If the thought of job hunting leaves you with a pit in your stomach, you might be pleasantly surprised by what you’re about to hear. WalletHub has released its annual Best and Worst Cities to Find a Job for 2016, and the outlook is far from bleak.
Of course, there are a few cities that have sunk to the bottom of the list, but there are plenty of good cities full of good jobs that have risen to the top. As WalletHub insists, 2016 is a great year to become gainfully employed — especially if you happen to be a recent college grad. College graduates are finding even more opportunity and earning potential in today’s job market, with the National Association of Colleges and Employers confirming that over 60 percent of employers plan to raise salaries this year. In his recent State of the Union Address, even President Obama gave a nod to the humble folk hitting the pavement, saying that 2016 will be a pretty good year for the economy and a great year for jobs.
But enough of the deets, and on to the meat. Based on WalletHub’s analysis of the 150 most populated U.S. cities across 17 key metrics, here’s where you want to go… and where you don’t… if you’re looking for a job:
Next Up: The 10 worst cities to find a job
Worst: 10. San Bernardino, California
This charming Southern California city has the honor of starting us out on the “bad” side of the list as a town with one of the highest unemployment rates.
Worst: 9. Hialeah, Florida
Even as a major city in South Florida, Hialeah is a town with one of the lowest median annual incomes on the list, adjusted for cost of living.
Worst: 8. Brownsville, Texas
Known for its bustling economy, Texas doesn’t always rise to the top. Brownsville, located on the border of Mexico, has one of the lowest monthly median starting salaries on the list.
Worst: 7. Ontario, California
Ontario, California, is another sunny Southwestern California city that, unfortunately, also has some of the lowest employment growth.
Worst: 6. Newark, New Jersey
The largest city in New Jersey also has one of the highest unemployment rates on the list.
Worst: 5. Providence, Rhode Island
The capital of Rhode Island lands at the bottom of the list for its poor job market and socioeconomic environment rankings.
Worst: 4. Modesto, California
Modesto joins other California cities on the “worst” side because of its remarkably high unemployment rates.
Worst: 3. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is slowly recovering from the big economic crash of a few years ago, though unemployment rates in the Motor City remain high.
Worst: 2. Fresno, California
The fifth largest city in California also has some of the highest unemployment rates on the list.
Worst: 1. Stockton, California
As beautiful as the Golden State may be, yet another California city makes the “worst” list because of its high unemployment rates. Stockton is ranked as the worst city to find a job out of 150 cities on the list.
Next Up: The 10 best cities to find a job
Best: 10. Omaha, Nebraska
Number 10 out of 10 is nothing to sniff at — Omaha has bragging rights for one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.
Best: 9. Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Coming in at No. 9, Sioux Falls also happens to have some of the lowest unemployment rates on the list, along with Salt Lake City and Omaha.
Best: 8. Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin, lands in the top 10 for job hunters and is also ranked at No. 3 for the shortest time spent working and commuting.
Best: 7. Irvine, California
California, here we come — Irvine, a well-to-do town in Orange County, is the only California city to make the top 10 “best” list.
Best: 6. Des Moines, Iowa
The Iowa state capital makes the top 10 on this list because of its strong job market and socioeconomic environment rankings.
Best: 5. Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, is ranked at No. 5 overall and No. 1 for the highest number of job opportunities.
Best: 4. Irving, Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the job opportunities. Irving, a Dallas suburb, is known as a family-friendly city with some of the highest employment growth.
Best: 3. Austin, Texas
Texas again? Texans might not be surprised to hear that the bustling city of Austin is ripe for the picking when it comes to both finding jobs and rising stars in the music biz.
Best: 2. Overland Park, Kansas
Next up, Kansas — or more specifically, a delightful little suburb of Kansas City called Overland Park. Overland Park ranks high on the list for some of the highest median annual incomes, adjusted for cost of living.
Best: 1. Plano, Texas
Deep in the heart of Texas, Plano (another Dallas ‘burb, if you’re unfamiliar) tops the list. Plano also has some of the best housing affordability on the list, so get moving.
Best and worst cities for job seekers
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