Posted by: John S Kiernan

The Sunshine State’s economy has seen its fair share of storm clouds in recent years, with the Great Recession taking a significant toll on both the housing market and tourism industry. And it took another huge hit in 2017, as hurricane Irma cost the state 1.8 million out-of-state visitors. But things are looking brighter of late, despite the natural disaster’s impact.

Florida’s economy is expected to reach $1 trillion in 2018, a number greater than that of all but 15 countries. And the unemployment rate is at just 3.9%, below the national average of 4.1%.

But not everywhere in Florida provides the same employment opportunities. In order to help Floridians make all the right moves, WalletHub compared 135 Florida cities based on 16 metrics that collectively speak to the employment environment that can be found in each. We considered factors ranging from the number job openings per unemployed resident and the average starting salary to the share of employers providing benefits and the length of the average work day.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/21610/geochart-florida-job.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2t6KcA1>  

Best Places for Jobs in Florida

Overall Rank(1=Best)	City	Overall Score	‘Job Market’ Rank	‘Socioeconomic Environment’ Rank
1	Sarasota, FL	63.93	4	40
2	Orlando, FL	62.86	10	21
3	Land O' Lakes, FL	62.76	6	31
4	Wesley Chapel, FL	62.74	9	29
5	Horizon West, FL	61.93	14	14
6	Boca Raton, FL	61.70	23	6
7	Palm Harbor, FL	61.54	2	75
8	Valrico, FL	61.25	7	59
9	Miami Lakes, FL	61.23	21	12
10	Sweetwater, FL	60.54	3	76
11	West Melbourne, FL	60.25	17	30
12	Ruskin, FL	60.22	1	122
13	Pace, FL	59.95	5	91
14	Royal Palm Beach, FL	59.67	26	16
15	Riverview, FL	59.64	13	49
16	Four Corners, FL	59.42	8	88
17	Brandon, FL	59.17	11	65
18	Jacksonville Beach, FL	58.94	12	56
19	Coral Gables, FL	58.59	43	11
20	Tampa, FL	58.42	33	22
21	Pensacola, FL	58.13	19	70
22	Bradenton, FL	57.92	18	79
23	Jupiter, FL	57.76	57	10
24	Naples, FL	57.67	44	17
25	Edgewater, FL	57.65	20	45
26	Palmetto Bay, FL	57.60	91	3
27	Venice, FL	57.56	25	33
28	Wellington, FL	57.14	67	7
29	Parkland, FL	56.76	106	1
30	Palm Beach Gardens, FL	56.69	61	13
31	Clearwater, FL	56.67	22	74
32	Panama City, FL	56.38	15	113
33	Davie, FL	56.36	56	20
34	Oviedo, FL	56.26	87	4
35	Ocoee, FL	56.08	46	32
36	Port Orange, FL	56.00	42	35
37	Fort Myers, FL	55.90	16	118
38	Hialeah Gardens, FL	55.87	28	61
39	Cooper City, FL	55.85	101	2
40	Lutz, FL	55.85	41	34
41	Palm City, FL	55.82	35	53
42	Clermont, FL	55.74	45	36
43	Largo, FL	55.58	30	83
44	Fort Walton Beach, FL	55.49	27	69
45	Rockledge, FL	55.49	63	24
46	Coconut Creek, FL	55.41	64	25
47	Apopka, FL	55.38	40	55
48	Fort Lauderdale, FL	55.36	39	57
49	Doral, FL	55.28	90	8
50	Estero, FL	55.25	50	43
51	Pembroke Pines, FL	55.19	69	19
52	Sunrise, FL	55.13	54	39
53	Plant City, FL	55.06	24	100
54	Winter Park, FL	54.81	60	37
55	Fleming Island, FL	54.80	82	18
56	Pinellas Park, FL	54.76	31	95
57	Winter Garden, FL	54.74	51	52
58	St. Petersburg, FL	54.73	49	58
59	Coral Springs, FL	54.55	85	15
60	Cutler Bay, FL	54.48	74	27
61	Jacksonville, FL	54.48	47	64
62	Plantation, FL	54.41	76	23
63	Altamonte Springs, FL	54.40	48	67
64	Sunny Isles Beach, FL	54.32	52	46
65	Crestview, FL	54.22	29	84
66	Navarre, FL	54.17	34	87
67	Dunedin, FL	54.01	62	50
68	Kendall, FL	53.56	58	63
69	Hollywood, FL	53.17	68	54
70	Miramar, FL	53.16	92	26
71	Miami Beach, FL	53.07	32	117
72	Lakeland, FL	53.03	55	85
73	Winter Springs, FL	52.86	93	28
74	Delray Beach, FL	52.55	73	62
75	Temple Terrace, FL	52.53	81	47
76	Margate, FL	52.46	70	68
77	Ives Estates, FL	52.21	120	9
78	Kissimmee, FL	52.05	53	102
79	Deerfield Beach, FL	52.03	71	73
80	Weston, FL	51.93	125	5
81	Tamarac, FL	51.73	78	71
82	New Smyrna Beach, FL	51.52	80	72
83	North Port, FL	51.28	94	51
84	Miami, FL	51.26	66	98
85	West Palm Beach, FL	51.14	77	82
86	The Villages, FL	50.92	100	44
87	Palm Springs, FL	50.54	37	120
88	Titusville, FL	50.53	75	93
89	St. Cloud, FL	50.47	107	42
90	Oakland Park, FL	50.01	83	96
91	Melbourne, FL	49.93	86	94
92	Lehigh Acres, FL	49.68	38	129
93	Palm Bay, FL	49.62	98	77
94	North Lauderdale, FL	49.54	97	80
95	Aventura, FL	49.44	108	66
96	Palm Coast, FL	49.29	88	106
97	West Pensacola, FL	49.27	72	119
98	Boynton Beach, FL	49.15	102	78
99	Ocala, FL	49.04	84	110
100	Ormond Beach, FL	48.96	115	60
101	Sanford, FL	48.85	79	116
102	Daytona Beach, FL	48.70	59	130
103	Holiday, FL	48.61	36	134
104	Bonita Springs, FL	48.59	105	90
105	Cape Coral, FL	48.35	122	41
106	Greenacres, FL	48.17	95	111
107	Winter Haven, FL	48.11	99	101
108	Merritt Island, FL	47.88	111	89
109	Tallahassee, FL	47.08	119	92
110	Casselberry, FL	46.86	116	99
111	Gainesville, FL	46.84	117	97
112	Pompano Beach, FL	46.78	112	105
113	Port St. Lucie, FL	46.42	129	38
114	North Miami Beach, FL	46.39	118	104
115	Spring Hill, FL	46.22	113	108
116	Homestead, FL	46.12	103	125
117	Leesburg, FL	46.05	65	131
118	Haines City, FL	45.84	89	127
119	DeLand, FL	45.79	114	115
120	Port Charlotte, FL	45.66	96	128
121	Riviera Beach, FL	45.60	110	124
122	Tarpon Springs, FL	45.52	126	86
123	Key West, FL	45.23	132	48
124	North Miami, FL	44.72	124	109
125	Hialeah, FL	44.70	121	123
126	Deltona, FL	44.68	123	114
127	Hallandale Beach, FL	44.46	109	133
128	Lake Worth, FL	44.22	104	132
129	Sebastian, FL	43.52	134	81
130	Lauderhill, FL	43.49	127	107
131	Miami Gardens, FL	43.30	128	103
132	Lauderdale Lakes, FL	41.31	130	126
133	North Fort Myers, FL	41.27	131	121
134	Dania Beach, FL	41.08	133	112
135	Fort Pierce, FL	36.84	135	135

Ask the Experts

In search of additional insights into the Florida job scene, we posed the following questions to a panel of leading experts in the fields of human resources, economics and more. You can check out their bios and responses below.

1. Will the IT industry still play a major role in Florida’s economy in the coming decades? What other fields are expected to grow the most in the near future?
2. Which are the biggest challenges faced by Florida’s job seekers today?
3. Looking just within Florida, what are the most common mistakes that job seekers make?
4. What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed persons to find work in Florida?
5. Should benefits be extended in Florida for unemployed people who have been out of work for a long period?
6. Should unemployed people from Florida that receive help from state and local administration be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what?

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• Russ Coughenour Assistant Vice President for Career Services at University of South Florida
• Emmanuel Hernandez Agosto Assistant Professor of Business and Technology at Gulf Coast State College
• Kathleen Hudon Assistant Director of Career Services at University of West Florida
• Vanessa Perez Job Placement Officer at Florida National University
• Roger K. Strickland Professor of Economics at Santa Fe College
• Cagdas Agirdas Assistant Professor of Economics at University of Tampa

Russ Coughenour Assistant Vice President for Career Services at University of South Florida Will the IT industry still play a major role in Florida’s economy in the coming decades? What other fields are expected to grow the most in the near future? Without question, yes. Florida is experiencing unprecedented population and business growth and with that growth comes jobs. There are a lot of organizations looking at Florida as an attractive alternative to where they are located now. We see opportunity increasing in the IT field especially as it relates to data analysis, business and predictive analytics, cybersecurity, internet security, database management and general IT support roles. As far as other fields go they don’t vary much from what other parts of the country are experiencing. Engineering, in particular Civil and Computer are always great fields, so is accounting and sales/marketing/. I also think mental health fields are good bets, just not at the undergraduate level as most substantive jobs require master’s degrees. Which are the biggest challenges faced by Florida’s job seekers today? I would say competition. With so many people moving to Florida (est. 1,000 per day) lots of competition for jobs ensues. We also have many large universities, all graduating students in record numbers. Many of those graduates opt to stay in Florida. So, there is a lot of competition for jobs. Looking just within Florida, which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment? In general, poorly planned job searches. People over-rely on one aspect or another of their job searches. Some people use only job boards and don’t use their contacts. Others network with their contacts but fail to use technology effectively. Many people have poor resumes, or they make mistakes in cover letters, emails or interviews. Well planned job searches use a multiple format approach without any over reliance on one aspect or another. In addition, jobs seekers have a hard time articulating why a job or a particular company is right for them. Much of this comes from poorly crafted research or not knowing their own skillsets, interests or what they value in an employer and how that fits a particular company or industry. Employers are quickly turned off by job seekers that have not done the preparation/research on why the company is a good fit for them as a person. What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed persons to find work in Florida? I am sure there are a lot. But for me, most people benefit from interview workshops. From how to, and where to, conduct basic research on companies, to crafting a tailor made resume, to practicing behavioral based interviewing. Being impressive at interviews takes practice. Most people don’t put enough time and effort into preparing themselves for the importance of being impressive when an opportunity presents itself. Effective networking would be another area that I think people in general benefit from. Outside of their phones I don’t think people particularly like networking. But I will say that learning about networking in a workshop and actually doing it effectively when prospecting for employment can seem very different. Emmanuel Hernandez Agosto Assistant Professor of Business and Technology at Gulf Coast State College Will the IT industry still play a major role in Florida’s economy in the coming decades? What other fields are expected to grow the most in the near future? Definitely IT will play a major role in Florida’s economy. This is true, not only due to the big resource allocation from education, government and private industries; but because this is the new way people are communicating and doing business with or in. Specifically in Florida, in the past 5 years we have seen an explosion in many cities to address IT related businesses growth. For example, Miami is one of the newest biggest players redesigning their economic development plan to be a key player in the industry. Same could be said about Orlando, especially when the accelerator TechStars announced their collaboration with Disney to launch a new acceleration program to bring tech startups into the arts and entertainment. The Florida Panhandle area is not far either. New and ambitious projects have been developed with the intention to grow a much savvy IT workforce as well as entrepreneurial. Besides IT, any jobs related to the healthcare industry will see a growth too. Our demographics is showing a high senior population, but a longer span of life of these as well, which will led us to believe this will be a prime market. But, not only this demographic data supports this - a recent study showed that the US residents spend more on healthcare that any other country. Providing a healthy ecosystem to grow existing companies and stimulate the formation of new ones is paramount. Which are the biggest challenges faced by Florida’s job seekers today? Florida has done a great job marketing itself as prime state for business, vacation, retirement and tourism. But, because of this we are having an influx of population that, like any other market, will have an excess of supply. This, in result, tends to lower wages since you can have great candidates willing to work for a little less pay as long as they can get hired. Having a good resume will not be enough for job seekers. They will have to customize and tailor their resumes if they want a real shot at getting through the door. Once there, proving why they are valuable is much more challenging. Employers are used to the traditional responses and extra-curricular activities and such. They really want to see top performers. Kathleen Hudon Assistant Director of Career Services at University of West Florida Which are the biggest challenges faced by Florida’s job seekers today? There are various types of job seekers, so lumping them together might not paint an accurate picture. Still, were I to pinpoint a common thread among some college students hoping to land jobs after graduation, it might be that many feel that they have too many options from which to choose. This is often coupled with the idea that they must select one -- and only one -- of these options now. This can all lead to a feeling of overwhelm and can create stagnancy in them taking further steps (e.g., applying to specific jobs, tailoring resumes to particular positions, etc.) that would be of benefit to their futures. Getting started in career planning early is essential, so setbacks like this can have a snowball effect in one's moving forward. Visiting campus career centers early can really help get these students (and alumni, in many cases) on the right track. Looking just within Florida, which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment? Not availing oneself of the benefits of networking can create a huge impediment when seeking positions. Relationship building accounts for 70-80% of jobs found. Most individuals don't realize the extent of this or make intentional efforts to focus on network expansion in meeting their professional goals. Attending networking events and setting up informational interviews should be at the top of one's job search checklist. Brushing up on oral communication skills through mock interviews and other purposeful exercises could further assist these individuals in their networking endeavors at career-related and social events where crucial connections can be made. Vanessa Perez Job Placement Officer at Florida National University Will the IT industry still play a major role in Florida’s economy in the coming decades? The IT industry not only plays a major role at the moment but will definitely increase a lot more as time goes on. Everything we do on a daily basis depends on technology, and it is definitely up to the IT experts to assist us when technology fails or we come across issues ultimately not only affecting our productivity, but the assistance that we need to provide to others as well. What other fields are expected to grow the most in the near future? Medical fields are definitely on the rise as we speak. One that has recently taken off very quickly and strongly is Physical Therapy, from Aides and Assistants to Therapists. Which are the biggest challenges faced by Florida’s job seekers today? The biggest challenge I have seen is the amount of jobs available versus the amount of applicants for each specific job. Competition in South Florida is very strong, and for every single job opportunity, employers are usually interviewing anywhere from 5-10 people. Looking just within Florida, which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment? Common mistakes that I see are applicants not preparing enough for their job search, applying for jobs and not following up afterwards, having the same resume for all jobs, and forgetting the importance of having proper interview skills. These things are definitely hurting many job seekers, and the problem is that they are not aware until someone educates them otherwise. Should benefits be extended in Florida for unemployed people who have been out of work for a long period? I think employment benefits are crucial to those that are currently unemployed. If proven that this particular person has been actively job hunting and is prepared for job interviews yet isn’t employed, then a deeper issue is being formed, which needs assistance. Extending the unemployment longer may hurt the person more than help. Finding out the major setback that the unemployed person has been having for so long would be necessary so that the appropriate assistance can be given. Should unemployed people from Florida that receive help from state and local administration be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what? In my opinion, people who are currently job hunting whether receiving benefits or not should be required to better their job seeking skills. Workshops for employability skills, resume writing, applying to jobs, and networking are crucial to the professional development of every job seeker. Roger K. Strickland Professor of Economics at Santa Fe College Will the IT industry still play a major role in Florida’s economy in the coming decades? What other fields are expected to grow the most in the near future? The IT industry will grow in Florida in the future - because the IT industry can locate pretty well anywhere it likes, I think Florida's climate makes it a player. I live in Gainesville, Florida (in the north central part of the state) and we retain a fairly laid-back and comfortable lifestyle, thanks in no small part to the University of Florida. I believe this location would be desirable to many because of the climate, the fairly liberal attitudes (at least in the city) and the more or less relaxed pace of life. South Florida, from Orlando and down, is much busier and I often hear comments from people who have moved from there that this is like another planet. Growth fields for the future would certainly include the industries of services provided to the elderly (healthcare, recreational and lifestyle come to mind). Which are the biggest challenges faced by Florida’s job seekers today? The biggest challenges faced by Florida's jobseekers today stem from the fact that so many are poorly educated and so many below the age of 50 lack the work ethic and sense of maturity that most employers are looking for. I teach in a bachelor’s degree program at Santa Fe College in Gainesville where our average student is about 34 years old. Nearly 50% of the students who have entered a program for the past five years could not pass the first course in management (which I teach) - not because it was difficult but because it took a degree of self-organization and discipline that so many did not have. I hear similar comments from local employers all the time - new employees are far more concerned about the time off they will obtain. Too often their working schedule is interrupted by distractions and other concerns in their lives to the point that they are no longer reliable employees. I think you could also argue that the truly good employees are in such high demand that they don't last long with poor employers or poor employment practices and so the turnover in many companies is very high. Looking just within Florida, which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment? The greatest mistake I see made by jobseekers - and that includes recent college graduates - is that they expect to locate a job while remaining basically passive. They scan the Internet for jobs, they send out resumes, and they wait for things to happen. Most of them have failed to network in the past and so have no personal acquaintances to work through in their job search. Some of this is laziness and some of it is simply a lack of knowledge. In very few instances do jobseekers make any effort to learn anything about a potential employer - if they get a job interview it becomes a case of, "here I am." They make very little effort at trying to envision and articulate a potential match between themselves and a company. What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed persons to find work in Florida? I'm not sure about programs as such that help unemployed persons - I'm sure they exist however I simply don't know about them. But I do know that in discussions with my graduating students, when I make comments about dress and appearance, networking as a means to being known for your value rather than who knows you, and improving your communication by the creation of better questions - they look at me as though I've discovered the wisdom of the ages. They are simply not prepared. Should benefits be extended in Florida for unemployed people who have been out of work for a long period? There are, unquestionably, people in Florida who have been unemployed for a long time through no fault of their own - in the sense that they have been seeking employment at their former levels. And I certainly agree that for them to take a cut in pay and a demotion down the food chain would reduce their marketability in a healthy economy. But I think the economy is changing - I think the Great Recession of 2008 marks the end of the "Camelot era" of the 1950s up to that time. Economic and social forces, global competition, and government policies have all conspired to negatively impact the middle class of America. In losing the spending power of that tremendous block, we have lost the engine of our economy - spending which begets jobs which beget more spending. Some of that was no doubt inevitable, some of it was self-induced. So I'm not sure whether the extension of benefits in Florida for unemployed people would be (or would have been) particularly helpful other than in a humanitarian sense. Should unemployed people from Florida that receive help from state and local administration be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what? I believe that some European economies (Germany comes to mind) require that unemployed persons receive training while they are receiving benefits during their unemployment. I think this is fundamentally a very good idea if the agencies providing that funding are truly effective and if the economy is going to create jobs for them. With today's technology, I think there should be a better match between unemployed persons and available jobs, though the mechanics of that idea would stand some debate. Cagdas Agirdas Assistant Professor of Economics at University of Tampa Will the IT industry still play a major role in Florida’s economy in the coming decades? What other fields are expected to grow the most in the near future? Since the birth of IBM PC in Boca Raton, Florida has been a leading state in information technology innovation. Florida has a diverse IT sector, with over 26,000 IT companies employing about a quarter million professionals. Nationally, Florida ranks as the 4th state in number of high-tech businesses, and it is currently the 3rd largest exporter of high-tech products. However, the trend in employment in the IT sector has been downward in the last 10 years. Since January 2006, Florida lost almost 18% of the employment in IT technology. Most significant losses came during the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009, however Florida continued to lose employment in this sector until late 2012. Employment in this sector stabilized since late 2012, although the lost jobs have never been recovered. Based on the trends since the Great Recession, largest growth in Florida’s economy has been seen in tourism, construction, professional & business services, and financial activities. Strong recovery in tourism and housing sectors have contributed to these trends. It is expected that tourism and housing sectors will lead Florida’s economy in the near future. Which are the biggest challenges faced by Florida’s job seekers today? Florida’s unemployment rate has traditionally been close to the national unemployment rate. In April 2016, Florida had 4.8% unemployment rate, while the national unemployment rate was 5%. Florida’s annual job growth rate has exceeded the nation’s since May 2012. One challenge faced by Florida’s job seekers is the higher unemployment rate of 4.8% in the state’s largest metropolitan statistical area: Miami - Ft. Lauderdale - West Palm Beach. In the next large metropolitan statistical areas, unemployment rate is significant lower: Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater with 4.3%, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford with 4.1%, and Jacksonville with 4.3%. Another challenge is the competitiveness of salaries in Florida. Based on annual average wages, Florida ranks as the 43rd state. Adjusted for cost of living, Florida ranks as the 50th state in average salaries. Looking just within Florida, which are the most common mistakes job seekers make when seeking employment? One mistake that job seekers make is prioritizing Miami - Ft. Lauderdale - West Palm Beach metropolitan area in their job search. Job seekers are more likely to find a job in the 3 other large metropolitan areas: Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater, Orlando – Kissimmee - Sanford, and Jacksonville. Another mistake is that some job seekers look for jobs in the government sector. Government sector jobs grew only 0.9% from April 2015 to April 2016, while the private sector jobs grew almost 4 times faster, 3.5% during the same time period. Another mistake is that some job seekers do not target the right sectors to maximize their chances of finding a job. Best three sectors to find jobs in are construction, leisure and hospitality, as well as educational services. What types of programs have proven effective in helping unemployed persons to find work in Florida? One program that helps people over age 55 find a job in Florida is The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). This program helps low-income job seekers age 55 and older get paid on-the-job training, improve interviewing and technical skills, write winning resumes, and find jobs. Another helpful program is Florida Ready To Work. Job seekers can take online tests to assess their skills in different areas. Based on the results, the program provides free online courses to improve certain skills. Upon successful completion of the program, job seekers receive Florida Ready To Work credential, signed by the governor. Afterwards, job seekers can take this credential to potential employers to prove that they have the necessary skill to be successful doing a particular job at that company. Should benefits be extended in Florida for unemployed people who have been out of work for a long period? Since the current state unemployment rate is under 5% in Florida, it would be best to channel our resources into improving the skills of long-term job seekers, rather than extending unemployment benefits to them. One free program to improve certain skills is the Florida Ready to Work program. Should unemployed people from Florida that receive help from state and local administration be required to do something in order to earn their unemployment benefits? If so, what? Yes. Since the tourism and housing sectors are posting the highest job growth rates in Florida, I would recommend combining unemployment benefits with training in these two areas. This pairing would increase the likelihood that unemployed people find jobs in the two promising areas in Florida. Sources:

• https://www.enterpriseflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/brief-information-technology-florida.pdf
• http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/SMS12000005000000001?data_tool=Xgtable
• http://lmsresources.labormarketinfo.com/library/press/release.pdf
• http://www.rasmussen.edu/career-center/career-research-hub/salary-by-state/
• http://www.floridareadytowork.com/
• http://elderaffairs.state.fl.us/doea/scsep.php

Methodology

WalletHub compared 135 Florida cities using 16 relevant metrics that speak to two key factors important to job seekers: the local “Job Market” and the area’s “Socioeconomic Environment.” Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with the weighted-sum of each city’s individual-metric scores comprising its overall score, which we used for the final rankings. You can find a complete list of the metrics we used, along with their corresponding weights, below.

The cities in our sample were selected based on population size and the availability of reliable data. Furthermore, we considered the city proper in each case, excluding surrounding metro areas from our analysis.

Job Market - Total Points: 67

• Job Opportunities: Double Weight (~14.89 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Number of Job Openings per Number of Population in Labor Force Minus Unemployment Rate.
• Employment Growth: Full Weight (~7.44 Points)Note: This metric measures the rate of annual job growth adjusted by the working-age population growth.
• Monthly Average Starting Salary: Full Weight (~7.44 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
• Unemployment Rate for High School Graduates: Full Weight (~7.44 Points)
• Unemployment Rate for Residents with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher: Full Weight (~7.44 Points)
• Industry Variety: Full Weight (~7.44 Points)
• Full-Time Employment: Half Weight (~3.72 Points)Note: This metric measures the number of part-time employees for every 100 full-time employees.
• Share of Workers in Poverty: Full Weight (~7.44 Points)Note: This metric measures the percentage of employed residents whose incomes are below the poverty line.
• Disability-Friendliness of Employers: Half Weight (~3.72 Points)Note: This metric measures the percentage of persons with disabilities who are employed.

Socioeconomic Environment - Total Points: 33

• Median Annual Income: Full Weight (~5.50 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
• Average Work & Commute Time: Half Weight (~2.75 Points)Note: This metric measures the average length of a workday and the average commute time.
• Access to Employee Benefits: Half Weight (~2.75 Points)Note: This metric measures the share of employees with private health insurance.
• Housing Costs: Full Weight (~5.50 Points)Note: This composite metric comprises the following calculations: Median Home Price / Median Annual Household Income and Median Rent Price / Median Annual Household Income.
• Annual Transportation Costs: Full Weight (~5.50 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the median household income.
• Safety: Full Weight (~5.50 Points)Note: This metric measures the crime rate.
• Social Life: Full Weight (~5.50 Points)Note: This metric comprises the number of cafés per square root of population plus number of nightlife options per square root of population.

 

Sources: Data used to create these rankings were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Council for Community and Economic Research, Indeed and Yelp.

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