Worker in warehouse with cart and materials best states to work in the us

Best States to Work
in the U.S. 2026

Where working families have opportunities to thrive—and where they struggle to survive.

Oxfam’s Best States to Work Index shines a light on the best and worst states for working families in 2026. In its ninth edition, we take a fresh look at which states are raising wages, strengthening worker protections, and defending the right to organize, to fill gaps left by federal inaction—and which are selling workers short. Our 2026 index also highlights new policies gaining momentum at the state level, such as anti-discrimination laws that protect workers’ rights to care for their loved ones and bossware laws that protect workers’ rights against AI and digital surveillance in the workplace.

Access to fundamental rights and decent wages increasingly depends on where you call home. As Congress fails to strengthen federal labor policy, workers’ rights vary from state to state. These policy decisions do not affect all communities equally. Labor policy gaps deepen existing inequalities along lines of gender, race, and class, disproportionately hurting women—especially women of color—people of color, and single parents.

Oxfam’s research found that there is a very strong correlation between scores on the Best States to Work Index and measures of well-being. We believe that all workers, no matter where they live, deserve fair wages, safe workplaces, paid sick and family leave, and the right to organize. Policies should ensure workers and their families can thrive—no matter where they live.

Find out more in our 2026 report  |  View the 2026 map for working women

Last updated: September 1, 2026

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Methodology

All data is based on laws and policies in effect as of July 1, 2026.

The index is based on state policies in three dimensions: wages (35% of overall score); worker protections (35% of overall score); and rights to organize (30% of overall score).

View full spreadsheets of the data.

Wage policies

Do workers earn a wage that is sufficient to provide for them and their families? Among the data points in this dimension:

  • Ratio of minimum wage to cost of living for a family of four.
  • Ratio of tipped wage to minimum wage.
  • Local control over minimum wages (lack of local control is often referred to as preemption, as the state overrides local rules).
  • Extension of the minimum wage to farmworkers.
  • Ratio of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to cost of living for a family of four.

Worker protection policies

This dimension considers the quality of life for workers, especially women and working parents. Among the data points in this dimension:

  • Paid pumping breaks for breastfeeding workers.
  • Mandates for equal pay.
  • Paid family and medical leave; paid sick leave.
  • Fair and flexible scheduling.
  • Protection against sexual harassment in the workplace.
  • Extension of workers’ compensation to farmworkers.
  • Protections for domestic workers.
  • Heat standards for outdoor workers.
  • Warehouse worker protections.
  • Child labor protections.
  • AI/bossware protections.
  • Caregiver discrimination protections.

Right to organize policies

This dimension asks whether workers have the right to organize and sustain a trade union. Among the data points in this dimension:

  • State so-called “right-to-work” law (which suppresses union activity).
  • Public teachers’ rights to collectively bargain and negotiate wages.
  • Mandates for project labor agreements (PLAs): agreements that stipulate that contracts for public construction projects must go exclusively to unionized firms.
  • Mandates for protection against wage-theft retaliation.
  • Policies on collective bargaining for public workers and agricultural workers.
  • Laws enabling sectoral bargaining for gig workers.