Here Are the 25 Best Cities in America to Find a New Job This Year

Unless your job involves traveling around the world drinking beer, then chances are you've had to compromise in some way when it comes to what you do for a living and where you live. The best jobs aren't always in the best cities, but if you're looking to drastically improve both your work life and home life, a new report from Glassdoor reveals the 25 best cities in the country for jobs this year. In other words, there may yet be hope.

On Wednesday, the popular job listings and careers site released the new research, which is based on three key factors: how easy it is to get a job there, how much it costs to live there, and how satisfied employees are working there. If you've always assumed the nation's major finance and tech hubs are the best destinations for employment and quality of life, the results may surprise you. In fact, neither New York nor San Francisco made the cut. But hey, any New Yorker stranded on a stalled subway car could probably give you a few reasons why that may be.

Pittsburgh earned the ranking's top spot, which Glassdoor attributes to its estimated 95,399 job openings, median base salary of $44,000, and median home value of $137,400. Interesting, Ohio is the only state with three cities on the list, all of which made the top 10: Columbus (no. 7 on the ranking), Cincinnati (no. 8), and Cleveland (no. 9), according to a press release. The biggest city on the list, Chicago, almost didn't make the cut -- coming in at no. 23.

Glassdoor's Chief Economist, Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, points to two big factors behind the results:

“Big, metropolitan cities may be more famous than others, including being home to some amazing companies to work for, but this recognition is also what contributes to them being among the most expensive places to live,” he said. “People may be overlooking mid sized cities like Pittsburgh or St. Louis if they are looking to relocate or find new opportunities."

You can check out the full breakdown over at Glassdoor, but here's a slightly condensed version of the ranking:

25. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Job Openings: 249,235
Median Base Salary: $49,000
Hot Jobs: Software Engineer, Financial Analyst, Server

24. Charlotte, North Carolina

Job Openings: 78,285
Median Base Salary: $45,000
Hot Jobs: Business Analyst, Sales Consultant, Clinical Nurse

23. Chicago, Illinois

Job Openings: 332,546
Median Base Salary: $50,000
Hot Jobs: Occupational Therapist, Manufacturing Engineer, Account Executive

22. San Jose, California

Job Openings: 106,809
Median Base Salary: $100,000
Hot Jobs: Software Development Engineer, Marketing Manager, Test Engineer

21. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Job Openings: 63,772
Median Base Salary: $46,000
Hot Jobs: Civil Engineer, Medical Assistant, Sales Consultant

20. Nashville, Tennessee

Job Openings: 80,192
Median Base Salary: $42,000
Hot Jobs: Professor, Licensed Practical Nurse, Restaurant Server

19. Baltimore, Maryland

Job Openings: 123,370
Median Base Salary: $48,000
Hot Jobs: Project Manager, Controls Engineer, Executive Assistant

18. Atlanta, Georgia

Job Openings: 195,021  
Median Base Salary: $46,000    
Hot Jobs: Mechanical Engineer, Physical Therapist, Marketing Manager

17. Seattle, Washington

Job Openings: 187,741
Median Base Salary: $65,000   
Hot Jobs: Software Development Engineer, Technical Program Manager, Barista

16. Washington, DC

Job Openings: 293,481
Median Base Salary: $62,000
Hot Jobs: Systems Engineer, Financial Analyst, Risk Consultant

15. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Job Openings: 43,898  
Median Base Salary: $36,000    
Hot Jobs: Compliance Manager, Medical Assistant, Restaurant Manager

14. Hartford, Connecticut

Job Openings: 46,274  
Median Base Salary: $55,000   
Hot Jobs: Physician Assistant, Professor, Mechanical Engineer

13. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

Job Openings: 151,656
Median Base Salary: $52,000  
Hot Jobs: Manufacturing Engineer, Graphic Designer, Sales Associate

12. Detroit, Michigan

Job Openings: 119,567
Median Base Salary: $46,344  
Hot Jobs: Business Operations Manager, Software Engineer, Auto Technician

11. Birmingham, Alabama

Job Openings: 40,123  
Median Base Salary: $38,000
Hot Jobs: Marketing Manager, Insurance Agent, Truck Driver

10. Louisville, Kentucky

Job Openings: 49,213
Median Base Salary: $40,138   
Hot Jobs: Mechanical Engineer, Nurse Manager, Warehouse Associate

9. Cleveland, Ohio

Job Openings: 66,410
Median Base Salary: $43,000  
Hot Jobs: DevOps Engineer, Consultant, Sales Associate

8. Cincinnati, Ohio

Job Openings: 79,554
Median Base Salary: $44,637
Hot Jobs: Data Engineer, Medical Assistant, Account Executive

7. Columbus, Ohio

Job Openings: 78,370
Median Base Salary: $45,000
Hot Jobs: Office Manager, Database Administrator, Restaurant Manager,

6. Memphis, Tennessee

Job Openings: 42,347
Median Base Salary: $41,200
Hot Jobs: Physical Therapist, Software Engineer, Maintenance Technician

5. St. Louis, Missouri

Job Openings: 104,725
Median Base Salary: $45,600
Hot Jobs: Electrical Engineer, Communications Manager, Recruiter

4.  Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

Job Openings: 65,810
Median Base Salary: $50,000
Hot Jobs: Mobile Developer, Physician, Civil Engineer

3.  Kansas City, Missouri

Job Openings: 90,649
Median Base Salary: $45,000
Hot Jobs: Software Engineer, Research Associate, Audit Manager

2. Indianapolis, Indiana

Job Openings: 80,561
Median Base Salary: $43,000
Hot Jobs: DevOps Engineer, Marketing Manager, Machine Operator

1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Job Openings: 95,399
Median Base Salary: $44,000
Hot Jobs: Civil Engineer, Project Manager, Registered Nurse

Of course, you may end up finding your dream job in a city -- or a small town -- not included on the list, but it could serve as a good place to start looking if you're in need of a major life-change. If so, get your resume ready. And maybe a U-Haul, too. 

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Tony Merevick is Senior News Editor at Thrillist and has actually never been to Pittsburgh. Send news tips to news@thrillist.com and follow him on Twitter @tonymerevick.