In what has been dubbed the Great Resignation, Americans have been quitting their jobs in record numbers in recent months – a trend that shows no signs of slowing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 4.5 million Americans quit their job in March 2022, the most ever recorded in a single month, and up from 4.4 million quits in February. 

Explanations for the high quit rates vary. According to a survey by consulting firm McKinsey & Company, some of the main reasons workers are quitting include unmanageable workloads, unsupportive colleagues, and lack of professional development. Often, however, the reasons are as simple as the desire for higher pay or more benefits – and many employers, large and small, are now raising wages in an effort to keep workers on staff. This is the industry people are quitting the fastest. 

Whatever the explanation, the consequences are clear. Record-high quits are exacerbating a labor shortage in the United States and creating an existential crisis for many small businesses. And in some states, quit rates are far higher than the national average. 

Using data from the BLS, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states where the most people are quitting their job. States are ranked by the number of people who quit in March 2022 as a share of total employment. 

Depending on the state, the share of workers who quit their jobs in March, the most recent month of available data, ranges from 2.0% to 5.1%. For context, 3.0% of workers nationwide quit their jobs in March. 

Though there are exceptions, states with higher quit rates tend to have March unemployment rates below the national average of 3.6%. Since quits do not include workers who retire, each of the 4.5 million Americans who quit in March presumably plans to take another job. A stronger job market, therefore, may incentivize workers to look for better opportunities, while workers in states with weaker job markers may be deterred. Here is a look at the industry laying off the most Americans. 

Click here to see the states where the most people are quitting their jobs
Click here to read our detailed methodology