Best And Worst Places For Job Hunting In CA: Report

CALIFORNIA — Searching for a new job in the new year? With the new year bringing the chance for new beginnings, WalletHub recently released its report on the Best Cities for Jobs in 2025.

To determine the strongest local job markets in the country, analysts at the personal finance website compared more than 180 cities across 31 key metrics. The data set ranged from job opportunities per job seeker to employment growth to the monthly average starting salary.

San Francisco is the best city for job hunting in California, according to the report, but the city only ranked 18th nationally. San Jose is the second-best city, landing in the 42nd spot. According to the report, San Jose has the highest monthly average starting salary, which is 3.2 times higher than in Gulfport, Mississippi, the city with the lowest.

"It's important to look at more than just the number of jobs available or the unemployment rate when determining the best place to find employment," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. "Quality matters just as much as quantity, from the average salaries and benefits to job security and overall satisfaction. There are plenty of secondary factors to take into account as well, from how easy a city makes commuting to jobs to whether it's a good place for raising a family or engaging in recreational activities outside of work."

Scottsdale, Arizona, ranked as the best city in the country for jobs, according to the report. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ranked second and Columbia, Maryland, ranked third.

"Scottsdale, AZ, is the best city for jobs in 2025, in large part because it boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and ranks first when it comes to the prevalence of paid internship opportunities," Lupo said. "In addition, Scottsdale has one of the highest median household incomes in the country, at over $102,000, adjusted for the cost of living. Finally, Scottsdale provides a good quality of life, ranking sixth among the best cities for recreation and 13th among the best cities for families. It's also a safe place to live, with the 12th-lowest violent crime rate in the U.S."

Although a number of California cities landed on the bottom of the list, the report found San Bernardino to be the worst city for jobs in the Golden State. The city in the Inland Empire region of Southern California ranked 180th on the list. Only Detroit, Michigan, and Memphis, Tennessee, ranked below San Bernardino at 181st and 182nd, respectively.

See how other cities in California ranked, from best to worst, below. National rankings are in parenthesis.

1. San Francisco (18)
2. San Jose (42)
3. Fremont (46)
4. Huntington Beach (59)
5. San Diego (70)
6. Sacramento (82)
7. Irvine (91)
8. Garden Grove (94)
9. Rancho Cucamonga (100)
10. Glendale (101)
11. Santa Ana (108)
12. Oakland (123)
13. Santa Clarita (126)
14. Santa Rosa (134)
15. Chula Vista (143)
16. Anaheim (144)
17. Los Angeles (146)
18. Fontana (147)
19. Oceanside (149)
20. Long Beach (150)
21. Riverside (153)
22. Ontario (156)
23. Modesto (157)
24. Fresno (165)
25. Oxnard (170)
26. Moreno Valley (172)
27. Stockton (174)
28. Bakersfield (176)
29. San Bernardino (180)

Read the full report.