New research reveals which states have seen the biggest increase in businesses cutting jobs since 2000, with only three states actually seeing a reduction in the number of job losses since 2000.
The study, conducted by DOKKA, an accounting automation software company, tracked the number of private sector establishments losing jobs from the BLS Business Employment Dynamics report. These figures were then cross-referenced by the population to standardise the data.
Nationally, job losses rose from 1,839,057 in 2000 to 2,248,780 in 2024, a 22.3% increase. On a per-capita basis, this looks like 550 to 673 per 100,000 residents, which is an increase of 123 per 100,000 over 24 years.
The states with the largest increase in businesses cutting jobs
|
Rank |
State |
Raw losses (2000) |
Raw losses (2024) |
Raw difference |
Percentage change |
Per 100,000 residents (2000) |
Per 100,000 residents (2024) |
Per 100,000 change |
|
1 |
Nevada |
13,726 |
24,013 |
+10,287 |
+74.9% |
437 |
764 |
+327 |
|
2 |
Idaho |
10,927 |
18,350 |
+7,423 |
+67.9% |
564 |
946 |
+382 |
|
3 |
Utah |
16,711 |
27,978 |
+11,267 |
+67.4% |
489 |
819 |
+330 |
|
4 |
Florida |
99,230 |
161,147 |
+61,917 |
+62.4% |
439 |
713 |
+274 |
|
5 |
Arizona |
28,696 |
43,426 |
+14,730 |
+51.3% |
386 |
584 |
+198 |
|
6 |
Texas |
118,695 |
174,768 |
+56,073 |
+47.2% |
389 |
573 |
+184 |
|
7 |
Tennessee |
32,583 |
46,690 |
+14,107 |
+43.3% |
472 |
676 |
+204 |
|
8 |
North Dakota |
5,447 |
7,624 |
+2,177 |
+40.0% |
699 |
979 |
+280 |
|
9 |
Montana |
8,423 |
11,698 |
+3,275 |
+38.9% |
751 |
1,043 |
+292 |
|
10 |
Colorado |
36,291 |
50,058 |
+13,767 |
+37.9% |
622 |
857 |
+235 |
Nevada leads the study with a 74.9% rise in job losses since 2000, climbing from 13,726 per year to 24,013 per year which is an increase of 10,287 in raw terms. When looking per capita, the rate rose from 437 to 764 per 100,000 residents, an increase of 327.
Idaho ranks second with 67.9% more job losses in 2024 compared to 2000, rising from 10,927 to 18,350 in raw terms which is an increase of 7,423. The per-capita rise of 382 per 100,000 residents (from 564 to 946) is the largest of any state.
Utah places third with a 67.4% increase, from 16,711 job losses in 2000 to 27,978 in 2024. Per capita, the rate rose 330 per 100,000 people, from 489 to 819.
Florida ranks fourth with a 62.4% increase while Arizona ranks fifth with an increase of 51.3% of job losses. For Florida, this is an increase of 61,917 businesses cutting jobs per year while in Arizona this figure stands at 14,730 compared to 2000.
In sixth is Texas where there are 47.2% more job losses per year compared to 2000. Looking at the raw numbers this is the second largest increase of any state after Florida. Per capita, the rise stands at 184 per 100,000.
With a 43.3% increase in job losses from 2000 is Tennessee, which ranks seventh. In 2000, there were 32,583 businesses cutting jobs per year compared to 46,690 now in 2024 which is an additional 14,107.
North Dakota has a 40% increase in job losses, from 5,447 per year in 2000 to 7,624 per year in 2024, causing the state to have the eighth highest rate. On a per-capita basis, the state has a rise of 280 per 100,000 (from 699 to 979).
Montana places ninth at an increase of 38.9% and Colorado rounds out the top 10 with an increase of 37.9%.
The states with the smallest increase in job losses (or rise)
|
Rank |
State |
Raw losses (2000) |
Raw losses (2024) |
Raw difference |
Percentage change |
Per 100,000 residents (2000) |
Per 100,000 residents (2024) |
Per 100,000 change |
|
1 |
Michigan |
59,359 |
57,188 |
-2,171 |
-3.7% |
591 |
570 |
-21 |
|
2 |
Ohio |
72,296 |
70,802 |
-1,494 |
-2.1% |
613 |
600 |
-13 |
|
3 |
West Virginia |
11,297 |
11,100 |
-197 |
-1.7% |
638 |
627 |
-11 |
|
4 |
Washington |
50,456 |
51,395 |
+939 |
+1.9% |
648 |
660 |
+12 |
|
5 |
Iowa |
22,742 |
23,240 |
+498 |
+2.2% |
709 |
725 |
+16 |
|
6 |
Illinois |
73,458 |
75,220 |
+1,762 |
+2.4% |
584 |
598 |
+14 |
|
7 |
Louisiana |
27,370 |
28,118 |
+748 |
+2.7% |
599 |
615 |
+16 |
|
8 |
Kansas |
19,436 |
20,341 |
+905 |
+4.7% |
662 |
693 |
+31 |
|
9 |
Indiana |
39,184 |
41,016 |
+1,832 |
+4.7% |
573 |
600 |
+27 |
|
10 |
New York |
124,888 |
131,324 |
+6,436 |
+5.2% |
618 |
650 |
+32 |
Michigan is the state to record the largest fall in private establishments cutting jobs since 2000, down 3.7% from 59,359 in 2000 to 57,188 in 2024. The per-capita rate fell 21 per 100,000, from 591 to 570.
This is followed by Ohio which ranks second at -2.1% in job losses. In 2000, there were 72,296 job losses per year, compared to 70,802 in 2024.
West Virginia places third and is the last state in the country to record a decline in job losses. West Virginia has seen job losses fall by 1.7%, from 11,297 job losses in 2000 to 11,100 in 2024.
Commenting on the findings, Eric Edelstein, Co-founder at DOKKA said: “This study reveals a trend for the current job market. You’d assume that in the past couple of decades and with the advances of technology, job availability would increase; in fact, according to this study, it’s the opposite. For the vast majority of America, job losses are on the rise, with only a lucky few states seeing a reduction in job losses, and even these aren’t as high as you’d hope it would be. It’s worth adding that rapid growth naturally brings more business churn, meaning more businesses opening and more businesses contracting or closing. What stands out here is that the states seeing the biggest rises in businesses cutting jobs are often the same states experiencing the fastest population growth.”
The study was compiled by DOKKA, one team that’s united under one goal which is to revolutionize how finance teams work. They are doing that with proprietary technology that eliminates the need for manual work in all accounting functions, from bookkeeping to controlling.
