Workers have a lot going for them in today’s labor market if they want to find a new job in 2022 — and even more so in certain cities.
Residents of Columbia, Maryland; Salt Lake City and San Francisco are poised to have their pick of new high-paying jobs and enjoy a nice quality of life, according to a new analysis from financial site WalletHub. The analysis ranks 182 U.S. cities across 31 metrics that measure job and socioeconomic outlook.
The ranking weights each city’s job market data points highest, like volume of job opportunities, average starting salary, employment growth, unemployment rate and employment outlook.
The ranking also takes into account each city’s livability, including median annual income adjusted for cost of living, housing affordability, average length of workday and commute, transit accessibility and whether the city has the amenities that make it a good place to raise a family, date or find recreational activities.
If you’re thinking of joining the ever-swelling Great Resignation this year, and possibly moving around to do so, here are the top 10 cities to find a high-paying job and enjoy a nice quality of life in 2022:
10. Nashua, New Hampshire
9. San Jose, California
8. Scottsdale, Arizona
7. Seattle, Washington
6. Orlando, Florida
5. Austin, Texas
4. Portland, Maine
3. San Francisco, California
2. Salt Lake City, Utah
1. Columbia, Maryland
Unsurprisingly, cities with the highest average starting salary are concentrated in pricey Silicon Valley, including San Jose, Oakland and Fremont. Seattle and Washington, D.C. also top the list for offering high-paying jobs.
But a big paycheck won’t go far in a high cost-of-living city if you’re spending it all on housing and basic goods.
Adjusted for cost of living, the cities where residents have the highest median annual income include Columbia, Maryland; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Plano, Texas; Chandler, Arizona; Chesapeake, Virginia; and Scottsdale, Arizona.
If you’re most concerned about the sheer volume of job opportunities, you’ll want to look into Columbia, South Carolina; St. Louis; Orlando, Florida; Salt Lake City; and Cincinnati.
WalletHub’s ranking uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Council for Community and Economic Research, Indeed, Glassdoor, ManpowerGroup and more.
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