The United States economy is in terrible shape. Unemployment continues to rise; federal revenues continue to fall, and potential small business owners continue to remain on the sidelines due to uncertainty over taxes and regulations. It's rough out there and Americans are angry.
Don't tell that to North Dakotans.
Their unemployment rate fell once again last month to 3.2%, which is best in all America and two-tenths of one percent lower than their December 2008 rate, despite the country's ongoing economic semi-recession.
The secret to their enviable success?
Natural resources; technology firms and business friendly laws.
They are one of a few states to grow their manufacturing sector during the recession and are currently in the midst of a jobs producing oil boom. They also have a near constant need for new workers because younger residents leave the state in search of, err, warmer pastures.
This isn't to say North Dakota is perfect, because they aren't. The state government spends too much money and their tax rates are unnecessarily high, but both could be corrected with relative ease - putting the state on even better economic ground than it currently is.
As someone in New York, who only recently found a job after two years of search, I have actually looked a little into North Dakota's job market and discovered one thing: if you're willing to work hard and freeze hard, you will probably get a job there.
What say you?
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