15 Great Cities for Job Seekers

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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.

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.
Unemployment rate: 1.5 percent *
9 V  P5 b! e8 t/ l% zMean annual wage: $32,580*
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (22.8 percent)**
5 L+ `( q6 `* b: k1 x5 \Predominant occupation: 33.4 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations**
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5 L3 o- k9 j; p0 D7 @1 Z2. Bismarck, N.D.
Unemployment rate: 1.9 percent
Mean annual wage: $31,580
, @4 l, f2 u2 q9 |7 W. }% uIndustry with largest percentage of workforce: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining (32.7 percent)
Predominant occupation: 38.2 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations

4 S3 ^1 A, r! ?2 e3. Logan, Utah
Unemployment rate: 2.2 percent
8 L$ D$ e# B% Z7 UMean annual wage: $29,520
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (29.1 percent)
9 r5 d2 o/ U: ?% yPredominant occupation: 32.7 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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4. St. George, Utah
Unemployment rate: 2.2 percent
4 T* L0 N1 W3 NMean annual wage: $29,770
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (18.1 percent)
Predominant occupation: 29.2 percent of workers are employed in sales and office occupations

5. Ames, Iowa
Unemployment rate: 2.3 percent
Mean annual wage: $36,050
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (39.1 percent)
' ^) Y: q: ~8 |2 a- WPredominant occupation: 47.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations

6. Idaho Falls, Idaho
' I0 ^8 O2 J6 W. r& W- qUnemployment rate: 2.3 percent
Mean annual wage: $32,970
4 a' P: S* n7 |Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services (19 percent)
! V) Q9 L% T3 qPredominant occupation: 37.9 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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% @/ a& G! L2 O3 D7. Billings, Mont.
Unemployment rate: 2.4 percent
Mean annual wage: $31,290
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (21.4 percent)
5 ^, G5 E7 y# |. Y/ z% c& ~, H6 KPredominant occupation: 31.9 percent of workers are employed in sales and office occupations

7 u$ Z  n8 c2 L% D6 J' k& q/ z: ?8. Charlottesville, Va.
Unemployment rate: 2.4 percent
Mean annual wage: $38,490
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (39.3 percent)
Predominant occupation: 44 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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0 e! m, ]# l9 E& D9. Iowa City, Iowa
Unemployment rate: 2.4 percent
Mean annual wage: $32,530
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (44.3 percent)
3 Y- S9 r! B3 H4 Z+ \1 z. lPredominant occupation: 43.6 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations

" ]# r1 e; |- ]: h' T. U5 n7 W" q* Z. c0 f10. Provo-Orem, Utah
Unemployment rate: 2.4 percent
" w* U* m, U5 K/ ^) HMean annual wage: $38,490
Industry with largest percentage of workforce (Provo): Educational, health and social services (32.7 percent)
+ ^6 e+ I0 d+ z' ZPredominant occupation (Provo): 38.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations

6 k5 M; c1 l: ?/ z  M9 p+ z11. Sioux City, S.D.
  J+ {$ q. \( y. a* y- hUnemployment rate: 2.4 percent
0 z2 p2 E, v: V2 p: e4 e8 c. n: NMean annual wage: $31,340
3 v, l5 k, A+ t6 l, i# h% s" \Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (19.8 percent)
9 q1 R( V/ O* Q) F! \) b, HPredominant occupation: 33.2 percent of workers are employed in sales and office occupations
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' [, k. B8 t& l( m12. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho
* I! N9 z& R% P$ G0 g  @Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
1 d" ?+ E9 A: a1 H% |0 rMean annual wage: $35,330
Industry with largest percentage of workforce (Boise City): Educational, health and social services (17.8 percent)
  v5 N: K! F3 Q  m# h: i( o6 i3 rPredominant occupation (Boise City): 38.8 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations

0 ]. H1 g3 ]- |7 `13. Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, Fla.
Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
! q6 S, \$ W- V5 r8 b7 j% hMean annual wage: $32,430
Industry with largest percentage of workforce (Fort Walton Beach): Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services (15.7 percent)
& |/ e# ~6 g" k# lPredominant occupation (Fort Walton Beach): 30.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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  l; A! A8 u8 F9 E14. Huntsville, Ala.
$ {" ~& P+ e- @Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
Mean annual wage: $39,540
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (19.7 percent)
' T$ y4 }/ Z6 s1 LPredominant occupation: 44.3 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations

15. Lincoln, Neb.
Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
0 K4 z/ n- ~* \5 k4 x# YMean annual wage: $34,020
Industry with largest percentage of workforce: Educational, health and social services (24 percent)
Predominant occupation: 36 percent of workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations
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1 @+ U! @1 X: q* Unemployment rates and annual wages obtained from BLS in September 2006.
** Industry percentages and predominant occupations obtained from 2000 census.