
Whether you're looking to grow your team, or you're an individual looking for a new opportunity, you should know the best cities right now for job opportunities. According to Glassdoor, "almost 30 percent of applications in a typical week are from job seekers hoping to move to a new metro." That's a substantial number of job seekers looking for an opportunity outside their area.
There were a few surprises in the list, mostly that cities like New York and San Francisco are nowhere on the list. Also, it's interesting to see cities like Cleveland and Detroit that were among the hardest hit during the last recession starting to rebound in terms of hiring and job opportunities.
With that in mind, here are the top 10 cities, along with the criteria Glassdoor used to compile their list:
1. Raleigh, NC (Best overall)
Glassdoor says that Raleigh comes out on top due to a combination of strong job opportunities, high job satisfaction, and affordable cost of living. It also benefits from the presence of three research universities, which attract employers in fields like education, healthcare, and tech, contributing to the over 52,000 open jobs in the city.
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.5
Job Openings: 52,412
Median Base Salary: $55,252
Median Home Value: $279,999
Hot Jobs: Software Engineer, Customer Service Representative, Marketing Manager
2. Pittsburgh, PA
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
Job Openings: 48,811
Median Base Salary: $50,734
Median Home Value: $157,367
Hot Jobs: Professor, Software Developer, Sales Engineer
3. Indianapolis, IN
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
Job Openings: 45,331
Median Base Salary: $50,268
Median Home Value: $178,836
Hot Jobs: Truck Driver, Care Coordinator, Real Estate Agent
4. Memphis, TN
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
Job Openings: 23,268
Median Base Salary: $48,336
Median Home Value: $150,648
Hot Jobs: Registered Nurse, Cashier, Front End Developer
5. Cleveland, OH
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
Job Openings: 37,073
Median Base Salary: $49,719
Median Home Value: $156,590
Hot Jobs: Shift Manager, Mortgage Loan Officer, Human Resources Business Partner
6. St. Louis, MO
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
Job Openings: 59,131
Median Base Salary: $50,229
Median Home Value: $176,719
Hot Jobs: Delivery Driver, Legal Assistant, Copywriter
7. Hartford, CT
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
Job Openings: 28,842
Median Base Salary: $60,320
Median Home Value: $234,426
Hot Jobs: Speech Language Pathologist, Physical Therapist, Data Engineer
8. Birmingham, AL
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.5
Job Openings: 21,208
Median Base Salary: $45,000
Median Home Value: $153,702
Hot Jobs: Automotive Technician, Software Developer, Warehouse Associate
9. Cincinnati, OH
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.4
Job Openings: 45,638
Median Base Salary: $50,268
Median Home Value: $183,297
Hot Jobs: Community Care Coordinator, Receptionist, Electrician
10. Detroit, MI
Job Satisfaction Rating (out of 5): 3.3
Job Openings: 71,137
Median Base Salary: $55,126
Median Home Value: $177,741
Hot Jobs: Special Education Teacher, Banker, Physician Assistant
The remaining cities in the top twenty-five include Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Columbus, Chicago, San Jose, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Richmond, Seattle, Austin, and Dallas-Fort Worth.