Mapped: The Most Common Job in Each U.S. State in 2024
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Mapped: The Most Common Job in Each U.S. State in 2024

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Mapped: The Most Common Job in Each U.S. State in 2024

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Key Takeaways

  • The most common job in each state, by number of employees, is Fast Food Worker (15 states).
  • Other leading occupations are Retail Sales & Cashiers (10 states), Home Health Aides (10), and Operations Managers & Specialists (10).

Two years ago, we visualized the American workforce as 100 people in an effort to break down the most common job across the country.

But what does similar data look like at a state level?

We used figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release and pulled the occupation with the most number of employees in each state.

Importantly the OEWS survey doesn’t cover the agriculture sector, so those estimates are missing from this map.

The Big List of Every U.S. State’s Most Common Job

Fast Food Worker hold the crown for most common job in 15 states stretching from Arkansas to Utah.

StateState CodeMost Common Job# Employees
AlabamaALRetail Sales
& Cashiers
60,330
AlaskaAKRetail Sales
& Cashiers
7,790
ArizonaAZOps Managers
& Specialists
100,340
ArkansasARFast Food Workers36,150
CaliforniaCAHome Health Aides875,110
Colorado*CO*Fast Food Workers*77,500*
ConnecticutCTOps Managers
& Specialists
46,780
District of ColumbiaDCOps Managers
& Specialists
38,240
DelawareDEFast Food Workers13,800
FloridaFLRetail Sales
& Cashiers
325,960
GeorgiaGAFast Food Workers151,240
HawaiiHIFast Food Workers25,850
IdahoIDOps Managers
& Specialists
30,600
IllinoisILFreight Movers183,590
IndianaINFast Food Workers101,500
IowaIARetail Sales
& Cashiers
43,160
KansasKSFast Food Workers45,420
KentuckyKYOps Managers
& Specialists
58,570
LouisianaLARetail Sales
& Cashiers
51,540
MaineMEHome Health Aides18,080
MarylandMDOps Managers
& Specialists
91,810
MassachusettsMAHome Health Aides108,090
MichiganMIAssemblers124,340
MinnesotaMNHome Health Aides120,390
MississippiMSRetail Sales
& Cashiers
36,330
MissouriMOOps Managers
& Specialists
105,210
MontanaMTFast Food Workers15,940
NebraskaNEFast Food Workers28,360
NevadaNVFreight Movers53,660
New HampshireNHOps Managers
& Specialists
21,180
New JerseyNJHome Health Aides105,460
New MexicoNMHome Health Aides37,360
New YorkNYHome Health Aides623,000
North CarolinaNCRetail Sales
& Cashiers
126,060
North DakotaNDOps Managers
& Specialists
11,660
OhioOHFast Food Workers167,650
OklahomaOKFast Food Workers53,380
OregonORFast Food Workers58,150
PennsylvaniaPAHome Health Aides242,570
Rhode IslandRIFast Food Workers12,650
South CarolinaSCRetail Sales
& Cashiers
69,010
South DakotaSDNurses14,500
TennesseeTNFreight Movers111,240
TexasTXOps Managers
& Specialists
454,720
UtahUTFast Food Workers50,980
VermontVTRetail Sales
& Cashiers
7,930
VirginiaVAFast Food Workers103,390
WashingtonWAHome Health Aides100,360
West VirginiaWVNurses21,740
WisconsinWIHome Health Aides80,050
WyomingWYRetail Sales
& Cashiers
9,190

Note: Colorado’s figures are from 2023 due to data unavailability.

The trend underscores the South’s large service sector and the Mountain West’s booming tourism and quick-service chains.

Although wages in this occupation are lower than the national average, the sheer volume of positions makes it the backbone of many state labor markets.

At second place is a three-way tie between:

  • Retail Salespersons and Cashiers
  • Home Health Aides
  • Logistics Managers & Specialists

These three are the most common jobs in 10 states each.

Despite rapid e-commerce growth, brick-and-mortar outlets remain major employers, particularly in suburban and rural areas where shopping malls and big-box stores serve as community hubs.

Automation and self-checkout are nibbling at headcounts, yet the customer-facing nature of retail continues to require large numbers of workers on the floor.

Healthcare’s Rise: Home Health Aides Lead in 10 States

An aging population and preference for in-home care propel Home Health Aides to the No. 1 spot in 10 states, from California’s 875,110 aides to Maine’s 18,080.

These roles typically offer lower wages than hospital-based nursing but have minimal barriers to entry, making them important stepping stones in healthcare careers.

Their prevalence signals both the challenges and opportunities created by demographic shifts.

Management & Logistics Highlight Diversified States

Operations Managers & Specialists rank first in 10 states, reflecting the rise and demand for cross-country supply chains.

Meanwhile, Freight Movers and Assemblers lead in logistics-heavy Nevada and industrial Michigan, respectively.

In higher-skill states, management roles replace service jobs at the top, pointing to more complex, higher-paying economic structures.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

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