Best Cities for Jobs in 2026

As we leave 2025 behind, many people are looking for a fresh start – whether that means making small adjustments or pursuing a major life change. For a lot of individuals, landing a new or better job will be high on the list of resolutions.

The labor market stayed resilient in 2025, with unemployment relatively low. In fact, some employers even faced worker shortages, giving job seekers extra leverage when negotiating pay and benefits.

Of course, job prospects often depend heavily on where you live. To make the search easier, WalletHub analyzed over 180 U.S. cities using 31 key factors that shape the strength of local job markets — from job openings per applicant and employment growth to the average starting salary each month.

cassandra happe

“It’s important to look at more than just the number of jobs available or the unemployment rate when determining the best place to find employment. Quality matters just as much as quantity, from the average salaries and benefits to job security and overall satisfaction. There are plenty of secondary factors to take into account as well, from how easy a city makes commuting to jobs to whether it’s a good place for raising a family or engaging in recreational activities outside of work.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Main Findings

Best Places to Find a Job

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Job Market Rank	Socio-economics Rank
1	Scottsdale, AZ	66.71	1	16
2	Columbia, MD	66.57	3	4
3	Portland, ME	65.28	2	30
4	South Burlington, VT	64.65	8	2
5	Pittsburgh, PA	64.29	10	3
6	Orlando, FL	64.29	4	38
7	Plano, TX	62.71	6	40
8	Washington, DC	62.42	7	43
9	Austin, TX	62.37	15	10
10	Huntsville, AL	62.01	9	44
11	Charleston, SC	61.69	11	45
12	Atlanta, GA	61.58	22	8
13	Salt Lake City, UT	61.34	14	39
14	Chandler, AZ	61.32	19	20
15	Lewiston, ME	60.99	12	60
16	Bismarck, ND	60.92	37	1
17	Overland Park, KS	60.35	30	13
18	Irving, TX	60.25	5	137
19	Boston, MA	60.10	20	48
20	Charleston, WV	60.09	25	33
21	San Francisco, CA	59.83	43	6
22	Seattle, WA	59.81	34	12
23	Minneapolis, MN	59.75	48	5
24	Grand Prairie, TX	59.63	13	108
25	Richmond, VA	59.41	18	90
26	St. Louis, MO	59.41	16	82
27	Warwick, RI	59.14	39	22
28	Gilbert, AZ	58.94	26	55
29	Tampa, FL	58.92	44	23
30	Tempe, AZ	58.39	53	15
31	Nashua, NH	58.27	54	17
32	Amarillo, TX	58.19	23	94
33	Peoria, AZ	57.90	28	88
34	Manchester, NH	57.90	35	64
35	Cheyenne, WY	57.89	42	49
36	Boise, ID	57.59	69	9
37	Fremont, CA	57.52	40	61
38	Casper, WY	57.40	62	32
39	Virginia Beach, VA	57.29	47	56
40	West Valley City, UT	57.15	65	37
41	St. Paul, MN	57.09	84	7
42	San Jose, CA	57.07	33	92
43	Miami, FL	57.06	24	127
44	Sioux Falls, SD	56.96	72	24
45	Madison, WI	56.87	83	11
46	Columbia, SC	56.55	41	97
47	Pearl City, HI	56.51	38	83
48	Garland, TX	56.48	29	129
49	Raleigh, NC	56.46	50	70
50	Honolulu, HI	56.45	77	28
51	Worcester, MA	56.44	52	75
52	Fort Lauderdale, FL	56.42	36	110
53	Wilmington, DE	56.33	55	69
54	Dallas, TX	56.30	31	134
55	Mesa, AZ	56.17	51	78
56	Grand Rapids, MI	56.04	66	66
57	Irvine, CA	55.94	87	26
58	Baltimore, MD	55.94	17	174
59	Chesapeake, VA	55.84	64	73
60	Arlington, TX	55.78	27	149
61	Jersey City, NJ	55.73	96	18
62	New Haven, CT	55.72	45	116
63	Denver, CO	55.72	85	35
64	Burlington, VT	55.70	93	25
65	Norfolk, VA	55.63	46	107
66	Sacramento, CA	55.54	74	54
67	Huntington Beach, CA	55.53	76	53
68	Chattanooga, TN	55.39	32	165
69	Lincoln, NE	55.39	104	14
70	Des Moines, IA	55.19	82	52
71	Tulsa, OK	55.18	59	99
72	Phoenix, AZ	55.17	78	58
73	Little Rock, AR	55.14	21	176
74	Omaha, NE	55.09	89	41
75	Knoxville, TN	54.96	58	111
76	Rapid City, SD	54.94	91	42
77	Fort Worth, TX	54.88	63	103
78	San Antonio, TX	54.85	49	131
79	Fargo, ND	54.80	101	29
80	Glendale, AZ	54.71	56	118
81	San Diego, CA	54.55	112	21
82	Cincinnati, OH	54.31	99	46
83	Portland, OR	54.23	118	19
84	Newport News, VA	54.12	57	144
85	Durham, NC	54.05	61	125
86	Garden Grove, CA	53.85	102	51
87	Columbus, OH	53.84	97	62
88	Aurora, IL	53.82	94	71
89	Kansas City, MO	53.57	75	111
90	Pembroke Pines, FL	53.56	70	128
91	Chicago, IL	53.49	119	36
92	Providence, RI	53.48	122	27
93	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	52.97	92	104
94	Colorado Springs, CO	52.91	103	77
95	Charlotte, NC	52.85	80	130
96	Yonkers, NY	52.82	115	65
97	St. Petersburg, FL	52.77	116	63
98	Mobile, AL	52.74	60	171
99	Tacoma, WA	52.74	86	133
100	Corpus Christi, TX	52.71	71	138
101	Albuquerque, NM	52.26	107	89
102	Nashville, TN	52.26	79	146
103	Lexington-Fayette, KY	52.24	117	74
104	Lubbock, TX	52.23	88	120
105	Tallahassee, FL	52.12	114	81
106	Rochester, NY	52.12	108	98
107	Jacksonville, FL	51.99	90	141
108	Montgomery, AL	51.81	68	172
109	Milwaukee, WI	51.76	110	102
110	Las Vegas, NV	51.68	147	34
111	Houston, TX	51.68	106	115
112	Aurora, CO	51.65	95	139
113	Reno, NV	51.63	135	58
114	Salem, OR	51.62	113	101
115	Nampa, ID	51.57	136	57
116	Louisville, KY	51.46	109	114
117	Oklahoma City, OK	51.36	130	76
118	Spokane, WA	51.34	133	72
119	Billings, MT	51.28	151	31
120	El Paso, TX	51.26	128	80
121	Oakland, CA	50.91	98	150
122	Santa Ana, CA	50.90	131	91
123	Juneau, AK	50.83	145	68
124	Cedar Rapids, IA	50.76	150	50
125	Henderson, NV	50.62	153	47
126	Birmingham, AL	50.59	81	175
127	Jackson, MS	50.56	67	181
128	Wichita, KS	50.52	100	155
129	Glendale, CA	50.47	138	93
130	Tucson, AZ	50.39	141	86
131	Gulfport, MS	50.28	73	179
132	Cleveland, OH	50.15	111	152
133	Long Beach, CA	50.05	125	124
134	Springfield, MO	49.85	129	140
135	Fontana, CA	49.81	146	96
136	Oceanside, CA	49.80	140	109
137	Riverside, CA	49.58	127	143
138	Bridgeport, CT	49.56	123	151
139	Chula Vista, CA	49.55	144	113
140	New Orleans, LA	49.51	120	159
141	Philadelphia, PA	49.49	134	135
142	Anaheim, CA	49.29	121	154
143	Laredo, TX	49.29	143	121
144	Fort Smith, AR	49.23	124	157
145	New York, NY	49.14	142	132
146	Anchorage, AK	49.12	152	95
147	Missoula, MT	48.92	163	67
148	Los Angeles, CA	48.90	156	85
149	Santa Rosa, CA	48.78	154	100
150	Greensboro, NC	48.77	132	160
151	Fresno, CA	48.54	126	168
152	Santa Clarita, CA	48.54	160	79
153	Ontario, CA	48.49	139	158
154	Hialeah, FL	48.03	105	178
155	Buffalo, NY	47.86	166	87
156	Dover, DE	47.75	137	169
157	Moreno Valley, CA	47.65	149	147
158	Cape Coral, FL	47.44	161	119
159	Akron, OH	47.33	159	123
160	Indianapolis, IN	47.20	148	166
161	Vancouver, WA	47.16	169	106
162	Oxnard, CA	47.12	164	126
163	Modesto, CA	47.11	165	117
164	Brownsville, TX	47.00	157	148
165	Winston-Salem, NC	46.45	158	161
166	Newark, NJ	46.34	155	167
167	North Las Vegas, NV	46.17	179	84
168	Bakersfield, CA	45.93	171	142
169	Port St. Lucie, FL	45.83	173	136
170	Fort Wayne, IN	45.82	168	145
171	Baton Rouge, LA	45.49	162	170
172	San Bernardino, CA	45.40	167	163
173	Huntington, WV	45.15	178	122
174	Toledo, OH	45.10	172	162
175	Fayetteville, NC	44.62	176	156
176	Columbus, GA	44.59	177	153
177	Augusta, GA	44.58	174	173
178	Las Cruces, NM	43.79	181	105
179	Shreveport, LA	43.26	175	177
180	Stockton, CA	43.24	180	164
181	Memphis, TN	42.59	170	182
182	Detroit, MI	39.46	182	180

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Job Opportunities

Most

1. Pittsburgh, PA
2. Columbia, SC
3. Orlando, FL
4. St. Louis, MO
5. Richmond, VA

Job Opportunities

Fewest

175. Glendale, CA
176. Santa Clarita, CA
177. North Las Vegas, NV
178. Stockton, CA
179. Detroit, MI

Employment Growth

Highest

1. New Haven, CT
2. Jackson, MS
3. Gulfport, MS
4. El Paso, TX
5. Montgomery, AL

Employment Growth

Lowest

176. Nampa, ID
177. Cedar Rapids, IA
178. Cape Coral, FL
179. Vancouver, WA
180. Port St. Lucie, FL

Monthly Average Starting Salary

Highest

T-1. San Jose, CA
T-1. Washington, DC
3. Bridgeport, CT
T-4. San Francisco, CA
T-4. Oakland, CA

Monthly Average Starting Salary

Lowest

178. Grand Rapids, MI
179. Anchorage, AK
180. Brownsville, TX
181. Laredo, TX
182. Juneau, AK

Unemployment Rate

Lowest

T-1. Sioux Falls, SD
T-1. Rapid City, SD
T-1. Burlington, VT
T-1. South Burlington, VT
T-1. Miami, FL

Unemployment Rate

Highest

176. Modesto, CA
177. Toledo, OH
178. Newark, NJ
179. Stockton, CA
180. Detroit, MI

Median Annual Income*

Highest

T-1. Columbia, MD
T-1. Fremont, CA
T-1. Gilbert, AZ
T-1. Overland Park, KS
T-1. Scottsdale, AZ

Median Annual Income*

Lowest

178. New York, NY
179. Hialeah, FL
180. Cleveland, OH
181. Newark, NJ
182. Detroit, MI

Avg. Work & Commute Time

Shortest

1. Burlington, VT
2. Huntington, WV
3. Tallahassee, FL
4. New Haven, CT
5. Las Cruces, NM

Avg. Work & Commute Time

Longest

178. Dallas, TX
179. New York, NY
180. San Francisco, CA
181. Washington, DC
182. Jersey City, NJ

Affordable Housing

Most

1. Cedar Rapids, IA
2. Akron, OH
3. Wichita, KS
4. Bismarck, ND
5. Des Moines, IA

Affordable Housing

Least

178. Long Beach, CA
179. Miami, FL
T-180. Los Angeles, CA
T-180. Glendale, CA
182. New York, NY

*Note: Adjusted for cost of living

In-Depth Look at the Best Cities for Jobs

Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale, AZ, is the best city for jobs in 2026, in large part because it boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, which demonstrates that most residents have no trouble finding work. Scottsdale ranks 16th when it comes to the prevalence of paid internship opportunities as well, so it’s great for people looking for workforce experience during school.

Scottsdale doesn’t just deliver quantity when it comes to jobs, though – it has quality as well. This is evidenced by the fact that the city has one of the highest median household incomes in the country, at over $101,000, adjusted for the cost of living.

Finally, Scottsdale provides a good quality of life, ranking seventh among the best cities for recreation and 12th among the best cities for families. It’s also a safe place to live, with the 11th-lowest violent crime rate in the U.S.

Columbia, MD

Columbia, MD, is the second-best city for jobs, and one of the major contributing factors is that it has the highest median household incomes in the country, at nearly $129,000, adjusted for the cost of living. Columbia also ranks fourth when it comes to net employment outlook, which measures the quarterly percentage of employers who expect to add employees minus the percentage who expect to have fewer of them.

One big threat to job security in the future is automation and AI, and Columbia jobs are relatively safe from this. Columbia has the ninth-lowest share of jobs that are likely to be automated in the coming decades.

To top things off, Columbia offers affordable rent, which helps people’s income stretch further. The average annual fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment is only around 16% of the median household income in Columbia. That’s the fifth-lowest percentage in the country.

Portland, ME

The third-best city for jobs is Portland, which stands out because of the number of available jobs and the quality of its companies. Portland has the 21st-most job opportunities per capita, along with the 12th-most full-time job opportunities per capita at companies rated 4.5+ stars on Glassdoor.

The high-quality nature of jobs in Portland is evident by the fact that workers have the third-highest level of engagement in the nation. In addition, jobs in Portland give good benefits. For example, the city has the second-highest percentage of workers with access to an employer-based retirement plan.

If looking for love is a priority on top of finding a job, you’ll also be happy to know that Portland is the 38th-best city for singles. It’s also a convenient and safe city to live in, with the 17th-highest number of jobs within a 30-minute commute and the 23rd-lowest violent crime rate in the country.

Ask the Experts

The job-hunting process can still be scary, especially during the stress of high inflation. To ease the burden on job seekers, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

What are your predictions for the job market in 2026?
Which fields are expected to grow the most in the coming years?
Recent evidence suggests fewer people are moving across state lines in search of work - why do you think this is, and what can be done to increase geographic mobility?
Which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment?

Ask the Experts

Daraius Irani
Ph.D. – Vice President, Business and Public Engagement and Chief Economist, Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) - Towson University
Read More

Brian J. Gareau
Ph.D. – Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Academic Planning, Professor of Sociology and International Studies, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences - Boston College
Read More

Dr. Haiyong Liu
Chair - Professor - Finance & Economics, Texas State University
Read More

James M. Quirk and Meaghan Quirk
James M. Quirk - Senior Professorial Lecturer, School of Public Affairs, American University and Meaghan Quirk - International Business and Management Major, Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago
Read More

Dr. Douglas Swanson
Associate Extension Professional in Labor and Workforce Development with the University of Missouri Extension and coordinates the Labor Studies Certificate Program for the University of Missouri out of the University of Missouri, Saint Louis Campus
Read More

Dylan Polkinghorne
Assistant Teaching Professor, Cofrin School of Business, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the best job markets in the U.S., WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions, “Job Market” and “Socio-economics.” We assigned a heavier weight to the former, considering the fact that factors in that category most heavily influence a job seeker’s decision in terms of relocation for employment.

We then evaluated the two dimensions using 31 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for job seekers. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at state level only.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.

Job Market – Total Points: 80

Job Opportunities: Double Weight (~6.53 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Number of Job Openings per Number of Population in Labor Force Minus Unemployment Rate.
Employment Growth: Double Weight (~6.53 Points)
Note: This metric measures the rate of annual job growth adjusted by the working-age population growth.
Monthly Average Starting Salary: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~6.53 Points)
Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Industry Variety: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Employment Outlook: Double Weight (~6.53 Points)
Note: This metric is based on the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
Automation Risk: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of jobs at risk for automation.
Job Security: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Number of Employees in 2024 – Number of Employees in 2023) / Number of Employees in 2023.
Job Satisfaction: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Share of Engaged Workers*: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric is based on Gallup’s “State of the American Workplace” report. Gallup defines engaged employees as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.
Retirement Access & Participation: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric considers only employer-based retirement plans.
Access to Employee Benefits: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of employees with private health insurance.
Presence of Work-Share Programs*: Half Weight (~1.63 Points)
Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of state programs that allow employers to temporarily reduce work hours of employees instead of laying them off during economic downturns.
State’s Statute on Hiring Based on Salary History*: Half Weight (~1.63 Points)
Note: This metric measures the presence or absence of salary history bans in a state.
Full-Time Employment: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of part-time employees for every 100 full-time employees.
Access to Internships: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of paid internships per total civilian population aged 16 to 24 in the labor force.
4+ Star Full Time Job Opportunities per Total People in Labor Force: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of full time job opportunities at 4+ star rated companies on Glasssdoor.com per the total people in the labor force.
Apprentice-Trainee Jobs as Share of Total Jobs Posted on Glassdoor.com: Half Weight (~1.63 Points)
Note: Apprentice-trainee jobs refers to on-the-job training.
Share of Workers in Poverty: Double Weight (~6.53 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of employed residents whose incomes are below the poverty line.
Disability-Friendliness of Employers: Full Weight (~3.27 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of persons with disabilities who are employed.

Socio-economics – Total Points: 20

Median Annual Income: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
Average Work & Commute Time: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the average length of a workday and the average commute time.
Transit Accessibility of Workplace: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of jobs accessible by a 30-minute transit ride per total civilian workforce.
Transit Score: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: Transit Score is a patented measure of how well a location is served by public transit.
Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Housing Costs (accounts for both rental and sale prices) / Median Annual Household Income.
Annual Transportation Costs: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Safety: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the crime rate.
Family-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family” ranking.
Dating-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Singles” ranking.
Recreation-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” ranking.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of December 9, 2025 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, U.S. Department of Labor, Glassdoor, ManpowerGroup, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Gallup-Sharecare, Industry Dive, Walk Score and WalletHub research.

Main Findings

Best Places to Find a Job

In-Depth Look at the Best Cities for Jobs

Scottsdale, AZ

Columbia, MD

Portland, ME

Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

Methodology

Job Market – Total Points: 80

Socio-economics – Total Points: 20

Supporting Video Files: