The 5 best cities in America to find a job in 2026 — and the 5 worst
Where you live in the U.S. might be hurting your chances at landing a good job, according to a new WalletHub report
Finding a job is hard enough in this economy — and according to a new analysis from WalletHub, where you call home might be making your search more difficult.
WalletHub set out to find the best and worst cities in the U.S. to find a job in 2026. It analyzed almost 200 major cities by 31 factors including job openings, average salary, and commute times. It also looked at some unique metrics, like the share of workers living in poverty despite holding jobs and the rate of underemployment.
“It’s important to look at more than just the number of jobs available or the unemployment rate when determining the best place to find employment,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “Quality matters just as much as quantity, from the average salaries and benefits to job security and overall satisfaction.”
Continue reading to see the five best cities to find a job right now, and the five worst.
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5th best: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Despite modest employment growth, Pittsburgh ranks first overall in job opportunities. It also has one of the lowest underemployment rates in this group and a relatively low automation risk. Median income is $65,313 after cost-of-living adjustments.
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4th best: South Burlington, Vermont
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South Burlington posts the lowest unemployment rate among the top cities at 2.0%, and it ranks first in full-time employment balance. It has the highest share of apprentice-trainee jobs and strong transit accessibility. Median income is $84,990.
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3rd Best: Portland, Maine
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Portland combines low unemployment of 2.6% with solid employment growth at 2.37%. It ranks fourth in safety and has a high share of engaged workers. Transit access is strong, boosting its ranking.
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2nd Best: Columbia, Maryland
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Columbia stands out with the highest adjusted median income in the dataset at $128,530 and strong industry variety. It ranks first in retirement access and employee benefits coverage, and employment growth is notable at 4.8%.
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Best: Scottsdale, Arizona
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Scottsdale ranks first overall, with a low unemployment rate of 2.9% and the highest median income among top performers outside Maryland at $101,008. It also ranks first in retirement access and has one of the lowest poverty rates among workers of 2.83%. Job opportunities and employment growth are both strong at 5.68% and 2.86%, respectively.
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5th Worst: Las Cruces, New Mexico
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Las Cruces has negative job opportunities and 14% of workers live in poverty. Plus, transit access is extremely limited. Median income is $61,512 after cost-of-living adjustment.
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4th Worst: Shreveport, Louisiana
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Shreveport posts negative job opportunities and one of the highest underemployment rates recorded by WalletHub. Worker poverty is above 10% and the median income is relatively low at $50,643. Safety rankings are also near the bottom.
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3rd Worst: Stockton, California
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Stockton has negative job opportunities and a high unemployment rate of 7.0%. Transit access is limited and the median income, when adjusted for cost of living, is $61,481, weighed down by high housing prices.
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2nd Worst: Memphis, Tennessee
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Memphis reports negative job opportunities and relatively high unemployment at almost 5%. It ranks near the bottom for safety and family-friendliness and has a high worker poverty rate of 8.7%. Median income is $57,028.
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Worst: Detroit, Michigan
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Detroit ranks last overall, with the lowest job opportunities score and the highest unemployment rate in the dataset at 9.1%. It also has the lowest median income after cost-of-living adjustments, at $38,311, and the highest share of workers in poverty, at 13.25%. Job security is weak and employee benefits access is among the lowest.