Using data from the Census Bureau, NPR created an interactive map of the United States that shows the most popular job in each state from 1978 to 2014.
Almost all states showed a shift in industries, and there was one industry that slowly shrunk in size over the 36-year period: farming. In 1978, eight states boasted farming as the most popular job. In 2002 and 2004, North Dakota and South Dakota were the only states where farming ranked number one among jobs. Farming was the most popular industry in Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska, too, at different points after 2006, but in 2014, North Dakota and South Dakota were once again the sole states where farming was the most common career.
The reason for the downturn in farming jobs can be attributed to farming technology, which decreases the need for more people to grow more food.
Via: NPR > Map: The Most Common* Job in Every State
