Which State is the Best for Truckers: Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin?

While not for everyone, the lifestyle of a truck driver suits many people. It affords them an opportunity to make a quality living, it's a skill that's perpetually in demand, and gives willing folks a chance to see the great open world.

Being that the life of a trucker is a nomadic one, it does matter where you live when it comes to getting the most of your labor. Using numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the website FreightRun compiled data to show which states are the most favorable for truckers in which to work.

FreightRun's Methodology:

For starters, here's a look at the methodology FreightRun used to compile the data for this study:

• Job Availability: The researchers checked how many trucking jobs are available for every 1,000 jobs in each state.

• Industry Demand: Using the Location Quotient (LQ), the researchers measured how concentrated trucking jobs are compared to other states. A higher LQ means trucking is more important to that state’s economy.

• Annual Mean Wage: They considered how much truck drivers earn on average in each state, with higher wages making a state more appealing.

Get our free mobile app

Which of the Tri-States is Best for Trucking?:

Between Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, one of the Tri-States made it into the top 10 for states that are the kindest to truck drivers. As it turns out, Iowa offers truckers some of the best opportunities and benefits, ranking six on FreightRun's list:

Iowa is a prime state for truck drivers, particularly in agriculture. The state offers a good balance of job availability and wages, with drivers earning an average of $53,470 a year. Moving products like corn and soybeans keeps truckers busy, and Iowa’s central Midwest location makes it ideal for trucking. - per FreightRun

Which State is the Best for Truckers?:

North Dakota took the top spot for states that are the best for truck drivers. There's a huge demand for truckers thanks to the oil and agriculture industries in the state. In addition, there's a surplus of jobs that pay over $58,000/year, the highest in the nation.

The worst state for truckers turned out to be New Mexico. Scoring only 29.85, the Land of Enchantment affords truckers the lowest pay of the 50 states and the job opportunities are not nearly as plentiful as they are in other states.

The Top 10 States for Truckers:

See a breakdown of how each state scored in FreightRun's study via this Google Doc.