Across the U.S., a new wave of cities with a more concentrated urban footprint is quietly turning into career powerhouses, even though we tend to associate that success with the big, bustling cities. Some of the best opportunities are popping up in tight-knit communities where innovation, affordability and a great quality of life all come together.
For this study, we looked at 298 cities across the country with populations under 250,000 and complete, reliable data. We evaluated, using a 100-points scale, what genuinely drives opportunity and everyday livability in smaller cities by looking at a broad set of economic, workforce and quality-of-life factors. These included income and affordability metrics, as well as labor market and remote work trends. As for livability, we assessed healthcare access, education levels and commute times, etc. For complete metrics find our full methodology at the end of the article. Moreover, to support out data-driven study we convened a panel of nine experts. Read their full answers at the end of the study.
Key takeaways:
- Alpharetta, GA claims the top overall spot with high household incomes, very low unemployment and a dense, diverse employer base.
- Wage growth powers the top small cities, and three California communities make the point vividly with median household incomes over $200K.
- Some of the study’s strongest cities excel through balance, such as Carmel and Fishers, IN, where solid wages and workforce engagement meet affordability.
- In Frisco and Pflugerville, the Sun Belt’s hidden edge shows itself as an engine of growth accelerating faster than almost anywhere else.
- South Jordan’s 72% wage growth signals a place where workforce engagement, healthcare access and low unemployment create a standout economic engine.
Wealth Engines: The High-Earning Cities That Dominate the Top 5
The first five cities in the ranking set the tone for what top-tier opportunity looks like in small-city America. These are places where high salaries, strong job markets and a full range of amenities come together in a way that rivals (and often beats) much larger cities.
1. Alpharetta, GA
Alpharetta, GA, takes the No. 1 spot in our study, with a $173,310 median household income and a low ~2% unemployment rate. Adding to these the dense base of employers and easy access to amenities, this city gives residents both stability and quality of life. What is rare about Alpharetta is that earning power and everyday comfort move in the same direction.
2. South Jordan, UT
South Jordan, UT, ranks among the strongest suburban labor markets in the nation, driven in part by its position within Utah’s Silicon Slopes tech corridor. The city has seen a 72% increase in wages since 2019 and now posts a median household income above $160,000. When combined with low unemployment, high labor-force participation, strong safety indicators and broad healthcare access, South Jordan stands out less as a typical suburb and more as a high-performing hub within a major technology ecosystem.
3-5. Mountain View, Santa Clara & Palo Alto, CA
The next three cities — Mountain View, CA (#3), Santa Clara, CA (#4), and Palo Alto, CA (#5) — sit at the heart of Silicon Valley and come with some of the highest living costs in the country. Median household incomes exceed $180,000 in all three cities, with Mountain View and Palo Alto topping $200,000, but these high earnings operate within an exceptionally expensive housing market and overall cost-of-living environment. Even so, the area’s economic fundamentals remain notable: labor markets are extremely tight, remote work is widespread and GDP per capita is among the highest in the U.S. These cities are anchored by a concentration of major technology employers and supported by world-class digital infrastructure and educational attainment. For those who can afford it, the draw is simple: unmatched opportunity. But the financial trade-offs are hard to ignore.
Career Meets Comfort: Five Cities Excelling on Both Fronts
The next five cities illustrate a key trend among our top performers: the balance between professional opportunity and everyday livability. Residents enjoy strong labor markets, rising wages and dynamic local economies, while also benefiting from manageable costs, accessible amenities and high quality of life. These names show how a city can deliver career growth without compromising comfort, making them models of sustainable, well-rounded opportunity.
6. Carmel, IN
Carmel, IN, stands out with a dense business landscape for a city of its size, about 3,285 establishments per 100,000 residents, giving the local economy real depth. Residents also benefit from competitive earnings: a median household income of $145,366 and a 27% increase in wages from 2019 to 2024. And while incomes are high, everyday costs stay manageable, with consumer prices sitting roughly 11% below the U.S. average. Combined with a steady labor market (70.6% participation and 3% unemployment), Carmel seems to offer a mix of opportunity and affordability that’s hard to find in many similar cities.
7. Fishers, IN
Fishers, IN, has a healthy labor market, with labor force participation reaching an impressive 73% and unemployment sits at just 1.4% (one of the lowest rates among the cities analyzed). Median income comes in at $132,204, supported by steady wage gains and the same affordable cost of living as neighboring Carmel (11% under the U.S. average).
8. Franklin, TN
Franklin, TN, pairs a $122,014 median income with a 28% rise in wages (from 2019 to 2024), all backed by a diverse economic base. It also features the strongest business density in this group (5,439 establishments per 100k residents), which helps keep the local economy dynamic. While employment has dipped slightly over the past 5 years (–3.3%), Franklin’s amenities, from excellent healthcare access to plentiful cultural offerings, remain a major asset.
9. Kirkland, WA
Kirkland, WA, distinguishes itself for its attractive economic profile and highly skilled workforce. Its $167,626 median household income, supported by a 50% wage increase since 2019, reflects both local opportunity and the city’s strategic proximity to the Seattle tech ecosystem. The higher cost of living (about 24% above the U.S. average) is partly offset by solid workforce engagement (71.3% participation), a solid business density of 3,461 establishments per 100,000 residents and strong healthcare access. These factors together help sustain Kirkland’s long-term economic resilience.
10. Portland, ME
Portland, ME, posts one of the highest labor-force participation rates in the entire list, at 75.3%, a sign of a highly engaged and stable workforce. It also recorded a remarkable 40% wage increase from 2019 to 2024 and has seen its employment rate rise by 7.1% over the same period. Pair this with accessible housing, solid safety indicators and excellent amenities, and Portland emerges as one of the Northeast’s most livable and well-rounded cities, even with a more modest $82,059 median income.
The Breakout Set: America’s Fast-Growth Sun Belt & Coastal Powerhouses
After the top 10, one trend becomes obvious: the strongest small-city economies tend to cluster in fast-growing Sun Belt metros, high-performing central U.S. hubs and affluent tech-oriented suburbs. These cities share a distinct economic profile: broad, two-digit wage growth over the past five years. As a group, they combine economic acceleration with day-to-day livability, offering residents both upward mobility and stable community fundamentals. These “breakout cities” represent some of the most resilient and opportunity-rich environments in the country. Here’s how each one distinguishes itself:
11. Frisco, TX
Frisco, TX, shows a median income of $145,444, boosted by 33% wage growth since 2019. The labor force is highly engaged (74.2%) with low unemployment and a strong employer base supported by 3,050 establishments per 100k residents. With 95% fiber access, excellent healthcare and top-tier safety, Frisco backs its economic strength with day-to-day comfort.
12. Bellevue, WA
Bellevue, WA, reflects the strength of the Seattle tech ecosystem. Median income reaches $161,194, supported by a strong 44% wage increase in a 5-year timeframe and a diverse business landscape (4,756 establishments per 100k). Even with high costs, the economic return remains compelling.
13. San Ramon, CA
San Ramon, CA, records the second highest incomes in our study, at $227,209, a standout even by California standards. Wage growth of 18% (from 2019 to 2024) and a solid 69.9% labor force participation rate support long-term stability. Even though housing costs are high, the city benefits from strong industry presence, deep representation in high-growth sectors and an MSA-level GDP per capita of $546,700.
14. Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton, FL, is one of the densest business environments in the entire dataset, at 12,640 establishments per 100k residents, while on the earners side of things the city is not one of the top-tier ($121,629 median income). Boca, as it’s known by the locals, maintains low unemployment (3.5%) and strong workforce engagement. Its warm climate, rich amenities and strong healthcare access make it both economically and lifestyle-wise attractive.
15. Flower Mound, TX
Flower Mound, TX, is one of Texas’s most affluent suburbs, supported by a $166,624 median income and 25% wage growth from 2019 to 2024. The workforce is highly active (70.7% LFPR) and affordability remains favorable relative to income levels.
16. Troy, MI
Troy, MI, delivers well in economic reliability with a $118,720 median income, 26% wage growth over the past 5 years and extremely low unemployment. Its business density of 5,597 establishments per 100k residents supports a diverse job market. Adding the cost-of-living index near 105, Troy remains one of the Midwest’s most accessible yet professionally competitive cities.
17. Pflugerville, TX
Pflugerville, TX, continues to ride the strong wave of the Austin tech corridor. Wages have climbed 37% since 2019, median income reaches $121,964 and workforce engagement is among the highest in the top 20 (75.1% LFPR). Employment has grown steadily (+3.6%), and the city benefits from solid safety metrics and solid infrastructure. Pflugerville is an appealing option for young, mobile professionals.
18. Richmond, VA
Richmond, VA, stands out with a healthy wage growth (46% from 2019 to 2024) alongside competitive housing costs and strong workforce activity (70.4% LFPR). Business density is high (5,053 establishments per 100k), and the city’s cultural and economic diversity adds resilience. Healthcare access is excellent, even as income remains more modest at $63,390.
19. Alexandria, VA
Alexandria, VA, Alexandria posts the 2nd highest labor force participation rate among the 298 cities analyzed, at 80%. Median income reaches $124,593; wage growth is very good at 36% (from 2019 to 2024) and unemployment is extremely low. Proximity to Washington, D.C., high business density and good transit access create a strong job environment.
20. McKinney, TX
McKinney, TX, closes the top 20 by combining good income levels ($124,177), 34% wage growth over the past 5 years and a very active labor force (72% participation). Its balanced mix of affordability, opportunity and amenities secures its place in the top.
Your next move doesn’t have to be a big city
The findings reveal two clear paths to success: fast-growing suburban hubs buzzing with innovation and more established tech-driven economies that already have a global reach. Together, they show that even smaller places can give you big advantages professionally, sometimes even more than the big metros.
Alpharetta and South Jordan offer top salaries and competitive job markets. Mountain View, Santa Clara, and Palo Alto pack industries and innovation into compact hubs. Midwest cities like Carmel and Fishers deliver stability and education, while Portland, ME, for instance, shows that culture and workforce engagement matter too. If you don’t want your next move to be to a big city, these are the places where career growth and quality of life meet.
Expert Perspectives on Thriving in Smaller Cities
To deepen the findings of our study and add real-world context to the data, we invited a few leading scholars whose work sits at the intersection of labor markets, workplace psychology, and career mobility, to provide essential nuance on how and why smaller cities are becoming powerful hubs for professional growth.
1. In your view, which quality–of–life factors have become the strongest economic drivers for cities looking to attract high-skilled workers?
Sarah Mosseri, Ph.D.
Sociologist specializing in labor, inequality, and the hidden dynamics of workplace culture
Sarah Mosseri: The strongest drivers aren’t surface-level perks, they’re the public supports that make daily life workable. Workers now prioritize affordable housing, transportation, childcare, and healthcare. Without these, people overwork just to stay afloat. High-skilled workers want sustainability in both work and life, and they’re leaving places where these supports have broken down. Cities that provide these core foundations are the ones that truly attract and retain talent.
Yalçın Açıkgöz: With the post-COVID remote-work boom, the biggest draw has been a mix of attractive location, good infrastructure, and low cost of living. Major cities usually have the first two but come with high COL, so many high-skilled remote workers have shifted to small and mid-sized cities with desirable locations and solid infrastructure. Quality-of-life priorities differ: families focus on schools and safety, while early-career professionals prioritize social life and networking, often pulling them toward bigger cities.
Amanda S. Hinojosa, Ph.D.
MBA, Associate Professor, Department of Management, School of Business, Howard University
Amanda S. Hinojosa: It is important to dig deeper beyond general trends to understand what makes sense for your city. One place may attract high-skilled workers because of a single major employer, while another draws people for what the city itself offers, making them more likely to stay even if they change jobs. Someone who left a small city for education may have different attractors than someone who has never lived in one. Regardless of city size, opportunities to feel part of a community appear critical.
Sean Walker: Each generation is moving to smaller cities in significant numbers, but for different reasons. Organizations tend to focus more on groups with longer potential tenure, so Gen Z is increasingly in the spotlight. Gen Z is motivated by wellness, positive relationships, social impact, meaningful work, work-life balance and financial stability. Smaller cities, with their slower pace, make these easier to achieve—supporting balance, wellness and the ability to find work that feels meaningful.
Jose F. Rodriguez: This depends on whether workers have children, but major factors include access to quality childcare and good schools. People also look for opportunities for sports, recreation, good weather and a sense of community. Transportation and commute times matter too, if we look at how long it takes to get to work, the ability to work from home and access to public transit.
Dr. Ashley Hicks
Director of Employer Recruitment and Engagement, Northwestern Career Advancement, Northwestern University
Dr. Ashley Hicks: Cost of living, access to major cities or attractions (2 hours or less), diversity, and proximity to reasonable shopping and restaurant options. Starting your career in a smaller community is a great way to get your ducks in a row. A lower cost of living creates more opportunity to pay off debts and invest in homeownership. With fewer consumer pressures, it’s easier to live within your means and allocate income toward your future. Fewer entertainment options also help you stay focused, build your resume, and further your education. Smaller cities are a wise choice for those early in their careers or pivoting to a new one.
Christopher Altizer: Great question—and not a simple one. “High-skilled workers” can mean electricians and plumbers, research scientists, or software engineers. Cities differ in what they need: some must repair aging infrastructure, others aim to become data-center hubs. Across every labor category, however, cities face the same starting point: Maslow’s hierarchy. People need safe, affordable housing, livable communities, and good schools. These fundamentals apply across ages and demographics. And if you’re thinking mainly about young professionals, consider a recent survey showing quality-of-life concerns are driving young people to leave Miami—an unexpected outcome.
(Source: Miami New Times)
2. What risks or blind spots should high-skilled workers consider when building their careers in cities outside the traditional major metros?
Dr. Yalçın Açıkgöz
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Appalachian State University
Yalçın Açıkgöz: One risk is the limited number of employers, especially in niche sectors, which can restrict advancement and may require relocation. Workers may also struggle to diversify their skill set if they become too comfortable in one role. Smaller cities often have fewer networking opportunities, reducing visibility and career mobility. Finally, dual-career couples may face challenges if a spouse has limited job options in a small or mid-sized city.
Amanda S. Hinojosa: Someone moving from a smaller city to a major metro may face stereotypes about their expertise, as some hiring managers assume similar roles aren’t comparable across city sizes. People need to anticipate these biases and actively shape how others perceive their experience. The reverse is also true, when someone moving from Manhattan to a small town may encounter ‘big city’ stereotypes. There’s also a networking concern: in a smaller city you may know more people overall, but fewer in your specific field. It’s important to consider how the networks you admire shaped those careers, and how different environments might shape yours.
Sean Walker: The major risk to career development in a smaller city is career advancement/promotability opportunities. Essentially, the size of the area which one lives in provides a sort of supply and demand. Highly niche professions (i.e., few opportunities in such an area) or highly desirable positions that attract many individuals (i.e., supply is high) will cause fewer opportunities for one to move up. In other words, there is likely just one position you can pursue if you want to advance, which means you must wait for it to become available. In smaller areas, attrition rates are typically lower which means advancement opportunities are less likely if one stays in that area.
Jose F. Rodriguez: Maintaining an identity that is separate from your job/career. You don’t want your job to be the only thing about you. In a major metro area, you might have more opportunities to develop hobbies, join clubs or societies, etc. You want to ensure that your sense of self isn’t entirely wrapped up in the work that you do as that can lead to unhealthy outcomes. There’s more to life than just your job!
Christopher Altizer, MBA, MA
Adjunct Lecturer, Global Leadership and Management MSHRM Program, College of Business
Dr. Ashley Hicks: Smaller communities often have limited career advancement opportunities. It may be a great place to start and gain experience, but don’t get too attached, because if you are ambitious and career-driven, another relocation may be on the horizon.
Christopher Altizer: People join a company and quit a boss. You may love the town, but the manager and culture still matter. Outside major metros, fewer employers mean fewer second chances if a role doesn’t work out. That said, people can thrive where life is affordable and schools are strong—school quality matters to everyone, and it shapes the future workforce.
3. How can local leaders and business communities make their cities more competitive and appealing for experienced talent?
Jose F. Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Director of the Organizational Science M.S. Program, Florida International University
Sarah Mosseri: Leaders should avoid “one-size-fits-all” solutions. Instead, they must start by engaging local workers and employers to co-create a shared vision of the future of work. Crucially, this must include representative voices… not just white-collar or downtown stakeholders. To be competitive, leaders must ensure services don’t just operate on rigid schedules but adapt to the realities of today’s workforce, which increasingly works outside the traditional 9-to-5.
Jose F. Rodriguez: Being deliberate about creating community. Just because you’ve been able to attract great talent doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to keep them. As humans, we desire a sense of connection with others and to feel that we are part of something larger than ourselves. This can come in many shapes, forms, and sizes, but what matters most is intentionally fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion, so that people don’t just work in a place, but truly feel at home there.
Lawrence J. White
Robert Kavesh Professor of Economics, Stern School of Business, New York University
Sean Walker: Small-city employers can win talent by being honest about what they offer, both the slower pace and lower costs, but also fewer advancement options. Transparency helps attract the right people from the start. They should also ask employees what made them apply and stay. It’s not always salary. If they want growth, invest in development. If they want balance, they offer remote work or flexible schedules. Understand what people value and build around it.
Lawrence J. White: Rezone to allow more housing to be built, especially at lower costs and prices, making it more accessible for people at different stages of their careers. In addition, improve elementary and secondary school systems, ensuring families feel confident that their children will receive a quality education. These steps help make a city more attractive and competitive for experienced talent, addressing both the cost-of-living and lifestyle factors that professionals consider when choosing where to live and work.
Thomas J. Norman, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
California State University
Thomas J. Norman: Local leaders need to honestly assess what they have and avoid the “Field of Dreams” approach—if they build it, they will come. Workers are attracted to cities that offer a better day-to-day lifestyle. Employees will trade big-city jobs for places where neighborhoods are safe, schools are good, access to medical professionals is quick, nature is close, and commutes are minimal. Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Centers, and anchor employers can collaborate on shared internship programs, executive roundtables, and alumni networks that help newcomers plug into the professional community.
4. What types of infrastructure — such as reliable fiber internet, efficient transit, and strong business density — most directly influence whether a city can support sustained career growth? And where does coworking fit into that picture, if at all?
Sarah Mosseri: While technical specs are important, the most direct influence on sustainability is whether the city provides a safety net. True sustainability comes from fixing the policy environment that offloads responsibility onto individuals, rather than just providing office space.
Sean Walker, Ph.D.
MBA, Professor of Management, President-Elect, Tennessee University Faculty Senates
Sean Walker: The types of infrastructure will be specific to the industry, work being done, and the makeup of the employees (i.e., generation). For example, Baby boomers may be less focused on efficient transit than Gen Z but Gen Z may be less focused on proximal housing options to one’s workplace. Coworking is more common in metro areas but appears to be growing in popularity in smaller cities. The ability to make these resources more affordable because a larger group can use them (i.e., insurance rates) will likely be a large driver for their continued growth in these areas.
Jose F. Rodriguez: All those things are necessary but not sufficient. What other aspects of civil society are also present? Are there places in which people can congregate and meet each other? Research has shown that just spending a little time walking barefoot on grass helps to lower stress. Again, as humans, we yearn to connect with nature and have a natural tendency to want to be in nature, so thinking about city planning with that in mind. It’s not only about the largest, prettiest building.
Methodology
To identify the best small U.S. cities for career opportunity and overall livability, we evaluated locations under 250,000 residents using a 100-point scoring system. Cities were ranked only if they had a complete dataset across all metrics. The analysis incorporated four major dimensions: Salary & Cost of Living, Job Market Strength, Industry Presence, and Quality of Life & Amenities.
- Salary, Income & Cost of Living (35 points of the total index)
This category measures how well residents can translate earnings into real purchasing power. It includes:
- Median Household Income (35%) – 2024 inflation-adjusted median income from the U.S. Census.
- Housing Affordability: 1-Bedroom Rent Burden (25%) – percentage of wages needed to cover average rent (RentCafe, 2025).
- Wage Growth (20%) – change in median earnings between 2019 and 2024.
- Cost of Living Index (20%) – composite C2ER index for 2024; state/MSA values used when city-level data was unavailable.
- Job Market Strength (30 points of the total index)
This category captures workforce engagement, employment resilience, and overall job accessibility.
- Labor Force Participation Rate (25%) – percentage of residents 16+ who are working or seeking work (2024).
- Unemployment Rate (25%) – share of the labor force unemployed (2024).
- Employment Rate Change, 2024 vs. 2019 (25%) – recovery and growth in employment levels over time.
- Remote Workers Share (10%) – percentage working from home, reflecting workplace flexibility.
- Total Establishments per 100k Residents (10%) – available workplaces at the city level (CBP 2023).
- Coworking Spaces per 100k Residents (5%) – density of flexible office infrastructure (2025).
- Quality of Life & Amenities (25 points of the total index)
Beyond jobs and salaries, long-term relocation decisions are shaped by everyday living conditions. This category measures:
- Commute Times (25%) – average minutes spent traveling to work (2024).
- Access to Healthcare (25%) – percentage of residents with medical access (2024).
- Crime Rate per 10,000 Residents (20%) – violent and property crimes reported (FBI, 2024).
- Cultural Amenities per 100k Residents (10%) – museums, restaurants, recreation venues, and arts establishments (CBP 2023).
- Fiber Internet Availability, 1000/100 Mbps (10%) – high-speed broadband coverage at MSA level (FCC 2025).
- Air Quality Index (10%) – environmental and health conditions (EPA 2024).
- Industry Presence (10 points of the total index)
This dimension evaluates the depth and diversity of a city’s economic base.
- Fortune 1000 Employers (40%) – number of major companies present.
- Industry Diversity (35%) – count of distinct industries represented by major employers.
- GDP per Capita, MSA Level (25%) – economic output per person (BEA 2023).
- Education & Talent Pipeline (Unscored, contextual)
To provide additional context about each city’s long-term talent ecosystem, we also reported:
- Bachelor’s Degree Attainment – share of adults 25+ holding a bachelor’s degree or higher (2024).
- Presence of Colleges and Universities – number of postsecondary institutions within city limits.
