in countries of Islamic faith, across North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, reflecting their religious prohibition.

In contrast, the map of cattle distribution more closely mirrors chicken distribution, though its footprint is considerably wider.

Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution.

Major cow byproducts like milk and leather, as well as the sheer strength of cattle, make them vital livestock even for countries that don’t consume a lot of beef. The FAO estimates that the world produced 746 million tonnes of raw cattle milk in 2021 alone.

On the map, the largest producers of cattle stand out. India for example is the top producer of milk and the fourth-largest producer of cattle meat, and has a high density of cattle throughout populated and agricultural regions. Brazil, also a top four producer of cattle meat and milk, has pockets of high density cattle regions inland, notably encroaching into the Amazon rainforest.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is the world’s largest producer of beef and second largest of milk, but it does this with a more distributed cattle population throughout the country’s landmass, and fewer high-density hot spots.

Here’s a breakdown of chicken, pork, and beef production by country in 2021:

Although chicken, beef, and pork are the most common types of livestock globally, there are other kinds of animals that have much more regional distributions.

In the following maps, you’ll see livestock concentrated in just a few places, usually following unique cultural connections to these animals.

Compared to chicken above, ducks are much less widespread in farming and usage.

Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution.

China is the runaway king when it comes to both duck livestock and meat production. The country accounted for 78% of global duck meat production in 2021—but distant runners up Vietnam and France also show strong concentrations of duck.

Perhaps surprising to some is the strong foothold duck has in Bangladesh. Farmers in the country have embraced duck over the past decades as both a more profitable bird, and more recently, as an adaptation to climate change.

Moving to sheep, which provide meat, milk, and wool, we once again have a widespread global population. However, the regions with the highest densities have wildly changed.

Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution.

Sheep can be seen in higher numbers throughout North and Central Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Australia, New Zealand, and the UK also stand out in their regions for higher concentrations of sheep.

Click to view this graphic in a higher-resolution.

Goats have their highest concentrations in North India, North China, Mongolia, and many countries across Africa. Nigeria in particular has a strong goat farming industry.

Here’s a breakdown of duck, sheep, and goat meat production by country in 2021.

How is the livestock industry expected to change, going forward?

For starters, the UN estimates that global meat consumption is projected to rise 14% by 2030, driven primarily by population growth. That growth will occur unevenly, from a 30% jump in Africa to a 0.4% in Europe.

At the same time, emissions from the livestock sector have increasingly come under fire in recent years, and the industry is projected to register a 5% increase by 2030.

All these factors, alongside growth in plant-based meat and cultured meat, may change livestock distribution over the coming decade.

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