Location, location, location may be the real estate industry’s mantra, but it applies to employment opportunities as well.
WalletHub, a website focused on financial fitness, has compared 182 U.S. cities, including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, using data from numerous sources and relevant metrics to arrive at the best cities for finding a job in 2018.
Employers will want to check out the list to see how WalletHub’s analysis compares to firsthand recruiting and hiring experiences.
Methodology
The website relies on data collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Council for Community and Economic Research, Indeed, Center for Neighborhood Technology, The Pew Charitable Trusts, National Conference of State Legislatures, Glassdoor, ManpowerGroup, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Chegg, and WalletHub research for its analysis.
Two broad categories are used: job market (80 total points) and socio-economics (20 total points). Each category’s total is based on numerous factors; job market includes 17, and socio-economics includes nine.
The job market category weighs such factors as job opportunities, employment growth, average monthly starting salary, unemployment rate, industry variety, job satisfaction, and more. Socio-economics looks at median annual income, average work and commute time, housing affordability, safety, and other factors.
Most and Fewest
The top five overall best places to find a job, according to WalletHub analysis, are:
- Chandler, Arizona
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- San Francisco, California
- Peoria, Arizona
- Gilbert, Arizona
The bottom five cities, with the overall fewest opportunities, are:
- Birmingham, Alabama (178 on the list)
- Columbus, Georgia (179)
- Newark, New Jersey (180)
- Detroit, Michigan (181)
- Shreveport, Louisiana (182)
All Things Considered
Interestingly, socio-economic ranking does not necessarily coincide with overall employment opportunities. For example, Peoria, Arizona, which ranks fourth in overall opportunities, is No. 56 on the socio-economic list. Burlington, Vermont, meanwhile, ranks 69th in overall opportunities, but is No. 6 on the socio-economic list.
How does your city rank? The complete list is available at WalletHub.