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10. Oregon

Population: 4,142,776

2018 job growth: 2.1 percent

2017 job growth: 2.2 percent

New jobs in 2018: 40,000

New jobs in 2017: 40,200

Unemployment rate by year-end 2018: 3.9 percent

Unemployment rate at year-end 2017: 4.1 percent

Sure, millennials and GenXers might care which states have the most growth in jobs. But why should an older worker care, since retirement is on the horizon? First, boomers are filing for bankruptcy at triple the rate they did in 1991, which means they aren't facing their golden years with anything like anticipation. Second, even if they're not declaring bankruptcy, many older workers are postponing retirement till age 70 or even later. Third, it's harder for older people to find and keep jobs, thanks to age discrimination. So if you're approaching retirement and don't think you're interested in states where there's a healthy job market, you might want to reconsider. Kiplinger has come up with the top 10 states where job growth is likely to continue. As its report points out, "Widespread growth spells even tighter labor markets, and that could start to crimp regional growth rates. Job openings have reached or are near record levels in all regions, and hiring is starting to slow because of the lack of qualified candidates. Certain metro areas have unemployment rates below 3 percent, including Denver; Madison, Wisconsin; Nashville, Tennessee; and the San Francisco Bay area. Look for hiring slowdowns to continue as more positions become unfillable." When relocating, whether you're a millennial, GenXer, or young tail-end Boomer, it only makes sense to look for a place to live where you'll be able to find work. Have a look at the 10 states in the slides above with the fastest rate of job growth.  
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Marlene Satter

Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.