The Journal partnered with Moody’s Analytics to analyze Labor Department data for the metro areas and rank them based on five attributes: job growth, unemployment rate, share of adults working or looking for work, change in the size of the labor force and change in average weekly wages. An average of the attributes was used to determine the hottest labor market in the U.S.
Below are the top 15 and bottom 15 job markets from the large cities rankings. This listing includes ties. The complete ranking and scoring, including small cities rankings, can be found here.
The best
1. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
2. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee
3. Raleigh, N.C.
4. Salt Lake City
5. Jacksonville, Fla.
6. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga.
7. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo.
8. Kansas City, Mo. and Kan.
9. Boston-Cambridge-Newtown, Mass. and N.H.
10. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.
11. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
12. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore. and Wash.
13. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.
14. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C. and S.C.
15. Birmingham-Hoover, Ala.
The worst
40. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill., Ind. and Wis.
41. New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y., N.J. and Pa.
42. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Mich.
San Diego-Carlsbad, Calif.
44. Tulsa, Okla.
45. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va. and N.C.
46. Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio
47. Richmond, Va.
48. Pittsburgh
49. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa., N.J., Del. and Md.
50. Tucson, Ariz.
51. Fresno, Calif.
52. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas
53. Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, Calif.
54. Hartford, Conn.
55. New Orleans-Metairie, La.
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