The harsh truth of job-hunting is that in some cities, no matter how hard you look, there just aren't enough jobs to go around. Since a low unemployment rate is an indication of a city with a proportionate number of jobs for its population, it stands to reason that cities with minimal unemployment rates represent promising economic environments for job seekers. ! X! _+ s! [( \; T& {9 u- U& |
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The 15 cities in this list have unemployment rates well below the national average (4.5 percent in November 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics). To create a comprehensive portrait of the employment conditions of each area, we've also included the mean annual wage as well as the most prevalent local industries and occupations. Local chamber of commerce and tourism Web sites are additional resources for job seekers interested in learning more about a specific location.
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1. Fargo, N.D.% q, ~; }( P1 H* k
Unemployment rate: 1.5 percent *
6 i9 G: G! j* e& N4 O1 XMean annual wage: $32,580*3 |+ c( K( L4 a h8 O
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (22.8 percent)**) V/ G; E2 `/ b$ A. P% ?4 {
Predominant occupation: 33.4 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations**5 q! g) |5 c3 a3 G' }+ A
w. L0 D2 D4 |' L1 Z" @ J2. Bismarck, N.D.
" @1 i$ l' P* g& @7 n6 C' z# bUnemployment rate: 1.9 percent
* G0 y2 H1 V' IMean annual wage: $31,580
4 c6 ?' {2 m; YIndustry with largest percentage of workforce: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining (32.7 percent). M8 o2 a9 F" c+ L
Predominant occupation: 38.2 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations J F# b* _: L
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3. Logan, Utah
, a$ Q' ?2 v, q) F4 Y/ x3 GUnemployment rate: 2.2 percent
$ d/ z/ r! c4 X8 IMean annual wage: $29,520
6 r( h2 G6 {' gIndustry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (29.1 percent)
: G m, \8 P: B- T& z' M. p; _# ]Predominant occupation: 32.7 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations) w" ~# p' }; e: `* ~$ ^
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4. St. George, Utah# _! Z' y! [. E p B
Unemployment rate: 2.2 percent
$ b- s! ^& v# {* ^Mean annual wage: $29,770
2 b9 B# E6 n. }1 i! F; m* FIndustry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (18.1 percent)) H7 V9 W6 d) {
Predominant occupation: 29.2 percent of workers are employed in sales and office occupations' g' C4 x; ~( }/ g& ?. a4 y
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5. Ames, Iowa+ z2 w6 O* h5 w: f. f! Y2 F# @
Unemployment rate: 2.3 percent
8 `9 W6 w9 B! D) r6 B# i1 LMean annual wage: $36,050& L! n: j% H8 U5 |2 {$ F
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (39.1 percent)* h& G+ a6 I+ y: b6 j3 Q9 q8 h
Predominant occupation: 47.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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' M% y/ E, i, c7 o6. Idaho Falls, Idaho
# e3 a3 L2 S# i% c/ N C$ N5 PUnemployment rate: 2.3 percent
y2 g8 G- v2 x$ p$ {% SMean annual wage: $32,970
o U5 S0 D+ D) AIndustry with largest percentage of workforce: Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services (19 percent)& y2 w; z9 r) R2 Z( p
Predominant occupation: 37.9 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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7. Billings, Mont.
7 O2 y2 s( `; {* a0 V6 y* n& _# ZUnemployment rate: 2.4 percent / ~+ D; y% }2 p5 h; |& \1 O5 F
Mean annual wage: $31,290" s0 }( \/ T. K! R. n" s: v' M
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (21.4 percent)
" ^9 ~! P! i# f+ IPredominant occupation: 31.9 percent of workers are employed in sales and office occupations: A! A7 u: k! n
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8. Charlottesville, Va.
% S) K5 s) l# [ M5 C( O) _0 p4 a+ wUnemployment rate: 2.4 percent
9 Y6 i- d# ^9 ~7 [Mean annual wage: $38,490( p$ f# T% R1 E# N/ P8 F3 B8 `( U0 J `
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (39.3 percent)
& _9 j! q( o9 P+ z' D6 l0 `- DPredominant occupation: 44 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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9. Iowa City, Iowa' Z1 @: \( M J' e7 f. ^
Unemployment rate: 2.4 percent 9 p% V2 a7 q" k9 v9 d8 P6 T {
Mean annual wage: $32,530
. W/ v" k3 Y. Y* f$ }1 \Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (44.3 percent)# n5 e6 Q5 U/ ?! a& {
Predominant occupation: 43.6 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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10. Provo-Orem, Utah
6 w' v2 [! Z9 mUnemployment rate: 2.4 percent
, P, R, J+ P( n2 N( oMean annual wage: $38,490
k2 ~$ ~# ^$ b8 C" i5 ^Industry with largest percentage of workforce (Provo): Educational, health and social services (32.7 percent)
' q- w1 ?+ } W+ i6 IPredominant occupation (Provo): 38.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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1 j* n1 s$ v/ Z9 Z& D11. Sioux City, S.D.
) E5 J2 k+ R7 ]5 Y0 QUnemployment rate: 2.4 percent
0 b3 ]+ C" C/ qMean annual wage: $31,340; C! _2 n$ e! W- @% I2 S
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (19.8 percent)
* f/ R0 ~, B0 m- ?6 U2 hPredominant occupation: 33.2 percent of workers are employed in sales and office occupations
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12. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho" A) [" ?( y) @% g+ Z) C( I- v' L
Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
# w$ A& A" q. V+ p7 HMean annual wage: $35,330
; A% [6 [2 w8 b: DIndustry with largest percentage of workforce (Boise City): Educational, health and social services (17.8 percent)
/ s! e- `6 P% ^5 f$ mPredominant occupation (Boise City): 38.8 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations% ^3 C0 Y) o- h: `) [" `* T8 H; L
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13. Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, Fla.; r: g- H) S) p4 Q# u9 ]
Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
& E: H: `" ^4 Q/ ?Mean annual wage: $32,430
$ |( O* {5 V4 u A, m% F6 |Industry with largest percentage of workforce (Fort Walton Beach): Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services (15.7 percent)
4 Z& n# s; z/ b- L2 ?, CPredominant occupation (Fort Walton Beach): 30.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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14. Huntsville, Ala.
+ J, i: u. H$ p# _- G3 M m/ gUnemployment rate: 2.5 percent
% o( D8 x, f# q( C1 XMean annual wage: $39,540
B5 C7 ?9 ]/ o+ U' zIndustry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (19.7 percent)* H; N$ [4 s4 [" p" r- [$ z' |- E
Predominant occupation: 44.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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/ u; Y4 |+ k6 e5 _* Q: L15. Lincoln, Neb.
7 `- A$ ~. w( ?! X* k8 MUnemployment rate: 2.5 percent
4 f8 j [+ R; B5 K, x$ ~* a$ ]Mean annual wage: $34,020+ t* I, r- j& u6 q
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (24 percent)
4 K* x2 }, @4 ~, E+ W' ?Predominant occupation: 36 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations% x& U0 m! h5 b+ i
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) H/ Q! I& Z4 e, W+ Y- A5 x6 V* Unemployment rates and annual wages obtained from BLS in September 2006.
% t3 [" `, L3 I/ s1 \ I** Industry percentages and predominant occupations obtained from 2000 census. |
发表于 2007-1-12 13:20:08