When you’re considering moving to a new place, how you plan to make money matters a lot. A flourishing job market can easily mean the difference between making it and flaming out in a new town.
This is why in the overall ranking of the Best Places to Live, each metro area’s job market — comprised of its 2022 average monthly unemployment rate and average annual salary — accounted for 20% of the final score.
If finding the right job is the main reason you’re looking to move to a new part of the country, you may put even more emphasis on the employment prospects. We’re breaking down the details of the places that scored highest for their job markets, offering higher pay and a bit more job stability, on average.
Here are the 25 strongest job markets in our ranking of the 150 most populous places in the U.S.
[Read: Why Green Bay, Wisconsin, Is the Best Place to Live in 2023-2024]
25. Sacramento, California
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 127 Metro Population: 2,379,368 Median Home Price: $619,981 Median Annual Salary: $65,580 Unemployment Rate: 3.61%
Rounding out the top 25 places based on job market, Sacramento has a median annual salary of $65,580, higher than the national average of $58,260. The capital of California also has an average monthly unemployment rate of 3.61%, slightly below the national average of 3.7%.
24. Omaha, Nebraska
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 46 Metro Population: 959,306 Median Home Price: $298,971 Median Annual Salary: $54,980 Unemployment Rate: 2.48%
If the lower cost of living common in many parts of the Midwest appeals to you, Omaha may be the right place to look for a job. The largest metro area in Nebraska has an average salary a bit below the national average of $58,260, but the unemployment rate is more than 1% below the national unemployment rate, at 2.48%.
23. Fort Collins, Colorado
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 23 Metro Population: 354,670 Median Home Price: $596,583 Median Annual Salary: $59,120 Unemployment Rate: 2.9%
Fort Collins offers a similarly low unemployment rate to Omaha, at just 2.9%, but with a higher average salary of $59,120. The cost of living in Fort Collins is a bit higher, however, requiring 26.34% of the median household income to cover housing costs.
22. Santa Barbara, California
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 124 Metro Population: 447,651 Median Home Price: $464,954 Median Annual Salary: $62,020 Unemployment Rate: 3.18%
Santa Barbara’s unemployment rate is below the national average at 3.18%. Residents are likely to find employment in the tourism industry, education and local government. One of the area’s top employers is the University of California, Santa Barbara.
21. Atlanta
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 64 Metro Population: 6,026,734 Median Home Price: $388,158 Median Annual Salary: $59,100 Unemployment Rate: 2.87%
A major hub for business in the South, Atlanta is home to major health care, entertainment and higher education employers, not to mention a variety of Fortune 500 companies with their headquarters in the metro area. The average annual salary for people who live in the Atlanta area is $59,100.
20. New York City
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 98 Metro Population: 20,968,258 Median Home Price: $642,004 Median Annual Salary: $74,108 Unemployment Rate: 4.37%
Naturally, the Big Apple makes the list, with a number of domestic and international businesses calling the area home. New York’s major industries range from finance and fashion to shipping and manufacturing, and the city is considered the financial and publishing capital of the U.S.
19. Lincoln, Nebraska
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 32 Metro Population: 337,906 Median Home Price: $261,535 Median Annual Salary: $51,970 Unemployment Rate: 2.09%
In addition to Omaha, Nebraska’s capital makes the top 25 metro areas for their job markets in 2023-2024. Naturally, the state government is a major employer in Lincoln, and the unemployment rate is just 2.09%, the lowest out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. The average salary is $51,970.
18. Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 3 Metro Population: 2,034,246 Median Home Price: $434,741 Median Annual Salary: $61,759 Unemployment Rate: 3.05%
Ranking No. 3 on the overall Best Places to Live list, the Raleigh and Durham metro area is best known for the major universities located in the area — Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. The ample college-related job opportunities contribute to a low unemployment rate of 3.05%.
17. Austin, Texas
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 40 Metro Population: 2,234,300 Median Home Price: $566,144 Median Annual Salary: $60,260 Unemployment Rate: 2.9%
While Austin attracts a wide variety of businesses, with government and education being major employers in the area, it draws a lot of tech companies as well. A less expensive place to set up shop than Silicon Valley, Austin is now considered a major tech hub.
16. Albany, New York
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 17 Metro Population: 898,265 Median Home Price: $286,267 Median Annual Salary: $61,560 Unemployment Rate: 2.92%
The sixth state capital so far on this list, Albany offers lots of jobs in government and health care, and the average monthly unemployment rate remains low at 2.92%. Albany-area residents also benefit from a high average annual salary of $61,560.
15. Denver
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 99 Metro Population: 2,936,665 Median Home Price: $658,554 Median Annual Salary: $66,750 Unemployment Rate: 3.4%
Educational institutions such as the University of Colorado and the University of Denver create a substantial amount of research roles in the area. Strong business in aerospace, defense and tourism also help fuel Denver’s strong job market.
14. San Diego
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 93 Metro Population: 3,296,317 Median Home Price: $919,507 Median Annual Salary: $67,200 Unemployment Rate: 3.33%
San Diego attracts residents with its ideal weather and helps them stay with a number of diverse job opportunities. San Diego is home to the U.S. Pacific Fleet and has a large number of military personnel as a result, not to mention opportunities in technology, tourism and research stemming from the area’s universities.
[SEE: The Best Places for Singles to Live.]
13. Santa Rosa, California
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 125 Metro Population: 492,498 Median Home Price: $889,590 Median Annual Salary: $64,080 Unemployment Rate: 2.84%
In the heart of California wine country, Santa Rosa sees a high number of its residents working on farms and at wineries and brewpubs, and a significant portion holding jobs in tourism. Residents benefit from a low unemployment rate of just 2.84%.
12. Salt Lake City
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 58 Metro Population: 2,591,858 Median Home Price: $571,980 Median Annual Salary: $54,322 Unemployment Rate: 2.13%
Industry opportunities in Salt Lake City are widely varied, from transportation and trade to health information software and higher education. With an unemployment rate of just 2.13%, Salt Lake City has the second lowest unemployment rate out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., tied with Minneapolis-St. Paul.
11. Madison, Wisconsin
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 11 Metro Population: 674,506 Median Home Price: $398,096 Median Annual Salary: $59,510 Unemployment Rate: 2.31%
Along with its strong health care industry, Madison has a growing biotechnology market and attracts startups with its low cost of living and proximity to well-connected corporations like health care software company Epic Systems.
10. Manchester, New Hampshire
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 51 Metro Population: 420,504 Median Home Price: $458,571 Median Annual Salary: $59,920 Unemployment Rate: 2.28%
With an extremely low unemployment rate of 2.28%, Manchester residents work in a variety of industries, from technology and communications to financial services, health care and manufacturing. At $59,920, the average annual salary is slightly higher than the national average of $58,260.
9. Huntsville, Alabama
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 2 Metro Population: 483,366 Median Home Price: $349,778 Median Annual Salary: $61,140 Unemployment Rate: 2.18%
Home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville attracts aerospace engineers not just for the NASA job opportunities, but also for the aerospace jobs from companies that are based in the area as a result of the government entity’s location.
8. Trenton, New Jersey
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 71 Metro Population: 384,951 Median Home Price: $344,842 Median Annual Salary: $71,600 Unemployment Rate: 2.96%
In Trenton, the average annual salary is a whopping $71,600, more than $13,000 above the national average. Major employers are largely in the educational services and health care industries, though many other companies call the area home, including Arm & Hammer parent corporation Church & Dwight Company Inc.
7. Minneapolis-St. Paul
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 35 Metro Population: 3,659,156 Median Home Price: $361,058 Median Annual Salary: $63,990 Unemployment Rate: 2.13%
Minneapolis-St. Paul boasts strong life science, biotechnology and health-tech industries, as well as familiar corporations headquartered in the area, including Target, Best Buy and General Mills. The median annual salary, at $63,990, is above the national average of $58,260.
6. Seattle
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 81 Metro Population: 3,971,125 Median Home Price: $768,396 Median Annual Salary: $76,170 Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Seattle’s job market has an enviable reputation, with the likes of Amazon, Starbucks and Microsoft calling the area home, and major offices for corporations like Google offering highly desired job opportunities as well. The median annual salary is high at $76,170.
5. Boston
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 44 Metro Population: 4,912,030 Median Home Price: $716,746 Median Annual Salary: $76,850 Unemployment Rate: 3.18%
With dozens of colleges and universities in the metro area, including Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston has guaranteed extensive opportunities in the education and research fields and a young workforce to take advantage of them.
4. Boulder, Colorado
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 4 Metro Population: 328,713 Median Home Price: $881,147 Median Annual Salary: $73,360 Unemployment Rate: 2.69%
With major employment opportunities in the tech and aerospace industries, the average annual salary in Boulder matches the higher-paying jobs at $73,360. On top of that, the average monthly unemployment rate is more than 1% below the national average of 3.7%.
3. Washington, D.C.
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 39 Metro Population: 6,332,069 Median Home Price: $538,037 Median Annual Salary: $80,480 Unemployment Rate: 3.39%
The District of Columbia offers a significant amount of work in the public sector and with government contractors, but it also has a steadily growing number of private-sector companies headquartered in the area, including Marriott International and Mars Inc. in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs, respectively.
2. San Francisco
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 45 Metro Population: 4,725,584 Median Home Price: $1,122,946 Median Annual Salary: $86,590 Unemployment Rate: 2.78%
In the No. 2 spot on the list is San Francisco, where residents enjoy a strong job market that thrives in tourism, technology, finance and business. San Francisco residents also enjoy a high median annual salary of $86,590.
[Read: The 25 Best Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024]
1. San Jose
Best Places 2023-2024 Rank: 13 Metro Population: 1,995,351 Median Home Price: $1,524,907 Median Annual Salary: $99,430 Unemployment Rate: 2.4%
The capital of Silicon Valley continues to reign supreme, edging out its neighbor, San Francisco, for the top spot on the list. San Jose has the highest median salary out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. at nearly $100,000, combined with a below-average unemployment rate of 2.4%.
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The 25 Best Places to Find a Job in the U.S. in 2023-2024 originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 07/20/23: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
