Best 30 Cities for Jobs 2009 - 2012

The hallmark of these Top 30 Cities offering abundant job opportunities most often centers on a combination of factors. Some of the most important of these effective elements of economic growth are listed below. For suggestions for seeking work in a recession see:

• How to Find A Job During a Recession,
• Top 15 Recession Proof Jobs for College Graduates and Others, and
• Fastest Growing Jobs for High School Graduates.

Elements for Economic Growth in a Best City

• Low Unemployment Rate comparied to state and country.
• High Standard of Living, comparatively
• Lower Cost of Living
• Lower Crime Rate - Often related to coordination od social and healthcare services, counseling, and government related Education & Training programs.
• Ongoing focus on community and social development programs.
• Excellent Higher Educational Institutions that have formed partnerships with other schools and or businesses and local governments to create new jobs in local industries and particularly in Sustainability/Alternative Energy.
• "Going Green" initiatives and local mandates related to reducing waste.
• A Revitalized central city, Downtown, or waterfront area with ongoing development.
• An ongoing infrastructure construction and reconstruction program(s).
• A local Economic Development Company for the metro area, often working with Historical Districts, Enterprise Zones, and other designated areas or neighborhoods.
• Ongoing development of arts and culture, particularly muticultural projects and projects that promote Indigenous Peoples.

The Top 4 Cities on this list are all in the West.

1. Bismarck, North Dakota. Western States are home to cities that are very good for jobs seekers. Bismark experienced Unemployment at 2.5% in late October 2008 and only a small increase in November to 2.8%. Oil field jobs in particular are going unfilled.
2. Casper, Wyoming. This city has landed on several "best" and "top" city lists since 2000. With Unemployment at 2.5% in late 2008, Casper offers 1000s of career-level jobs, particularly in Nursing, even looking outside of the state for Registered Nurses (RNs), LPNs, and Licensed Vocational Nurses. Travel Nursing is a good way to try out Casper for up to a year, rent paid. See the links on the article site, along with job listings.
3. Logan, Utah. Low unemployment rates monthly create job opportunities not only in unfilled current jobs, but unfilled newly created jobs as well in this Western State. All of the major cities in Utah are connecting via extending suburban development to create a larger metropolitan chain running north and south near the Wasatch Mountains. This creates dozens of partnerships among city governments, educational institutions, and businesses that result in new businesses and new jobs.
4. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Western States offer the top 4 cities in the nation for jobs, according to CareerBuilder.com, one of the most used job search engines in the Internet.

• 5. Morgantown, West Virginia. The preconception of West Virgina as a run-down rural wasteland has fallen away to reveal the business success that the state has become.
• 6. Ames, Iowa. Information Technology/Computers, Financial Services & Products, and Healthcare professions lead the growing economy of Ames, Iowa.
• 7. Fargo, North Dakota. The Fargo-Moorhead Metro Area is prosperous and continuting to grow through the 2000s, with profitable employment forecasts to 2016. High wages are paid to professionals in engineering and several technologies -- Unique businesss found only in this area include some innovative examples specializing in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Information Technology.
• 8. Iowa City, Iowa. Sustainability is a major focus for new and developing industry in Iowa City. Largest employers are University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, University of Iowa, Iowa City School District, US Veterans Medical Center, American College Testing, and Pearson Education.

• 9. Rapid City, South Dakota.
• 10. Lincoln, Nebraska.
• 11. Provo-Orem, Utah.
• 12. Billings, Montana - This city and its residents made a concerted effort to defeat hate crime in Billings in 1993 and succeeded. All people are equal in billings and the crime rate is low. Alternative Energy is high on the list of emerging industries that is creating new jobs. 

• 13. Charleston, West Virginia.
• 14. Midland, Texas.
• 15. Salt Lake City, Utah.
• 16. Idaho Falls, Idaho - Alternative Energy; effective partnerships among businesses and colleges with Idaho National Laboratory create jobs.
• 17. Lafayette, Louisiana. See this site for job listings and reviews for Lafayette and all the other major markets in Louisiana.
• 18. Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sustainability is a high focus point for education and jobs in Sustainable Santa Fe. Unversities and Business partner with government agencies to create new jobs on a regular basis. EcVersity gives free classes in permaculture and alternative energy.

• 19. Charlottesville, Virginia. - Top three employers include The University of Virgina and The University of Virginia Medical and Health Sciences Center, a regional teaching & research hospital, and State Farm Insurance. This city has a large groups of Community Based Organizations working together for further economic growth and new jobs.
• 20. Farmington, New Mexico. See also the New Mexico Summary Page.
• 21. Grand Forks, North Dakota.
• 22. Lawton, Oklahoma.
• 23. Madison, Wisconsin.

• 24. Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Arkansas-Missouri. Covering psrts of two Midwestern US States and at least three entire cities with their suburbs, this metro has an Economic Development Plan in place and ongoing through 2025, when the population could reach nearly a million people. Largest industies in this metro area are Trade, Manufacturing, and Services, accountign for 2/3 of the area's economy. Sustainability is a key to increasing economies and the creation of new jobs in green businesses in the growing region of America.

• 25. Harrisonburg, Virginia. Virginia is one of the Original Thriteen Colonies. Ongoing Revitalization has been important in this Metro Area in improving its urban sectors, but also for enhancing and protecting many valuable Historical Districts with homes and businesses listed on the National Historic Register of the USA.
• 26. Ogden-Clearfield, Utah.
• 27. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• 28. Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa. Gateway to the West. This dual-state metro area that has used partnerships among CBOs (Community Based Organizations) within both states to benefit mot Omaha-Council Bluffs, addtional counties, both states, and most of the American West.
• 29. Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
• 30. Sioux City, Iowa.