Some of you may be surprised at some of the cities that make up the best jobs markets in the US. This is in many cases precisely why they are the best markets, as they tend to be under-served and under-appreciated by job hunters, and even people desperate for work may shun some of these cities as being undesirable places to live, despite their low unemployment.
The trend after all is for people from smaller towns and cities to move to the big cities in search of work. And while cities like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago might have thousands of open job postings, they also have millions of extra people living there, all looking for work. Certainly, in the case of some specialized professions, a person may have no choice but to move to one these big cities, but for everyone else, they should consider some of the best job markets in the US, which we’ll reveal shortly.
Not only are their unemployment rates low, but they provide some other added benefits as well, in particular a lower cost of living. As such, in addition to the unemployment rates, we’ve also highlighted the city’s cost of living index, as well as the median household price, and spotlighted a key job or industry in that city on top of that, along with its pay rate. All of these factors combined should give you a good idea of the overall prospects in each of the cities. Furthermore, if you’re interested in more reading on the subject, and are willing to consider job markets outside the US, then be sure to check out our feature on The 10 Best Job Markets Today: A Country-By-Country Look.
Now then, let’s dig into our list of the ten best job markets in the US, and find out which cities desperately need workers.
10. New Orleans, Louisiana
Spotlight Job: Structural Engineer
Average Salary: $103, 217
Median Household Price: $159,000
Rate of Unemployment: 4.7%
Cost of Living Index: 92
9. Irvine, California
Spotlight Job: Senior Software Engineer
Average Salary: $117, 171
Median Household Price: $756,700
Rate of Unemployment: 4.6%
Cost of Living Index: 145
8. Springfield, Missouri
Spotlight Job: Environmental Engineer
Average Salary: $90,735
Median Household Price: $108,300
Rate of Unemployment: 4.6%
Cost of Living Index: 82
7. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Spotlight Job: Truck Driver
Average Salary: $40,682
Median Household Price: $169,000
Rate of Unemployment: 4.5%
Cost of Living Index: 84
6. Austin, Texas
Spotlight Job: Systems Analyst (Mid-Level)
Average Salary: $65,661
Median Household Price: $320,000
Rate of Unemployment: 4.5%
Cost of Living Index: 92
5. Des Moines, Iowa
Spotlight Job: Online Advertising Manager
Average Salary: $76,831
Median Household Price: $106,200
Rate of Unemployment: 4.4%
Cost of Living Index: 80
4. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
Spotlight Job: Software Developer
Average Salary: $60,195
Median Household Price: $157,600
Rate of Unemployment: 4.3%
Cost of Living Index: 101
3. Madison, Wisconsin
Spotlight Job: Registered Nurse
Average Salary: $62,591
Median Household Price: $191,600
Rate of Unemployment: 4%
Cost of Living Index: 100
2. Omaha, Nebraska
Spotlight Job: IT Project Manager
Average Salary: $69,233
Median Household Price: $125,100
Rate of Unemployment: 3.9%
Cost of Living Index: 82
1. Salt Lake City, Utah
Spotlight Job: Sales Director
Average Salary: $135,021
Median Household Price: $247,600
Rate of Unemployment: 3.5%
Cost of Living Index: 93
