The 10 Best Cities for Job Seekers to Move to in 2023

Looking for a better, higher-paying job? It may be time to dust off the resume and start packing those boxes. According to a 2023 WalletHub study, recent grads and those in need of work are more likely to find job opportunities in certain places over others. The personal finance website compared and evaluated 182 U.S. cities across 30 “key indicators of job-market strength.” Indicators included job opportunities, employment growth, starting salaries, unemployment rate, median annual income, commute time and real estate affordability – among others. These indicators were placed into two key categories: the city’s job market and the city’s socio-economics. Once the cities were evaluated, they each received an overall score and were ranked accordingly.

Several interesting findings from the study included the fact that workers in certain California cities enjoyed the highest monthly average starting salaries in the U.S. In addition, those working in big cities, such as New York City, Washington, DC and San Francisco, tended to have the longest average work and commute times. Finally, employees in the Midwest got the most bang for their buck in terms of housing and real estate.

So (drumroll!) where are America’s booming job markets? Below, we’ve ranked WalletHub’s top 10 best cities for jobs in 2023. In addition, we’ve included details on each city’s demographics, job market and real estate prices, according to AreaVibes, the U.S. Census Bureau and Realtor.com.

The 10 Best Cities for Jobs

  1. Scottsdale, AZ
    • Job market rank: Scottsdale offers the second best job market in the country.
    • Socio-economic rank: The city ranks sixth for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 255,310
    • Median household income: $80,306
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 3.1 percent, which is 34 percent lower than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Scottsdale is 24 percent higher than the national average and 26 percent higher than the Arizona average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $2,190 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $549,000.
  2. Columbia, MD
    • Job market rank: Columbia offers the fourth best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks fifth for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 103,439
    • Median household income: $103,707
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 4 percent, which is 14 percent lower than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Columbia is 30 percent higher than the national average and nine percent higher than the Maryland average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $1,980 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $359,940.
  3. Orlando, FL
    • Job market rank: Orlando offers the number one job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 48 th for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 285,713
    • Median household income: $45,436
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 5.9 percent, which is 27 percent higher than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Orlando is two percent lower than the national average and one percent lower than the Florida average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $1,600 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $275,000.
  4. San Francisco, CA
    • Job market rank: San Francisco offers the third best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 25 th for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 883,305
    • Median household income: $96,265
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 4.3 percent, which is 7 percent lower than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in San Francisco is 102 percent higher than the national average and 46 percent higher than the California average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $4,500 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $1,490,000.
  5. Colorado Springs, CO
    • Job market rank: Colorado Springs offers the sixth best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 42 nd for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 472,688
    • Median household income: $58,158
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 4.8 percent, which is 3 percent higher than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Colorado Springs is equal to the national average and 8 percent lower than the Colorado average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $1,670 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $334,900.
  6. Portland, ME
    • Job market rank: Portland offers the eighth best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 36 th for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 66,417
    • Median household income: $51,430
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 4 percent, which is 13 percent lower than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Portland is 14 percent higher than the national average and 10 percent higher than the Maine average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $1,720 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $379,000.
  7. Plano, TX
    • Job market rank: Plano offers the fifth best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 55 th for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 288,061
    • Median household income: $88,578
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 3.4 percent, which is 28 percent lower than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Plano is 11 percent higher than the national average and 22 percent higher than the Texas average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $2,190 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $385,000.
  8. Washington, DC
    • Job market rank: Washington, DC offers the 11 th best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 32 nd for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 702,455
    • Median household income: $77,649
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 6 percent, which is 29 percent higher than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Washington, DC is 52 percent higher than the national average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $2,730 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $629,000 a month.
  9. Boston, MA
    • Job market rank: Boston offers the seventh best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 73rd for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 694,583
    • Median household income: $62,021
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 5.5 percent, which is 17 percent higher than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Boston is 48 percent higher than the national average and 13 percent higher than the Massachusetts average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $2,900 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $750,000.
  10. Chandler, AZ
    • Job market rank: Chandler offers the 14 th best job market in the country.
    • Socio economic rank: The city ranks 11 th for socio-economic factors.
    • Population: 257,165
    • Median household income: $77,278
    • Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate is 3.6 percent, which is 23 percent lower than the national average.
    • Cost of living: The cost of living in Chandler is six percent higher than the national average and eight percent higher than the Arizona average.
    • Median rental rate: The median rental rate is $1,710 a month.
    • Median home price: The median listing price is $349,900 a month.

Curious where else to find an abundance of job opportunities? Here are the rest of WalletHub’s top 25 cities for job seekers.

Want to see WalletHub’s full report? Check here to find the overall rankings for 182 U.S. cities. In addition to viewing each city’s overall scores, you can see how cities rank in both the job market category and the socio-economic category.

Ready to move to one of these cities?

To learn more about these U.S. cities, check out Moving.com’s City Profile Report feature. Our reports include city demographics, real estate information, quality of life factors and more. Simply enter the zip code or the state and city of your potential move to get a free report at the click of a button. If you decide to move, you may also need a professional moving company to assist with the heavy lifting and transportation. Fortunately, we have you covered. To find the right moving company for you, check out Moving.com’s extensive network of reputable and reliable movers – all licensed and insured. Best of luck and happy moving!