

By Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register
Iowa-Two Iowa cities stand out from the rest regarding job hunting, according to a new ranking by WalletHub.
Des Moines and Cedar Rapids have been named among the best in the United States when it comes to finding a job.
WalletHub compared and scored nearly 200 cities across the United States to find the best job markets. While no Iowa city cracked the top 50, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids made it in the top 100.
How did WalletHub determine the best cities with the best job markets?
WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities and at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two “key dimensions.” They are:
- Job market, which includes factors like employment growth, average salaries and the variety of industries.
- Socio-economics, which took into consideration commute times, transit accessibility, housing affordability, safety and other factors.
Every city’s dimensions were weighted and graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 indicating the best conditions for job seekers. Each city’s weighted average across all metrics was calculated to determine its overall score and rank.
How did Iowa cities rank among the best U.S. cities for finding a job?

Des Moines ranked 71st out of 182 with a score of 54.98, and Cedar Rapids came in at 95th with a score of 52.88.
Both cities scored high in the socio-economic ranking, with Cedar Rapids ranking 31st and Des Moines 50th out of 182 cities. Both cities ranked in the top 5 for affordable housing.
The pair of Iowa cities scored higher in overall ranking than cities such as Oklahoma City, Milwaukee and New Orleans.
What are the top 5 best cities for job seekers?
Here are the top five cities in the U.S. for finding a job, according to WalletHub:
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Pittsburgh
- Columbia, Maryland
- South Burlington, Vermont
- Portland, Maine
“Scottsdale doesn’t just deliver quantity when it comes to jobs, though — it has quality as well,” WalletHub wrote. “This is evidenced by the fact that the city has one of the highest median household incomes in the country, at over $102,000, adjusted for the cost of living.”