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Best states for a local driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
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Do you want to become a local driver at Estes Express Lines, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for local drivers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. In fact, our research shows that Pennsylvania is the best state for local drivers in America. The best city in America for local drivers with the highest pay is Seattle, WA.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for local drivers. Pennsylvania is the best state for local drivers, where the median salary is $56,079.Pennsylvania is the best state, and Missoula is the city with the highest pay for local drivers.
10 best states for local drivers in 2025
1. Pennsylvania
Total local driver jobs: 17,096 Average annual salary: $56,079 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
2. Indiana
Total local driver jobs: 13,755 Average annual salary: $51,672 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.82
3. Montana
Total local driver jobs: 767 Average annual salary: $62,693 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
4. Washington
Total local driver jobs: 7,980 Average annual salary: $57,735 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
5. Ohio
Total local driver jobs: 20,400 Average annual salary: $49,676 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.73
6. Rhode Island
Total local driver jobs: 627 Average annual salary: $58,890 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.45
7. Wyoming
Total local driver jobs: 598 Average annual salary: $52,982 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
8. North Dakota
Total local driver jobs: 386 Average annual salary: $57,311 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 0.36
9. Vermont
Total local driver jobs: 567 Average annual salary: $54,825 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
10. New Jersey
Total local driver jobs: 3,730 Average annual salary: $58,230 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.41
Local driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a local driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a local driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $56,079 | $37,000 | 12,805,537 | 17,096 |
| 2 | Indiana | $51,672 | $34,000 | 6,666,818 | 13,755 |
| 3 | Montana | $62,693 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 767 |
| 4 | Washington | $57,735 | $40,000 | 7,405,743 | 7,980 |
| 5 | Ohio | $49,676 | $33,000 | 11,658,609 | 20,400 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $58,890 | $39,000 | 1,059,639 | 627 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $52,982 | $35,000 | 579,315 | 598 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $57,311 | $39,000 | 755,393 | 386 |
| 9 | Vermont | $54,825 | $37,000 | 623,657 | 567 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $58,230 | $38,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,730 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $56,469 | $37,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,781 |
| 12 | Illinois | $50,055 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 21,886 |
| 13 | Oregon | $54,213 | $37,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,884 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $49,670 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 5,908 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $55,763 | $37,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,670 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $53,533 | $36,000 | 1,342,795 | 722 |
| 17 | Utah | $49,081 | $33,000 | 3,101,833 | 4,065 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $47,256 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 7,307 |
| 19 | Alaska | $58,984 | $48,000 | 739,795 | 120 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $47,926 | $32,000 | 3,930,864 | 5,131 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $50,805 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 5,681 |
| 22 | New York | $52,106 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 12,370 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $49,425 | $33,000 | 869,666 | 593 |
| 24 | Idaho | $49,912 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,511 |
| 25 | Maryland | $52,876 | $34,000 | 6,052,177 | 5,956 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $46,473 | $31,000 | 6,715,984 | 7,892 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $45,033 | $30,000 | 1,815,857 | 4,561 |
| 28 | Colorado | $49,173 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 6,709 |
| 29 | Virginia | $49,177 | $32,000 | 8,470,020 | 13,935 |
| 30 | Iowa | $46,322 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 5,589 |
| 31 | Maine | $49,458 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 733 |
| 32 | California | $51,445 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 29,620 |
| 33 | Delaware | $48,017 | $31,000 | 961,939 | 1,725 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $56,593 | $37,000 | 693,972 | 248 |
| 35 | Texas | $47,628 | $32,000 | 28,304,596 | 24,032 |
| 36 | Arizona | $48,830 | $33,000 | 7,016,270 | 4,705 |
| 37 | Georgia | $45,279 | $30,000 | 10,429,379 | 17,238 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $57,180 | $46,000 | 1,427,538 | 165 |
| 39 | Kansas | $44,310 | $30,000 | 2,913,123 | 3,792 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $45,419 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 9,459 |
| 41 | Michigan | $46,033 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 6,857 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $43,563 | $29,000 | 5,024,369 | 7,882 |
| 43 | Missouri | $44,586 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 8,809 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $43,865 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 5,182 |
| 45 | Nevada | $46,836 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,384 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $42,222 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 4,481 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $43,190 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,919 |
| 48 | Alabama | $42,768 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 5,351 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $43,047 | $29,000 | 3,004,279 | 2,505 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $42,870 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 2,205 |
| 51 | Florida | $39,089 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 6,302 |
Highest paying states for local drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Local Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $56,079 |
| 2 | Indiana | $51,672 |
| 3 | Montana | $62,693 |
| 4 | Washington | $57,735 |
| 5 | Ohio | $49,676 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $58,890 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $52,982 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $57,311 |
| 9 | Vermont | $54,825 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $58,230 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $56,469 |
| 12 | Illinois | $50,055 |
| 13 | Oregon | $54,213 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $49,670 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $55,763 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $53,533 |
| 17 | Utah | $49,081 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $47,256 |
| 19 | Alaska | $58,984 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $47,926 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $50,805 |
| 22 | New York | $52,106 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $49,425 |
| 24 | Idaho | $49,912 |
| 25 | Maryland | $52,876 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $46,473 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $45,033 |
| 28 | Colorado | $49,173 |
| 29 | Virginia | $49,177 |
| 30 | Iowa | $46,322 |
| 31 | Maine | $49,458 |
| 32 | California | $51,445 |
| 33 | Delaware | $48,017 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $56,593 |
| 35 | Texas | $47,628 |
| 36 | Arizona | $48,830 |
| 37 | Georgia | $45,279 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $57,180 |
| 39 | Kansas | $44,310 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $45,419 |
| 41 | Michigan | $46,033 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $43,563 |
| 43 | Missouri | $44,586 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $43,865 |
| 45 | Nevada | $46,836 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $42,222 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $43,190 |
| 48 | Alabama | $42,768 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $43,047 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $42,870 |
| 51 | Florida | $39,089 |
Expert opinions on the best states for local drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for local drivers to find work opportunities?
Martin Garsee
Executive Director, NAPFTDS
Many over the road trucking companies will hire you from any location in the 48 contiguous states. Companies that have more set routes in a region of the country, will only hire in that region. Most companies, on their website, have a hiring area located. Where there is a dense population, there are more jobs available. Where there is a port, there are jobs that have to get the goods from the port to a warehouse for distribution, which may be local or hundreds of miles away. Where there is a concentration of manufacturing, raw material has to be brought in and completed products have to be shipped to their final destination.
In large cities there are a lot of delivery jobs to retail outlets.
Local driver best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025