Among 182 cities, Atlanta named one of 2019’s best for job seekers

Looking for a new job this year? It’s not a bad time to be on the hunt.

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unem- ployment rate has recently dropped to an 18-year low of 3.7 percent, and hiring is on the rise.

But where should your hunt begin?

Folks at personal finance website WalletHub sought to find the top U.S. cities for job seekers. They compared 182 cities, including the 150 most populated cities in the country (plus at least two of the most populated in each state) across two main dimensions: job market and socioeconomics.

Analysts further evaluated the two dimensions using 30 relevant metrics, such as job opportunities, employment growth, access to intern- ships, housing affordability, median annual income, tran- sit score and more.

Of the 182 cities on the list, Scottsdale, Arizona, earned top honors, followed by Columbia, Maryland, and Orlando, Florida.

Atlanta ranked 18th on the list, 16th for job market and 49th for socioeconomics.

Other Georgia cities included in WalletHub’s ranking, Columbus and Augusta, ranked poorly at 156th and 160th, respectively.

The absolute worst cities for job seekers in 2019? Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Las Cruces, New Mexico, according to WalletHub.

It’s not the first time Atlanta’s been recognized for its status as a hot market for professional opportunities.

In May, WalletHub deemed Atlanta the third best city in the country for folks starting their careers. And last year, Glassdoor ranked it the 18th best jobs city among America’s 50 most populated cities.