Where is the best place to live if you’re looking for work? New data from the data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the best cities in the United States for job growth, with many of them smaller towns in the midwest. California also makes the list, but not the major cities you might expect (for example Los Angeles, or San Francisco). In fact, no major big cities make the list at all. Here’s what the data shows.
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10. Stockton-Lodi, California
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Stockton is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley. Homes in the Inland Empire are rising in price along with population, as people are priced out of Los Angeles and San Francisco. “The problem we’re facing is not that there’s no desire to live in California,” Eric McGhee, policy director with the Public Policy Institute of California, tells the San Francisco Chronicle. “But it’s just too expensive.”
9. Charlottesville, Virginia
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Charlottesville is experiencing year over year job growth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). “What we try to do is we work with them, engage with them, have some different programs that we try to make sure that they are aware of that can help improve that talent pipeline,” OED Assistant Director Matt Johnson told WVIR.
8. College Station-Bryan, Texas
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The Texas labor market is thriving. “With the addition of 78,000 new jobs last month, the Texas workforce continues its positive annual growth,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “The Texas workforce offers many opportunities for a meaningful career.”
7. Charleston, South Carolina
ShutterstockCharleston continues its growth in 2024. “In the field of aerospace, Boeing remains an industry leader as one of the world's three locations for assembling wide-body jets,” according to Jeff Cook Real Estate. “The city is also home to the South Carolina Aeronautical Training Center at Trident Technical College. Mercedes-Benz Vans is another company considered an industry leader in Charleston, paving the way in the automotive segment.”
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6. Florence, South Carolina
ShutterstockFlorence’s economy is booming, experts say. "We're catching an upswing like we've never seen, and again, that comes from being prepared," Florence County Economic Development Partnership CEO Gregg Robinson tells Post and Courier.
5. Madera, California
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Madera comes in at number 5 for job growth. “With the addition of new industries coming into Madera County over the past few years coupled with the growth and expansion of several local companies, there has been hundreds of new jobs created,” says Bobby Kahn, Executive Director of the Madera County Economic Development Commission (MCEDC).
4. St. George, Utah
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St. George is a boom town, and continues to improve. “The St. George market is strategically located in southern Utah and is a gateway to well-known landmarks such as Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Sand Hollow State Park, and many more,” according to Builder Online.
3. Champaign-Urbana,Illinois
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The Champaign-Urbana economy continues to drive job growth. “Today’s data provides further evidence that stable and consistent job growth continues to expand in metro areas and industry sectors throughout the state,” Deputy Governor Andy Manar told WCIA. “As new jobs are created, new opportunities become available for those looking to reenter the workforce or shift to another career field.”
2. Pocatello, Idaho
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Pocatello comes in at number 2 in the nation. According to the Milken Institute, many people are moving to more affordable cities for remote work. "The less-than-complete recovery of many cities signals that the pandemic has had long-lasting impacts on employment in several metropolitan areas," the report said, via Business Insider. "Cities with a large pre-pandemic leisure and hospitality sector might be experiencing a particularly slow recovery because national employment in this sector remained 4.4 percent below its pre-pandemic level by the end of 2022."
1. Rochester, Minnesota
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Rochester leads the nation for job growth. “Continued job growth and labor force growth are excellent indicators for Minnesota,” said Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Matt Varilek. “We'll continue to focus on making Minnesota a great place to work, live and raise a family."
