According to a new Forbes study, Texas is the best place in the country for jobs. Cities in the Lone Star State claim five of the first six slots. Dallas takes the No. 1 spot, Houston is second overall.
Austin’s booming tech industry — combined with a 5.2 percent unemployment rate and a high growth rate — grabbed bronze.
Not only did Texas have the most cities on the list, but it was also the only state to have more than one.
Forbes formulated the list with data from Moody’s Analytics, ranking cities on recent and future job growth, unemployment rates, and per capita income. It also controlled for cities with large growth due to heavy losses during the recession.
This put Texas in an enviable situation, because it was less affected than states like California and New York, which still suffer from unemployment rates far above the national average of 8 percent. Forbes gives Stockton, California, as an example. The city showed the highest job growth in 2012 at 3.7 percent, but it still had an unemployment rate of 14 percent, which is, you know, not good.
Fort Worth was in line with Dallas’ rates, save for an income about $3,000 lower. But it was good enough for fourth place, thanks to defense contractors Bell Helicopter and Lockheed Martin and a growing energy industry.
Seattle breaks up the Texas run at No. 5, with the same kind of tech growth that Austin enjoys. But right behind the Emerald City, San Antonio claimed sixth place, thanks to a strong tourism sector, which would explain why so many people also think it’s the most romantic city in the country.
Oklahoma City, Denver, San Francisco and Salt Lake City rounded out the top 10, meaning that not only did Texas have the most cities on the list, but it was also the only state to have more than one.
What do you think the secret to Texas' job dominance is? Make your case by leaving a comment below.
Dallas ranks as the No. 1 city for good jobs, thanks to healthy financial and energy industries.
Starduster Lounge occupies a historic building on N. Main St.
Photo by Quit Nguyen