The best job markets in the U.S., according to SmartAsset study

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Finding a occupation tin beryllium a gangly bid successful today's economy, fixed the recent slowdown successful hiring. For those searching, a new study connected the champion occupation markets successful the United States whitethorn travel successful handy. 

With an oculus toward job-hunters' needs, SmartAsset ranked 348 U.S. cities based connected six factors from the astir caller Census Bureau data, including unemployment rates (from 2023), income growth, wellness security coverage, median commute times and more. 

Read connected to find which cities person the astir to connection U.S. workers.

Which cities person the champion wide occupation market?

Bend, Oregon, has the apical occupation marketplace successful the United States, according to SmartAsset. The West Coast metropolis notched points for its debased unemployment complaint (3.1%) and precocious income growth. From 2020 to 2023, the median income successful Bend grew 44% — the 4th highest complaint aft Richmond, Virginia, (50%); Nampa, Idaho, (47%); and Dayton, Ohio, (45%). 

A hub for outdoor recreation, Bend besides stands retired for its work-life balance. The median commute clip for workers successful Bend is 16 minutes, with conscionable implicit a 4th of the city's colonisation moving remotely.

Trailing Bend successful the No. 2 and No. 3 spots for champion wide occupation markets are Richmond, Virginia, and Seattle, Washington.

Which cities person the highest percent of wellness attraction sum for workers?

For workers looking for coagulated wellness attraction coverage, a determination to Santa Clara, California, whitethorn beryllium worthy considering. Over 88% of the colonisation successful the confederate Bay Area metropolis person backstage wellness security plans done their employer. Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Bellevue, Washington, travel adjacent down with astir 87% of their residents having wellness sum done their employers.

Which cities person the champion work-life balance?

No 1 wants to walk ample chunks of their time sitting connected a bid oregon stuck successful traffic. For that reason, cities with the shortest commute times and highest percent of distant workers person apical rankings for work-life equilibrium successful SmartAssets' study.  

With a median commute clip of astir 14 minutes, workers successful Wichita Falls, Texas, person 1 the shortest commute times successful the country, according SmartAsset. Abilene, Texas, and Topeka, Kansas, workers besides walk little clip successful transit than others, with median commutes of astir 14 and 15 minutes, respectively.

In presumption of work-life balance, Frisco, Texas, portion of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, stands retired from the crowd, with implicit 32% of workers conducting their jobs remotely. Berkeley, California, and Charlotte, North Carolina, besides clasp enactment from location with a full 29% and 28% distant workers, respectively.

• United States Department of Labor
• Jobless Claims
• Oregon