What makes Sacramento a top city for job seekers? See new LinkedIn report
Looking for work? Investing in your career may also mean changing your zip code, according to LinkedIn.
The popular professional networking website recently compiled a list of the top 25 cities on the rise across the United States in 2025, focusing on metropolitan areas where “hiring is accelerating, job postings are surging and talent migration is reshaping local economies.”
Those include Sacramento.
Here’s what makes California’s capital city a top destination for job seekers:
Why is Sacramento one of best US cities for job seekers?
Sacramento was No. 16 on LinkedIn’s list of the 25 U.S. cities on the rise in 2025, trailing behind Colorado Springs, Colorado.
According to LinkedIn, top industries hiring in the City of Trees include professional services, government administration and health care.
Top employers in the Sacramento area include UC Davis, UC Davis Health and Sutter Health.
“From semiconductor plants to new medical centers, billions are flowing into California’s capital,” LinkedIn said. “With tourism on the rise, the city is seizing the moment, moving ahead with major infrastructure upgrades like a $1.3 billion airport expansion to support its next chapter of growth.”
On average, Sacramento residents earn an annual salary of $70,420, LinkedIn said, and the average home listing price was $858,800.
As of Monday, Aug. 18, the average Sacramento home was valued at $483,502, according to real estate website Zillow.
LinkedIn said Sacramento residents “gravitate toward spots that offer fresh air and a slower pace,” including parks and neighborhood bookstores. Sacramento was the only California city on LinkedIn’s list, which included Boise, Reno and Portland, Oregon.
Where are LinkedIn’s top cities for careers?
Rather than large cities, LinkedIn said it decided to spotlight mid-size cities with “vibrant job markets and growing professional communities.”
“In today’s economy, companies are expanding beyond big-city headquarters to tap into more affordable markets and deep talent pools — and workers are following,” LinkedIn said in an article published July 12. “Whether you’re starting out, switching careers or looking for your next move, these are the cities to watch,” LinkedIn said.
Here’s which metro areas that made the top five:
1. Grand Rapids metro area in Michigan
- Top industries: Manufacturing, health care, professional services
- Top employers: Corewell Health, Grand Valley State University, Meijer
- Average income: $65,235
- Average home listing: $524,195
Grand Rapids boasts a “growing tech scene and booming insurance industry,” LinkedIn said, noting that young professionals are also drawn to the metro area’s “growing job market, bustling downtown and proximity to Lake Michigan.”
2. Boise metro area
- Top industries: Professional services, manufacturing, health care
- Top employers: Micron Technology, St. Luke’s Health System, Boise State University
- Average income: $63,685
- Average home listing: $819,700
According to LinkedIn, Boise’s tech industry is “fueling a surge in development.
Boise residents also enjoy their proximity to nature including local parks and campgrounds, the networking site said.
3. Greater Harrisburg area in Pennsylvania
- Top industries: Professional services, manufacturing, health care
- Top employers: WellSpan Health, UPMC, Penn State Health
- Average income: $64,065
- Average home listing: $430,775
The capital of Pennsylvania enjoys “a lower cost of living coupled with investments in small businesses and health care,” LinkedIn said.
4. Albany metro area in New York
- Top industries: Professional services, manufacturing, health care
- Top employers: Regeneron, Albany Medical Center, University at Albany
- Average income: $71,970
- Average home listing: $604,345
LinkedIn credited the University of Albany with helping bolster the New York state capital city’s reputation as a “growing hub for high tech jobs and semiconductor research.”
5. Greater Milwaukee
- Top industries: Professional services, manufacturing, health care
- Top employers: Northwestern Mutual, Advocate Aurora Health, Medical College of Wisconsin
- Average income: $72,315
- Average home listing: $502,220
Tourism, tech jobs and a “booming local housing market” make the Wisconsin city “an increasingly attractive area to live and work,” LinkedIn said.
How did LinkedIn come up with labor market list?
To determine the 25 top U.S. cities on the rise, LinkedIn said it identified metro areas “experiencing the strongest job market momentum and more workers moving in versus out.”
In addition to its own “exclusive labor market data,” LinkedIn explained, it looked at data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Realtor.com and Lyft.
