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Best states for a merchandise handler
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for merchandise handlers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for merchandise handler jobs.Although there are abundant merchandise handler jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Iowa is the best state in the country for merchandise handler jobs.
In order to get you the best states for merchandise handlers, 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 merchandise handlers, and the Northeast is the worst. Taunton, MA is the best city in the country for merchandise handler jobs, where as Iowa is the best state in the country.
10 best states for merchandise handlers in 2025
1. Iowa
Total merchandise handler jobs: 294 Average annual salary: $33,977 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.372. Wisconsin
Total merchandise handler jobs: 454 Average annual salary: $33,012 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.393. Maine
Total merchandise handler jobs: 87 Average annual salary: $33,581 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.114. Massachusetts
Total merchandise handler jobs: 563 Average annual salary: $35,223 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.045. Vermont
Total merchandise handler jobs: 39 Average annual salary: $34,920 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.866. Minnesota
Total merchandise handler jobs: 452 Average annual salary: $33,240 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.157. Rhode Island
Total merchandise handler jobs: 69 Average annual salary: $33,668 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.968. Ohio
Total merchandise handler jobs: 732 Average annual salary: $31,391 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.219. Pennsylvania
Total merchandise handler jobs: 1,053 Average annual salary: $31,356 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.5310. Tennessee
Total merchandise handler jobs: 508 Average annual salary: $30,074 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
Merchandise handler jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a merchandise handler
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a merchandise handler
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $33,977 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 294 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $33,012 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 454 |
| 3 | Maine | $33,581 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 87 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $35,223 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 563 |
| 5 | Vermont | $34,920 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 39 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $33,240 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 452 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $33,668 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 69 |
| 8 | Ohio | $31,391 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 732 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $31,356 | $26,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,053 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $30,074 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 508 |
| 11 | New York | $35,559 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 633 |
| 12 | Alaska | $35,411 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 27 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $32,761 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 35 |
| 14 | Montana | $32,718 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 50 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $39,945 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 17 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $31,200 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 276 |
| 17 | Washington | $34,198 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 249 |
| 18 | Maryland | $32,695 | $27,000 | 6,052,177 | 436 |
| 19 | Oregon | $32,541 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 212 |
| 20 | Utah | $30,745 | $26,000 | 3,101,833 | 200 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $32,480 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 56 |
| 22 | Nevada | $30,076 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 147 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $37,902 | $32,000 | 1,427,538 | 30 |
| 24 | California | $33,494 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,533 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $30,130 | $25,000 | 1,342,795 | 160 |
| 26 | Arizona | $30,237 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 393 |
| 27 | Georgia | $30,366 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 663 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $32,197 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 173 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $30,698 | $25,000 | 9,005,644 | 989 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $30,530 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 101 |
| 31 | Texas | $30,995 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 829 |
| 32 | Illinois | $30,844 | $25,000 | 12,802,023 | 742 |
| 33 | Colorado | $32,277 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 200 |
| 34 | Indiana | $28,389 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 553 |
| 35 | Idaho | $29,461 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 96 |
| 36 | Kansas | $29,255 | $24,000 | 2,913,123 | 189 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $30,149 | $25,000 | 579,315 | 19 |
| 38 | Delaware | $31,012 | $25,000 | 961,939 | 53 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $28,580 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 145 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $28,565 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 569 |
| 41 | Missouri | $29,461 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 305 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $28,415 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 57 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $27,081 | $22,000 | 2,984,100 | 195 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $28,110 | $23,000 | 869,666 | 54 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $27,274 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 313 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $27,569 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 154 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,652 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 182 |
| 48 | Florida | $27,825 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 661 |
| 49 | Michigan | $26,052 | $21,000 | 9,962,311 | 451 |
| 50 | Virginia | $28,195 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 387 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $24,708 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 91 |
Highest paying states for merchandise handlers
| Rank | State | Avg. Merchandise Handler Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $33,977 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $33,012 |
| 3 | Maine | $33,581 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $35,223 |
| 5 | Vermont | $34,920 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $33,240 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $33,668 |
| 8 | Ohio | $31,391 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $31,356 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $30,074 |
| 11 | New York | $35,559 |
| 12 | Alaska | $35,411 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $32,761 |
| 14 | Montana | $32,718 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $39,945 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $31,200 |
| 17 | Washington | $34,198 |
| 18 | Maryland | $32,695 |
| 19 | Oregon | $32,541 |
| 20 | Utah | $30,745 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $32,480 |
| 22 | Nevada | $30,076 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $37,902 |
| 24 | California | $33,494 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $30,130 |
| 26 | Arizona | $30,237 |
| 27 | Georgia | $30,366 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $32,197 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $30,698 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $30,530 |
| 31 | Texas | $30,995 |
| 32 | Illinois | $30,844 |
| 33 | Colorado | $32,277 |
| 34 | Indiana | $28,389 |
| 35 | Idaho | $29,461 |
| 36 | Kansas | $29,255 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $30,149 |
| 38 | Delaware | $31,012 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $28,580 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $28,565 |
| 41 | Missouri | $29,461 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $28,415 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $27,081 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $28,110 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $27,274 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $27,569 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,652 |
| 48 | Florida | $27,825 |
| 49 | Michigan | $26,052 |
| 50 | Virginia | $28,195 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $24,708 |
Merchandise handler best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025