25 Best Cities for Jobs - CareerEnlightenment.com

Why Raleigh Takes Top HonorRaleigh has long held a reputation for tech companies looking to flee the expensive and congested Northeast corridor, with companies like IBM, Cisco and SAS setting up shop in North Carolina. Raleigh is also situated in the famous “Research Triangle” and has several universities feeding skilled workers to employers. Couple this with Raleigh’s walkable neighborhoods and affordable homes, it’s no surprise that Raleigh stands out as the best city for jobs.What the Best Have in CommonRaleigh’s appeal mirrors the overarching trend we’re seeing across this list. The cities that really stand out offer job seekers what they really want: a stable career that they’re happy with, and the feeling that they can get ahead and eventually own a home. We see this taking place in fast-growing, mid-sized tech magnets like Austin and Seattle, which have benefitted tremendously from the tech boom as an alternative to high-cost tech hubs such as San Francisco, Bost on and New York City. Job seekers are also being pulled towards cities like Kansas City and Louisville that boast a stable middle-class and affordable, family-friendly neighborhoods. While these cities may not have scorching tech job growth, they make up for it with low housing costs compared to paychecks and affordable middle-class neighborhoods.Perception ProblemsMany cities on this list offer great economic value for job seekers, but are facing a roadblock with branding. The dramatic transformation of America’s mid-sized cities hasn’t kept up with public perception of where the best places for work really are. While salaries tend to skew on the lower side in these cities, they counter this with affordable housing options and vibrant job markets in which people can get hired, then advance their careers. A key takeaway for job seekers is that a bigger city doesn’t always mean better when it comes to finding a job, being satisfied in that job and affording a mortgage.Want to f ind a job you love where you live, or in a new city? Search for jobs today.*Methodology: Glassdoor’s Best Cities for Jobs report identifies U.S. metros with the highest overall Glassdoor Job Score, based on a comparison of the 50 most populated U.S. metros. Each region’s Glassdoor Job Score, based on a 5-point scale (5.0=best city for a job, 1.0=worst city for a job), is determined by weighting three factors equally: hiring opportunity, cost of living and job satisfaction.Hiring opportunity is determined by the ratio of active job openings to population. (Job openings per metro represent active job listings on Glassdoor as of 4/30/15. Population data is according to the U.S. Office of Management Budget).Cost of living is determined by the ratio of median annual base salary to median  metro  home value. (Median annual base salary per metro based on at least  1,100  salary reports shared by local employees on Glassdoor over the past year (4/28/14-4/27/15). Median home value is ac cording to the  Zillow Home Value Index for All Homes, as of March 2015).Job satisfaction ratings  per metro is based on  at least  1,000  company reviews shared by local employees on Glassdoor over the past year (4/28/14-4/27/15; Ratings based on a 5-point scale: 5.0=very satisfied, 1.0=very dissatisfied).