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These Are the 10 Hottest Job Markets for 2020

By Craig Johnson
By Craig Johnson

Looking for gainful employment in the new year? You might want to think about moving to someplace where jobs will be plentiful in 2020.

Employment site ZipRecruiter has released its roundup of the 10 Hottest Job Markets for 2020, which shows metro areas where tons of companies are looking to hire workers.

Here Are the Hottest Job Markets for 2020

The list focuses on cities with more than 100,000 people. The rankings are based on four factors: job market growth, job market size, pay and job seeker leverage.

Here are some key findings from the report:

  • Smaller job markets in the Midwest and Northeast rank at the top of the list
  • Only one job market out west makes the rankings

Let’s get into the top 10 hottest job markets for 2020, according to ZipRecruiter:

1. Fargo, ND-MN

Job postings in the Fargo, North Dakota area, which includes parts of northwestern Minnesota, are growing at 55% per year, according to the report.

Because Fargo employers are struggling to find qualified workers, the right job candidates are in high demand.

2. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 

The Boston, Massachusetts metro area, which includes part of New Hampshire, shines due to high-paying jobs, the report says.

Boston’s metro area has especially attractive opportunities in information technology, biotechnology and finance.

3. Sioux Falls, SD

Powered by the large number of positions available in health care and financial services, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, scores high in the rankings.

The Sioux Falls area is also home to four major hospitals, according to the report.

4. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

Greater Providence has lots of position in two of the fastest-growing job sectors: education and health care.

The metro area, which includes portions of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, boasts an array of service-sector jobs, the report says.

5. Portland-South Portland, ME

The Portland, Maine, area offers great opportunity for job seekers skilled in several areas, including the shipping industry, e-commerce and warehousing/storage.

6. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA

Driven by the tech industry, San Francisco, California, makes the list because of high wages. More than half of ZipRecruiter job postings in the area offer $50,000 or more (the median U.S. salary is about $38,640, the site says).

7. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

The D.C. area, which encompasses parts of Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, continues to attract job seekers because of its strong economy.

Not only is the region a business hub for the U.S. government, it boasts a highly educated workforce.

8. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s job market is fueled by financial services, health care research, and higher education, the report says.

The metro area has a relatively low cost of living, which works for both top talent as well as entrepreneurs looking to hire.

9. Bismarck, ND

Bismarck, North Dakota's job market ranks highly mostly because of the number of jobs it has vs. its population. The unemployment rate is just 1.8%, the report says.

The area is an attractive destination for companies in fields like retail and health care, but also manufacturing and mining.

10. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

The largest job market in the country is the New York area, which includes parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The sheer size of the job market makes your chances of finding a job pretty good: There are more than 200,000 job openings in the New York metro area, according to ZipRecruiter.

See more about how these metro areas scored in the full report here.

As the report shows, smaller markets may hold big promise when it comes to jobs.

"Lower costs of living combined with more remote work options are making smaller cities incredibly attractive to tech and healthcare talent," said ZipRecruiter co-founder and CEO Ian Siegel. "This is especially true for 2019 college graduates who are looking for a high quality of life and exciting career opportunities as they enter the workforce."

Speaking of remote work, check out our guide to work-from-home job here.

More Clark.com Job Search Resources:

This article was originally published on Clark.com

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