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Best states for a local truck driver
Quoted expert
Martin Garsee
- Rank 1 - 10
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It seems like local truck drivers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for local truck drivers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. In order to help you decide which state is the best for local truck drivers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for local truck driver jobs.
Delaware is the best state for jobs for local truck drivers, and Florida is the worst. The most common pay in Delaware is $70,569, while the median pay in Florida is $55,674.We found that Delaware is the best state for local truck driver jobs, whereas Florida is the worst.
10 best states for local truck drivers in 2025
1. Delaware
Total local truck driver jobs: 1,566 Average annual salary: $70,569 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
2. Pennsylvania
Total local truck driver jobs: 15,090 Average annual salary: $65,916 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
3. Kansas
Total local truck driver jobs: 5,158 Average annual salary: $62,284 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
4. New Hampshire
Total local truck driver jobs: 691 Average annual salary: $68,861 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 0.38
5. Rhode Island
Total local truck driver jobs: 627 Average annual salary: $67,471 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 0.5
6. Ohio
Total local truck driver jobs: 18,732 Average annual salary: $61,194 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.77
7. Vermont
Total local truck driver jobs: 512 Average annual salary: $66,911 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 0.65
8. Illinois
Total local truck driver jobs: 20,396 Average annual salary: $63,673 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
9. Nevada
Total local truck driver jobs: 1,230 Average annual salary: $65,670 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 0.57
10. New York
Total local truck driver jobs: 11,080 Average annual salary: $68,258 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
Local truck driver jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a local truck driver
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a local truck driver
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $70,569 | $48,000 | 961,939 | 1,566 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $65,916 | $45,000 | 12,805,537 | 15,090 |
| 3 | Kansas | $62,284 | $43,000 | 2,913,123 | 5,158 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $68,861 | $47,000 | 1,342,795 | 691 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $67,471 | $46,000 | 1,059,639 | 627 |
| 6 | Ohio | $61,194 | $42,000 | 11,658,609 | 18,732 |
| 7 | Vermont | $66,911 | $47,000 | 623,657 | 512 |
| 8 | Illinois | $63,673 | $44,000 | 12,802,023 | 20,396 |
| 9 | Nevada | $65,670 | $43,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,230 |
| 10 | New York | $68,258 | $46,000 | 19,849,399 | 11,080 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $60,187 | $41,000 | 4,454,189 | 6,832 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $62,367 | $43,000 | 5,795,483 | 5,546 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $60,404 | $41,000 | 3,004,279 | 3,897 |
| 14 | Montana | $64,431 | $46,000 | 1,050,493 | 686 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $60,897 | $41,000 | 3,930,864 | 4,637 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $64,505 | $46,000 | 755,393 | 358 |
| 17 | Georgia | $61,627 | $41,000 | 10,429,379 | 16,599 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $60,786 | $41,000 | 4,684,333 | 4,582 |
| 19 | Indiana | $60,350 | $41,000 | 6,666,818 | 9,764 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $68,803 | $47,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,415 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $60,305 | $41,000 | 6,715,984 | 7,227 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $67,199 | $46,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,705 |
| 23 | Virginia | $63,095 | $43,000 | 8,470,020 | 12,082 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $59,806 | $40,000 | 2,984,100 | 4,202 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $62,934 | $44,000 | 5,576,606 | 5,092 |
| 26 | Michigan | $61,331 | $42,000 | 9,962,311 | 6,335 |
| 27 | Iowa | $59,212 | $41,000 | 3,145,711 | 5,347 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $59,822 | $40,000 | 5,024,369 | 7,059 |
| 29 | Texas | $60,393 | $40,000 | 28,304,596 | 24,032 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $60,238 | $42,000 | 579,315 | 543 |
| 31 | Maryland | $63,709 | $43,000 | 6,052,177 | 5,371 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $59,442 | $41,000 | 1,920,076 | 2,648 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $63,782 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,515 |
| 34 | Washington | $62,961 | $44,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,148 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $66,987 | $45,000 | 693,972 | 202 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $56,055 | $38,000 | 1,815,857 | 4,118 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $59,086 | $42,000 | 869,666 | 546 |
| 38 | Maine | $60,237 | $42,000 | 1,335,907 | 695 |
| 39 | Oregon | $60,851 | $41,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,492 |
| 40 | California | $60,197 | $40,000 | 39,536,653 | 24,938 |
| 41 | Missouri | $57,889 | $40,000 | 6,113,532 | 8,151 |
| 42 | Colorado | $59,723 | $41,000 | 5,607,154 | 5,957 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $57,405 | $39,000 | 2,088,070 | 2,225 |
| 44 | Arizona | $58,773 | $39,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,982 |
| 45 | Alabama | $56,680 | $38,000 | 4,874,747 | 4,864 |
| 46 | Alaska | $58,242 | $51,000 | 739,795 | 88 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $57,238 | $39,000 | 10,273,419 | 8,387 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $60,897 | $48,000 | 1,427,538 | 67 |
| 49 | Utah | $55,439 | $37,000 | 3,101,833 | 3,484 |
| 50 | Idaho | $56,565 | $38,000 | 1,716,943 | 1,343 |
| 51 | Florida | $55,674 | $37,000 | 20,984,400 | 5,083 |
Highest paying states for local truck drivers
| Rank | State | Avg. Local Truck Driver Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $70,569 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $65,916 |
| 3 | Kansas | $62,284 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $68,861 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $67,471 |
| 6 | Ohio | $61,194 |
| 7 | Vermont | $66,911 |
| 8 | Illinois | $63,673 |
| 9 | Nevada | $65,670 |
| 10 | New York | $68,258 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $60,187 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $62,367 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $60,404 |
| 14 | Montana | $64,431 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $60,897 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $64,505 |
| 17 | Georgia | $61,627 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $60,786 |
| 19 | Indiana | $60,350 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $68,803 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $60,305 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $67,199 |
| 23 | Virginia | $63,095 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $59,806 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $62,934 |
| 26 | Michigan | $61,331 |
| 27 | Iowa | $59,212 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $59,822 |
| 29 | Texas | $60,393 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $60,238 |
| 31 | Maryland | $63,709 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $59,442 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $63,782 |
| 34 | Washington | $62,961 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $66,987 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $56,055 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $59,086 |
| 38 | Maine | $60,237 |
| 39 | Oregon | $60,851 |
| 40 | California | $60,197 |
| 41 | Missouri | $57,889 |
| 42 | Colorado | $59,723 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $57,405 |
| 44 | Arizona | $58,773 |
| 45 | Alabama | $56,680 |
| 46 | Alaska | $58,242 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $57,238 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $60,897 |
| 49 | Utah | $55,439 |
| 50 | Idaho | $56,565 |
| 51 | Florida | $55,674 |
Expert opinions on the best states for local truck drivers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for local truck 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 truck driver best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025