Yahoo Finance New Data Reveals The Absolute Worst U.S. City To Begin Your Career
When you are hunting for a job, you know how hard it can be to find a position that can boost your career. But even after you secure an offer, your work is not done. You need to think carefully about which city the job is in.
That’s because, even if you get your dream job, its location can determine the size of your wallet ― especially if it requires you to make a pricey move.
“Before you say ‘yes’ to a job, it’s essential to understand the cost of living in another city, especially if your current location is more affordable,” career strategist Ana Goehner told HuffPost. “You may need more than the salary you agree upon to cover your cost of living.”
And in the United States, there are cities where it will be significantly easier for young professionals to get ahead in their careers, according to a new report by personal finance company WalletHub. For the ranking, more than 180 U.S. cities were considered on 26 key metrics. These ranged from the availability of entry-level jobs and unemployment rates to the average monthly starting salary and housing affordability.
Based on the criteria, there was a clear winner and loser for where young professionals should build their careers. Here’s what to know:
Atlanta came out on top as the best city to start a career.
Atlanta beat out the rest of U.S. cities for young professionals due to its high median income growth rate, abundant job opportunities, and high job satisfaction.
“The city offers plenty of entry-level job opportunities, a high number of quality employers, and a strong average starting salary of $4,342” per month, according to WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe. “Its vibrant atmosphere is reflected in a young, educated population and high rankings for fun and entertainment, making it appealing for singles and young professionals.”
Here are the other top nine cities:
Orlando, Florida
Salt Lake City, Utah
Tampa, Florida
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Portland, Maine
Charleston, South Carolina
Austin, Texas
Miami, Florida
Knoxville, Tennessee
To grow your career, you need the ability to have a thriving network and booming businesses that can pay salaries that match your value. Atlanta is one of those cities for new graduates and emerging professionals.
But regardless of which city you live in, it’s important to ask yourself: “Is this the center of gravity for where things happen in this industry or company? It’s a lot easier to rub shoulders with the decision-makers if it is,” suggested Gorick Ng, a Harvard career adviser and creator of the “How To Say It” flashcard professional communication series.
New York City ranked dead last to launch a career.
New York City was last in the ranking due to its high cost of living, lack of affordable housing, and relatively few entry-level job openings, which present high hurdles for new professionals.
“The high cost of living and lengthy commute times make it particularly challenging for recent graduates entering the job market,” Happe said.
If you live in New York City, good luck finding an apartment that will not eat up your whole paycheck. The median asking rent in New York City has risen by 1.7% year over year to $3,700 in April, according to a recent report by StreetEasy, a real estate company.
Emiko Powers, 24, works as an assistant to three NBC anchors in New York City. When she first moved to the city in 2022 for the company’s page program, she was earning $18.50 an hour and fully supporting herself.
“It’s a lot more convenient to live in New York when you have a lot of money, because you can pay for Ubers and moving and all these different things,” Powers said. “Whereas if you don’t have money, you’re paying for it in other ways where it’s taking a toll on your body.”
Winning the city’s affordable housing lottery with a roommate “has definitely taken a weight off [her] shoulders,” she said.
Here are the other nine cities that were seen as particularly challenging for new professionals to thrive in:
Oxnard, California
Jackson, Mississippi
Detroit, Michigan
Newark, New Jersey
Cape Coral, Florida
Yonkers, New York
Santa Clarita, California
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Here’s what to do if your dream job is in an unaffordable city.
If you want to work in a pricey city, first ask yourself: “Is this a temporary stop or my forever city?” Ng said.
“If it’s your forever city because you have family or a particular attachment to the place, there’s clearly something special about this place that transcends any list,” he said. “If this is a temporary stop, however, then it’s time to ask yourself: ‘When will I know that I’ve gotten the most of this place ― and what’s my ‘next best place’?”
And get a roommate. Ng said it is a lot easier to meet new people with roommates, and it can be easier to land a job if your roommate works there or knows someone who works there.
In 2021, Samantha Shekian moved to New York City from New Jersey at 22 to work as a teacher on a $62,000 salary. She did not go for the “glitz and the glamour,” she said, but because of the teaching opportunities and the culture and community the city offers. To make ends meet, she splits her $2,800 Manhattan rent with her roommate, cooks most of her meals, buys thrifted clothes and is strict about paying off her credit card each week.
She knew New York City would have a high cost of living, but for Shekian, it is worth it. “Having access to all those amazing museums and being right in the hub of the city is just something I’ve prioritized in my life,” Shekian said.
But the world is a big place, and there’s a limit to how many sacrifices you need to endure to build your career.
Powers said she does not recommend moving to an expensive city without a job lined up: “I don’t think that I would have been able to handle the stress of looking for a job, not having an income while living in a city as expensive as New York.”
Use cost-of-living calculators that compare rent, groceries, gas prices, transportation, and utilities in your chosen city. You do not want to work in an expensive city that has you barely scraping by each month, Goehner said. “That won’t make you satisfied with your life and job for too long. You’ll often feel stressed over money,” she said.
“If you can’t afford to pay rent, if you can’t afford to get groceries ... then I don’t think it’s worth it. Because living in that state of stress just for the city is not ideal,” Shekian said.
Additionally, be mindful of the friends you hang out with, because they can make it easier or harder to stay within your budget. Powers said that, after college, some of her friends went on to make “six figures” while “I’m not even close to that.”
Know that you do not need to be spending money to have a fun time. For the most part, Powers said, her local friends are in similar income brackets as she is, so she does not think, “‘I wish I could be doing that,’ because we’re all kind of just doing things that we’re able to do together.”
Only you can know when it’s best to leave or stay in a city for your peace of mind and career. Powers knows she could have a better quality of life that wouldn’t be as expensive in a different city, “but I feel like the experiences that I’m gaining right now are irreplaceable and valuable.”
“I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon,” Powers added. “But that’s definitely always something to keep in the back of my mind, like, ‘Is this the best place for me right now?’”
