Best states for a garden worker

Q: What is the best state for garden workers?

The best state to be a garden worker is New Hampshire based on garden worker salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for garden workers?

The highest paying state for garden workers is West Virginia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for garden workers?

The worst state for garden workers is Mississippi, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and building and grounds maintenance careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to garden worker jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for garden workers.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for garden worker jobs.

In order to get you the best states for garden workers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the South is best for garden workers, and the Northeast is the worst. Richmond, CA is the best city in the country for garden worker jobs, where as New Hampshire is the best state in the country.

10 best states for garden workers in 2026

1. New Hampshire
Total garden worker jobs: 243
Average annual salary: $34,429
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.98
Garden worker jobs in New Hampshire
2. Rhode Island
Total garden worker jobs: 7
Average annual salary: $35,651
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.08
Garden worker jobs in Rhode Island
3. Connecticut
Total garden worker jobs: 375
Average annual salary: $33,750
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.61
Garden worker jobs in Connecticut
4. Minnesota
Total garden worker jobs: 137
Average annual salary: $33,404
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.29
Garden worker jobs in Minnesota
5. California
Total garden worker jobs: 3,664
Average annual salary: $33,217
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.78
Garden worker jobs in California
6. Vermont
Total garden worker jobs: 4
Average annual salary: $33,831
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.07
Garden worker jobs in Vermont
7. Massachusetts
Total garden worker jobs: 19
Average annual salary: $35,955
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.03
Garden worker jobs in Massachusetts
8. Alaska
Total garden worker jobs: 12
Average annual salary: $31,539
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Location Quotient:
0.2
Garden worker jobs in Alaska
9. Michigan
Total garden worker jobs: 36
Average annual salary: $30,995
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
0.07
Garden worker jobs in Michigan
10. Washington
Total garden worker jobs: 984
Average annual salary: $29,513
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.92
Garden worker jobs in Washington

Garden worker jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a garden worker

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a garden worker

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Hampshire	$34,429	$29,000	1,342,795	243
2	Rhode Island	$35,651	$29,000	1,059,639	7
3	Connecticut	$33,750	$27,000	3,588,184	375
4	Minnesota	$33,404	$27,000	5,576,606	137
5	California	$33,217	$25,000	39,536,653	3,664
6	Vermont	$33,831	$28,000	623,657	4
7	Massachusetts	$35,955	$30,000	6,859,819	19
8	Alaska	$31,539	$27,000	739,795	12
9	Michigan	$30,995	$25,000	9,962,311	36
10	Washington	$29,513	$23,000	7,405,743	984
11	North Dakota	$32,703	$27,000	755,393	1
12	Oregon	$29,109	$22,000	4,142,776	562
13	Wisconsin	$29,559	$23,000	5,795,483	54
14	Montana	$30,677	$24,000	1,050,493	6
15	Idaho	$27,787	$21,000	1,716,943	192
16	New York	$32,101	$26,000	19,849,399	23
17	Nebraska	$26,037	$21,000	1,920,076	300
18	New Jersey	$31,548	$25,000	9,005,644	12
19	South Dakota	$25,372	$20,000	869,666	165
20	Nevada	$28,063	$21,000	2,998,039	5
21	New Mexico	$26,274	$21,000	2,088,070	240
22	Wyoming	$26,887	$21,000	579,315	7
23	Pennsylvania	$28,279	$22,000	12,805,537	11
24	Illinois	$28,842	$23,000	12,802,023	20
25	Ohio	$26,402	$21,000	11,658,609	29
26	Hawaii	$31,330	$27,000	1,427,538	2
27	Colorado	$27,444	$21,000	5,607,154	650
28	Delaware	$26,873	$21,000	961,939	108
29	Georgia	$25,269	$21,000	10,429,379	1,269
30	Maine	$28,274	$24,000	1,335,907	1
31	Tennessee	$24,066	$19,000	6,715,984	861
32	Missouri	$24,993	$20,000	6,113,532	784
33	Utah	$24,432	$19,000	3,101,833	420
34	District of Columbia	$26,681	$21,000	693,972	98
35	Indiana	$25,346	$20,000	6,666,818	16
36	Maryland	$27,922	$22,000	6,052,177	12
37	Kansas	$25,380	$20,000	2,913,123	9
38	Louisiana	$22,788	$19,000	4,684,333	441
39	Iowa	$24,382	$19,000	3,145,711	45
40	Texas	$23,680	$19,000	28,304,596	2,344
41	North Carolina	$22,981	$19,000	10,273,419	1,163
42	Alabama	$22,733	$19,000	4,874,747	482
43	Florida	$23,050	$19,000	20,984,400	2,031
44	Virginia	$24,051	$19,000	8,470,020	1,061
45	Arizona	$24,705	$19,000	7,016,270	12
46	West Virginia	$19,992	$16,000	1,815,857	232
47	Oklahoma	$22,335	$18,000	3,930,864	339
48	South Carolina	$20,620	$17,000	5,024,369	587
49	Kentucky	$22,780	$18,000	4,454,189	8
50	Arkansas	$21,538	$17,000	3,004,279	0
51	Mississippi	$20,223	$16,000	2,984,100	3

Highest paying states for garden workers

Rank	State	Avg. Garden Worker Salary
1	New Hampshire	$34,429
2	Rhode Island	$35,651
3	Connecticut	$33,750
4	Minnesota	$33,404
5	California	$33,217
6	Vermont	$33,831
7	Massachusetts	$35,955
8	Alaska	$31,539
9	Michigan	$30,995
10	Washington	$29,513
11	North Dakota	$32,703
12	Oregon	$29,109
13	Wisconsin	$29,559
14	Montana	$30,677
15	Idaho	$27,787
16	New York	$32,101
17	Nebraska	$26,037
18	New Jersey	$31,548
19	South Dakota	$25,372
20	Nevada	$28,063
21	New Mexico	$26,274
22	Wyoming	$26,887
23	Pennsylvania	$28,279
24	Illinois	$28,842
25	Ohio	$26,402
26	Hawaii	$31,330
27	Colorado	$27,444
28	Delaware	$26,873
29	Georgia	$25,269
30	Maine	$28,274
31	Tennessee	$24,066
32	Missouri	$24,993
33	Utah	$24,432
34	District of Columbia	$26,681
35	Indiana	$25,346
36	Maryland	$27,922
37	Kansas	$25,380
38	Louisiana	$22,788
39	Iowa	$24,382
40	Texas	$23,680
41	North Carolina	$22,981
42	Alabama	$22,733
43	Florida	$23,050
44	Virginia	$24,051
45	Arizona	$24,705
46	West Virginia	$19,992
47	Oklahoma	$22,335
48	South Carolina	$20,620
49	Kentucky	$22,780
50	Arkansas	$21,538
51	Mississippi	$20,223

Garden worker best states FAQs

What is the best state for garden workers?

What is the highest paying state for garden workers?

What is the worst state for garden workers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common building and grounds maintenance questions.

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Best states for Garden Workers

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total garden worker jobs:	243
Average annual salary:	$34,429
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$29,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$40,000
Location Quotient:	1.98

Best states for a garden worker

10 best states for garden workers in 2026

1. New Hampshire

2. Rhode Island

3. Connecticut

4. Minnesota

5. California

6. Vermont

7. Massachusetts

8. Alaska

9. Michigan

10. Washington