Best States to Work in the US 2025
The Best States to Work Index, now in its seventh edition, is an index of 27 policies across three themes - wages, worker protections, and rights to organize - for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. This index was born in 2018 to analyze which states were stepping into gaps left by federal inaction to protect low wage workers and working families. In 2025 we have seen many states follow the lead of the federal government and roll back hard won gains, including a weakening of child labor laws, revoking paid sick leave, and even taking unionization rights away from public workers like teachers and firefighters. The report is meant to highlight and celebrate those states seeking to proactively support workers, while encouraging a race to the top for those states at the bottom. The policies tracked in our index are either nonexistent or insufficient at the federal level, so this report is also meant to provide a blueprint for federal and state policymakers to improve the landscape for all workers.
Click here to explore the interactive map.