You probably know that there are plenty of challenges to making a living in today's economy.
What you may not know is how significantly the place you live can impact some of those challenges.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average wages range from a low of $33,930 in Mississippi to a high of $53,700 in Massachusetts. Unemployment rates range from a low of 3.3 percent in North Dakota, to a high of 12.6 percent in Nevada.
Tax rates and cost of living also vary greatly by state. So are some states really better for making a living than others?
For the second year in a row, MoneyRates.com has calculated a list of the best and worst states to make a living.
The process factors in each state's average income, state tax rate, cost of living and unemployment rate to create an adjusted average income figure that serves as the basis for these rankings.
In a separate article, you can find the 10 best states to make a living in 2012. Here, though, are MoneyRates.com's 10 worst states to make a living for 2012.
10. South Dakota
Adjusted average income: $33,121
Despite having no state income tax, South Dakota makes this list because its average income is higher only than Mississippi's among the 50 states.
South Dakota is the only newcomer to this year's list of the 10 worst states for making a living, while Oregon was the only state to escape the list since last year, rising to the 13th worst state to make a living in 2012.
9. South Carolina
Adjusted average income: $32,645
South Carolina makes the list for the second year because of a combination of low income and high unemployment.
8. West Virginia
Adjusted average income: $32,297
The primary reason West Virginia is on this list for the second year in a row is one of the lowest average income levels in the nation.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Please follow Your Money on Twitter and Facebook.