What this industry includes
Health care and social assistance covers organizations that provide medical care, residential care, and social support. Common examples include doctors' and dentists' offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, nursing and residential care facilities, and childcare centers.
2024 state leaders
Health care and social assistance accounts for a larger share of employment in West Virginia than in any other state. West Virginia led establishment growth from 2019 to 2024, and Idaho led job growth.
Where the industry is most concentrated
States ranked by their 2024 employment location quotient for health care and social assistance. A location quotient above 1.00 means the industry represents a larger share of state employment than it does nationally.
| Rank | State | Employment LQ | Establishment LQ | 2024 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | 1.35 | 1.01 | 134,192 |
| 2 | New York | 1.31 | 0.51 | 1,818,891 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 1.29 | 0.80 | 1,114,823 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 1.24 | 1.48 | 648,228 |
| 5 | Minnesota | 1.22 | 0.72 | 510,901 |
| 6 | Connecticut | 1.21 | 0.87 | 291,475 |
| 7 | Maine | 1.19 | 0.50 | 111,057 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1.19 | 0.68 | 84,475 |
| 9 | Vermont | 1.16 | 0.41 | 51,343 |
| 10 | Delaware | 1.15 | 0.78 | 78,754 |
Fastest establishment growth
States ranked by the percent change in health care and social assistance establishments from 2019 to 2024.
| Rank | State | 2024 establishments | Change vs 2019 | Job change vs 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | 10,440 | +5,107 (+95.8%) | +15,008 (+12.6%) |
| 2 | Connecticut | 21,748 | +10,297 (+89.9%) | +20,390 (+7.5%) |
| 3 | Oregon | 23,366 | +9,423 (+67.6%) | +36,524 (+13.8%) |
| 4 | Tennessee | 24,295 | +9,568 (+65.0%) | +44,035 (+11.7%) |
| 5 | South Carolina | 18,184 | +7,142 (+64.7%) | +33,181 (+15.7%) |
| 6 | Alabama | 20,646 | +8,054 (+64.0%) | +12,851 (+5.9%) |
| 7 | Idaho | 11,960 | +4,627 (+63.1%) | +21,200 (+21.7%) |
| 8 | Michigan | 35,341 | +13,316 (+60.5%) | +24,196 (+4.1%) |
| 9 | New Jersey | 57,380 | +20,695 (+56.4%) | +66,744 (+11.3%) |
| 10 | North Carolina | 35,298 | +10,810 (+44.1%) | +61,955 (+12.0%) |
Fastest job growth
States ranked by the percent change in health care and social assistance private-sector jobs from 2019 to 2024.
| Rank | State | 2024 jobs | Change vs 2019 | Employment LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | 118,844 | +21,200 (+21.7%) | 0.97 |
| 2 | Utah | 185,503 | +28,224 (+17.9%) | 0.75 |
| 3 | Arizona | 462,596 | +70,050 (+17.8%) | 1.00 |
| 4 | Nevada | 153,879 | +23,094 (+17.7%) | 0.69 |
| 5 | California | 2,804,931 | +404,568 (+16.9%) | 1.08 |
| 6 | Georgia | 587,944 | +84,766 (+16.8%) | 0.84 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 244,232 | +33,181 (+15.7%) | 0.75 |
| 8 | Florida | 1,321,104 | +163,720 (+14.1%) | 0.94 |
| 9 | Oregon | 300,603 | +36,524 (+13.8%) | 1.05 |
| 10 | West Virginia | 134,192 | +15,008 (+12.6%) | 1.35 |
All states
| State | 2024 establishments | Establishment change vs 2019 | 2024 jobs | Job change vs 2019 | Employment LQ | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 20,646 | +8,054 (+64.0%) | 231,581 | +12,851 (+5.9%) | 0.77 | $59,973 |
| Alaska | 2,497 | +239 (+10.6%) | 49,726 | +2,091 (+4.4%) | 1.05 | $73,312 |
| Arizona | 22,724 | +5,545 (+32.3%) | 462,596 | +70,050 (+17.8%) | 1.00 | $67,275 |
| Arkansas | 12,986 | -1,866 (-12.6%) | 185,032 | +9,541 (+5.4%) | 1.00 | $56,007 |
| California | 791,359 | +167,810 (+26.9%) | 2,804,931 | +404,568 (+16.9%) | 1.08 | $65,394 |
| Colorado | 23,680 | +5,173 (+28.0%) | 331,037 | +27,174 (+8.9%) | 0.80 | $66,522 |
| Connecticut | 21,748 | +10,297 (+89.9%) | 291,475 | +20,390 (+7.5%) | 1.21 | $66,874 |
| Delaware | 6,010 | +1,038 (+20.9%) | 78,754 | +6,700 (+9.3%) | 1.15 | $70,245 |
| Florida | 92,214 | +24,486 (+36.2%) | 1,321,104 | +163,720 (+14.1%) | 0.94 | $67,942 |
| Georgia | 35,943 | +9,343 (+35.1%) | 587,944 | +84,766 (+16.8%) | 0.84 | $67,024 |
| Hawaii | 6,023 | +1,679 (+38.7%) | 74,940 | +2,028 (+2.8%) | 0.82 | $73,768 |
| Idaho | 11,960 | +4,627 (+63.1%) | 118,844 | +21,200 (+21.7%) | 0.97 | $57,574 |
| Illinois | 37,695 | +7,889 (+26.5%) | 838,041 | +57,092 (+7.3%) | 0.97 | $64,306 |
| Indiana | 17,530 | +3,208 (+22.4%) | 450,914 | +34,272 (+8.2%) | 0.99 | $63,329 |
| Iowa | 12,818 | +2,080 (+19.4%) | 193,253 | +1,399 (+0.7%) | 0.86 | $55,550 |
| Kansas | 11,463 | +2,286 (+24.9%) | 196,320 | +13,140 (+7.2%) | 0.96 | $58,109 |
| Kentucky | 24,349 | +7,110 (+41.2%) | 283,710 | +30,552 (+12.1%) | 1.00 | $62,742 |
| Louisiana | 17,796 | +3,187 (+21.8%) | 293,819 | +20,821 (+7.6%) | 1.07 | $56,373 |
| Maine | 5,506 | +716 (+14.9%) | 111,057 | +4,561 (+4.3%) | 1.19 | $64,360 |
| Maryland | 21,536 | +3,174 (+17.3%) | 401,057 | +19,576 (+5.1%) | 1.01 | $68,339 |
| Massachusetts | 70,466 | +5,723 (+8.8%) | 648,228 | +8,843 (+1.4%) | 1.24 | $73,043 |
| Michigan | 35,341 | +13,316 (+60.5%) | 621,590 | +24,196 (+4.1%) | 0.98 | $63,292 |
| Minnesota | 25,787 | +7,648 (+42.2%) | 510,901 | +32,163 (+6.7%) | 1.22 | $66,323 |
| Mississippi | 8,278 | +1,434 (+21.0%) | 141,999 | +7,056 (+5.2%) | 0.85 | $52,851 |
| Missouri | 65,040 | +14,878 (+29.7%) | 442,798 | +25,384 (+6.1%) | 1.07 | $61,808 |
| Montana | 5,236 | +1,038 (+24.7%) | 74,380 | +4,781 (+6.9%) | 1.01 | $64,971 |
| Nebraska | 9,316 | -1,619 (-14.8%) | 138,733 | +9,721 (+7.5%) | 0.95 | $62,144 |
| Nevada | 9,542 | +1,692 (+21.6%) | 153,879 | +23,094 (+17.7%) | 0.69 | $66,377 |
| New Hampshire | 4,599 | +751 (+19.5%) | 97,772 | +3,679 (+3.9%) | 0.99 | $73,731 |
| New Jersey | 57,380 | +20,695 (+56.4%) | 656,246 | +66,744 (+11.3%) | 1.08 | $68,461 |
| New Mexico | 10,662 | +641 (+6.4%) | 126,882 | +6,411 (+5.3%) | 1.02 | $53,117 |
| New York | 60,750 | +3,045 (+5.3%) | 1,818,891 | +195,966 (+12.1%) | 1.31 | $63,827 |
| North Carolina | 35,298 | +10,810 (+44.1%) | 579,529 | +61,955 (+12.0%) | 0.82 | $63,219 |
| North Dakota | 3,293 | +948 (+40.4%) | 64,172 | +1,195 (+1.9%) | 1.04 | $65,591 |
| Ohio | 36,422 | +4,195 (+13.0%) | 850,252 | +33,008 (+4.0%) | 1.07 | $62,283 |
| Oklahoma | 13,489 | +1,101 (+8.9%) | 221,633 | +24,734 (+12.6%) | 0.91 | $59,398 |
| Oregon | 23,366 | +9,423 (+67.6%) | 300,603 | +36,524 (+13.8%) | 1.05 | $66,596 |
| Pennsylvania | 51,953 | -1,269 (-2.4%) | 1,114,823 | +66,678 (+6.4%) | 1.29 | $64,356 |
| Rhode Island | 5,589 | +1,616 (+40.7%) | 84,475 | +3,019 (+3.7%) | 1.19 | $62,583 |
| South Carolina | 18,184 | +7,142 (+64.7%) | 244,232 | +33,181 (+15.7%) | 0.75 | $60,776 |
| South Dakota | 2,929 | +376 (+14.7%) | 70,442 | +5,237 (+8.0%) | 1.07 | $67,273 |
| Tennessee | 24,295 | +9,568 (+65.0%) | 420,698 | +44,035 (+11.7%) | 0.90 | $68,477 |
| Texas | 101,227 | +15,289 (+17.8%) | 1,671,855 | +165,891 (+11.0%) | 0.84 | $61,610 |
| Utah | 13,740 | +2,631 (+23.7%) | 185,503 | +28,224 (+17.9%) | 0.75 | $57,617 |
| Vermont | 2,222 | +226 (+11.3%) | 51,343 | -868 (-1.7%) | 1.16 | $64,536 |
| Virginia | 52,106 | +5,477 (+11.7%) | 498,470 | +46,083 (+10.2%) | 0.85 | $66,168 |
| Washington | 23,809 | -36,694 (-60.6%) | 471,157 | +38,148 (+8.8%) | 0.91 | $70,148 |
| West Virginia | 10,440 | +5,107 (+95.8%) | 134,192 | +15,008 (+12.6%) | 1.35 | $61,059 |
| Wisconsin | 38,478 | +10,875 (+39.4%) | 417,852 | +14,758 (+3.7%) | 0.99 | $62,422 |
| Wyoming | 3,489 | +384 (+12.4%) | 26,272 | +654 (+2.6%) | 0.65 | $53,551 |
Source note
Source: BLS QCEW annual files, NAICS 62 Health Care and Social Assistance, private-sector establishments, annual average employment, location quotients, and average annual pay. Changes compare 2024 with 2019. QCEW covers employer establishments and jobs.