Just in time for graduation, financial news and advice website WalletHub is out with a new report ranking cities as best – and worst – places to launch a career.
Raleigh came in 14th, Durham 36th.
But Fayetteville is among the worst at No. 143 out of 150 metros.
Unemployment is coming down, but that doesn’t necessarily mean new jobs or opportunities to start careers are plentiful.
Rankings are based on 18 different criteria, ranging from quality of life to number of entry-level jobs, average salaries, technology jobs, entrepreneurial activity rent rates, the number of arts, leisure and recreation establishments in the area – even “mating opportunities.”
Raleigh ranked 14th overall, based in large part on quality of life. The Capital City was rated fifth.
However, in the “professional Opportunities” rankings, Raleigh came in 72nd
Durham, meanwhile, ranked 12th for quality of life and came in 91st on the opportunities chart.
Fayetteville scored 101st for quality of life but 147th for opportunities.
Charlotte, meanwhile, came in as North Carolina’s top-rated metro at ninth place. The Queen City scored seventh on quality of life and 63rd for professional opportunities.
Best on the list is Washington, D.C. followed by Denver and Irving, Texas.
“While Americans in their 20s are now 40 percent less likely to move than they were 30 years ago, according to U.S. Census data, employment opportunities do vary significantly based on simple geography,” WalletHub’s John Kiernan wrote in the report.
“So, in order to help recent college graduates find the best cradles for their burgeoning careers, WalletHub analyzed the 150 largest cities in the U.S. to determine the relative strength of their job markets, the attractiveness of their social scenes, and various other factors that are important to new job market entrants.”
Ranking Raleigh
Here’s how Raleigh ranked in seven different categories:
- 81st – Number of Entry-Level Jobs Per 100,000 Inhabitants
- 37th – Arts, Leisure & Recreation Establishments Per 100,000 Inhabitants
- 59th – Average 2-Bedroom Rent
- 59th – Monthly Median Starting Salary
- 84th – Median Income Growth Rate
- 65th – Annual Job Growth, Adjusted for Population Growth
- 132nd – Economic Mobility
Ranking Durham
Here’s how Durham ranked in the same categories:
- 54th – Number of Entry-Level Jobs Per 100,000 Inhabitants
- 62nd – Arts, Leisure & Recreation Establishments Per 100,000 Inhabitants
- 53rd – Average 2-Bedroom Rent
- 25th – Monthly Median Starting Salary
- 61st – Median Income Growth Rate
- 80th – Annual Job Growth, Adjusted for Population Growth
- 132nd – Economic Mobility
Ranking Fayetteville
Here’s how Fayetteville ranked in the same categories:
- 140th – Number of Entry-Level Jobs Per 100,000 Inhabitants
- 108th – Arts, Leisure & Recreation Establishments Per 100,000 Inhabitants
- 49th – Average 2-Bedroom Rent
- 126th – Monthly Median Starting Salary
- 36th – Median Income Growth Rate
- 131st – Annual Job Growth, Adjusted for Population Growth
- 146nd – Economic Mobility
The top 10 cities:
1. Washington, D.C.
2. Denver
3. irving, Texas
4. Seattle
5. Minneapolis
6. San Francisco
7. Austin, Texas
8. Dallas
9. Charlotte
10. Houston
The bottom 10:
150. Modesto, Calif.
149. Port St. Lucie, Fla.
148. Stockton, Calif.
147. San Bernandino, Calif.
146. Akron, Ohio
145. Detroit
144. Columbus, Ga.
143. Fayetteville, N.C.
142. Cleveland
141. Riverside, Calif.
The ranking critera
Here is how WalletHub compiled its rankings:
Quality of Life
- Average Annual Income, Adjusted for Cost of Living: 1
- Arts, Leisure & Recreation Establishments Per 100,000 Inhabitants: 1
- Percentage of the Population Ages 25-34: 1
- Mating Opportunities (share of population that has never been married): 1
- Strength of Social Ties: 1
- Percentage of the Population with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 1
- Population Growth: 0.5
- Average 2-Bedroom Rent: 0.5
- Housing Costs: 0.5
Professional Opportunities
- Number of Entry-Level Jobs Per 100,000 Inhabitants: 1
- Monthly Median Starting Salary: 1
- Technology Jobs as a Percentage of Total City Employment: 1
- Annual Job Growth, Adjusted for Population Growth: 1
- Median Income Growth Rate: 1
- Economic Mobility: 1
- Workforce Diversity: 1
- Current Unemployment Rate: 0.5
- Entrepreneurial Activity: 0.5
The full “Best & Worst Cities to Start a Career” report can be read online.
