Worst Cities for Job Growth

Your heart may be in San Francisco, but your best chances of finding a new job in the coming years are probably elsewhere.


For its annual "Best Places for Businesses and Careers" list, Forbes.com ranked 200 United States metropolitan cities based on the accumulated factors of job growth, cost of doing business, educational attainment, living costs and crime rates. Although San Francisco ranked high among cities with the number of adult inhabitants with a college degree, it came in at a dismal No. 175 overall and an even more dismal No. 197 for places with high job growth.


Still, in terms of job growth, the home to Rice-A-Roni performed better than Hickory, N.C., San Jose, Calif. and New Orleans, La., the city with the smallest job growth on Forbes.com's list.


According to Forbes, the following metro areas are top 10 places where U.S. job growth is smallest. If you are looking for and are having trouble finding work in one of these places, it may be that the supply of job candidates outnumbers the demand for workers.


New Orleans, La.
Population**: 913,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary*:
Registered nurses -- $50,496
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives -- $37,236
Elementary school teachers -- $34,374


Jobs more common near New Orleans than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Pump operators -- $38,149
Sailors and marine oilers -- $27,807
Bridge and lock tenders -- $25,469


San Jose, Calif.
Population: 1,774,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Computer applications software engineers -- $78,822
Computer systems software engineers -- $88,659
Registered nurses -- $79,649


Jobs more common near San Jose than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Semiconductor processors -- $34,169
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons -- $186,196
Computer hardware engineers -- $88,163


Hickory, N.C.
Population: 358,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $45,244
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives -- $43,338
Elementary school teachers -- $32,390


Jobs more common near Hickory than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Wood model makers -- $24,799
Wood patternmakers -- $25,750
Upholsterers -- $34,240


San Francisco, Calif.
Population: 1,692,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $71,408
Accountants and auditors -- $51,435
Computer applications software engineers --$70,426


Jobs more common near San Francisco than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Mathematical scientists -- $69,664
Graduate teaching assistants -- $26,324
Biochemists and biophysicists -- $76,807


Detroit, Mich.
Population: 1,977,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $53,194
Elementary school teachers -- $50,238
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives -- $54,024


Jobs more common near Detroit than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners --$24,689
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators and tenders -- $45,476
Power plant operators -- $55,733


Cambridge, Mass.
Population: 1,471,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $65,598
Accountants and auditor -- $47,239
Computer applications software engineers -- $69,912


Jobs more common near the Cambridge area than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Nuclear technicians -- $55,952
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons -- $193,462
Atmospheric and space scientists -- $62,651


Flint, Mich.
Population: 444,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $48,594
Elementary school teachers -- $50,475
Secondary school teachers -- $48,177


Jobs more common near Flint than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Postsecondary teachers -- $60,113
Education, training and library workers -- $51,530
Elementary and secondary education administrators -- $71,703


Binghamton, N.Y.
Population: 248,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $41,437
Secondary school teachers -- $40,957
Elementary school teachers -- $36,611


Jobs more common near Binghamton than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Coil winders, tapers and finishers -- $16,525
Judges and magistrates -- $70,856
Legislators -- $102,050


Canton, Ohio
Population: 411,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $47,910
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives -- $41,607
Secondary school teachers -- $45,051


Jobs more common near Canton than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Metal and plastic forging machine operators -- $45,255
Welding operators -- $27,655
Heat treating equipment operators -- $23,888


Dayton, Ohio
Population: 846,000


Most popular jobs and average local salary:
Registered nurses -- $45,867
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives -- $48,827
Secondary school teachers -- $44,184


Jobs more common near Dayton than other U.S. cities and average local salary:
Metal and plastic workers -- $32,182
Materials engineers -- $76,952
Postsecondary engineering teachers -- $50,824