By ANTHONY BALDERRAMA

Here are the 15 best states to find work ranked by their unemployment rates.

Location is everything, according to the real estate adage. Many people learn the wisdom of these words after they move into their first apartment on a tight budget and have a view of a landfill and the smells that come from it.The same holds true for job hunting. Your chances of finding the right job -- or any job, really -- depend on where you live.

The unemployment rate is the ratio of job seekers to the working population. Therefore, a low percentage means few people are having any difficulty finding work. If you're looking for a job, you want to be in a state that has an unemployment rate lower than the national average, which is 5 percent according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Here are the 15 best states to find work ranked by their unemployment rates.

1. South Dakota

Unemployment rate: 3 percent*

Population: 796,214**

Mean annual wage: $30,460

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.9 percent)***

2. Idaho

Unemployment rate: 3 percent

Population: 1,499,402

Mean annual wage: $34,810

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.2 percent)

3. Wyoming

Unemployment rate: 3.1 percent

Population: 522,830

Mean annual wage: $34,290

Top industry: Government (23 percent)

4. Nebraska

Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent

Population: 1,774,571

Mean annual wage: $34,300

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (21.1 percent)

5. Utah

Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent

Population: 2,645,330

Mean annual wage: $35,540

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.7 percent)

6. Hawaii

Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent

Population: 1,283,388

Mean annual wage: $38,630

Top industry: Government (19.6 percent)

7. North Dakota

Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent

Population: 639,715

Mean annual wage: $32,440

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (21.4 percent)

8. Virginia

Unemployment rate: 3.5 percent

Population: 7,712,091

Mean annual wage: $41,450

Top industry: Government (18 percent)

9. Montana

Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent

Population: 957,861

Mean annual wage: $31,290

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.5 percent)

10. New Hampshire

Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent

Population: 1,315,828

Mean annual wage: $39,250

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (23.3 percent)

11. New Mexico

Unemployment rate: 3.7 percent

Population: 1,969,915

Mean annual wage: $33,980

Top industry: Government (23.2 percent)

12. Delaware

Unemployment rate: 3.8 percent

Population: 864,764

Mean annual wage: $41,680

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (18.7 percent)

13. Maryland

Unemployment rate: 3.8 percent

Population: 5,618,344

Mean annual wage: $44,030

Top industry: Government (18.2 percent)

14. Iowa

Unemployment rate: 4 percent

Population: 2,988,046

Mean annual wage: $33,250

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (20.4 percent)

15. Vermont

Unemployment rate: 4 percent

Population: 621,254

Mean annual wage: $36,350

Top industry: Trade, transportation and utilities (19.4 percent)*

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Unemployment rates, mean annual wages and industry percentages obtained from BLS in January 2008.

Percentages based on nonfarm payrolls, seasonally adjusted.

**Population figures based on U.S. Census Bureau data.

***Top industries are those that employ the largest percentage of a state's labor force.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Copyright 2008 CareerBuilder.com