2018’s Best Places for Summer Jobs

Summer isn’t just a season of daily walks on the beach or picnics at the park. For some people, especially young adults, the warmer months are a time to gain extra spending power or work experience.

But whether you need or want a summer job, where you look for one will matter almost as much as what you do. Obviously, opportunities will be more widely available in some places than in others. And while a job may pay well in one city, the same position may not pay as much in another. Minimum-wage laws and local costs, for instance, will determine how much you earn and consequently what you’ll be able to afford in terms of housing, transportation and social activities. More importantly, if you’re supporting yourself, location will dictate how much of your income you’ll be able to save if that’s your goal.

With summer-job seekers in mind, WalletHub compared the relative strength of more than 180 markets in the U.S. across 21 key indicators of employment outlook, affordability and downtime-friendliness. Our data set ranges from median income of part-time workers to availability of summer jobs to rental price for a one-bedroom property. Read on for the complete ranking, job-hunting advice from a panel of experts and a full description of our methodology.

Main Findings

 

Best Places to Get a Summer Job

Overall Rank (1=Best)	City	Total Score	‘Youth Job Market’ Rank	‘Social Environment & Affordability’ Rank
1	Scottsdale, AZ	67.39	1	4
2	Orlando, FL	60.41	4	9
3	Columbia, MD	59.68	8	7
4	Denver, CO	59.37	7	8
5	Portland, ME	59.23	6	10
6	Miami, FL	58.70	2	48
7	Fort Lauderdale, FL	58.68	5	22
8	Atlanta, GA	57.64	3	65
9	Salt Lake City, UT	56.14	9	50
10	Rapid City, SD	55.67	10	45
11	Minneapolis, MN	55.44	15	6
12	Seattle, WA	54.57	30	2
13	Austin, TX	53.56	14	37
14	Reno, NV	53.56	17	26
15	San Francisco, CA	53.42	40	1
16	Cincinnati, OH	53.26	12	58
17	St. Paul, MN	53.25	16	39
18	Portland, OR	53.17	34	5
19	Charleston, SC	52.61	11	120
20	Boise, ID	52.39	23	35
21	Colorado Springs, CO	52.38	25	27
22	Salem, OR	52.03	20	63
23	Richmond, VA	51.90	13	96
24	Boston, MA	51.50	29	25
25	Las Vegas, NV	51.39	43	13
26	Chandler, AZ	51.03	28	43
27	Tempe, AZ	50.92	27	59
28	Nashville, TN	50.82	19	105
29	Overland Park, KS	50.77	22	87
30	Pittsburgh, PA	50.77	35	29
31	Raleigh, NC	50.62	21	92
32	Irvine, CA	50.54	18	121
33	Tampa, FL	50.10	39	32
34	Dallas, TX	49.70	26	109
35	Bismarck, ND	49.68	38	44
36	Washington, DC	49.57	58	12
37	Spokane, WA	49.43	37	52
38	Madison, WI	49.21	32	84
39	Phoenix, AZ	49.05	51	24
40	Virginia Beach, VA	48.94	47	51
41	Dover, DE	48.75	24	138
42	Fargo, ND	48.61	33	99
43	Plano, TX	48.50	31	108
44	Tacoma, WA	48.36	57	23
45	Grand Rapids, MI	48.23	46	72
46	Des Moines, IA	48.01	44	83
47	Mesa, AZ	47.96	50	57
48	Chattanooga, TN	47.85	36	106
49	Charlotte, NC	47.77	42	93
50	St. Louis, MO	47.55	60	28
51	Louisville, KY	47.45	48	88
52	Buffalo, NY	47.11	70	20
53	Sioux Falls, SD	46.94	65	30
54	Juneau, AK	46.90	66	36
55	Chicago, IL	46.86	92	11
56	Los Angeles, CA	46.68	67	42
57	San Antonio, TX	46.54	59	76
58	Peoria, AZ	46.50	49	103
59	Henderson, NV	46.34	69	46
60	Columbus, OH	46.25	53	101
61	Jacksonville, FL	46.19	61	71
62	San Diego, CA	46.13	89	15
63	St. Petersburg, FL	46.05	63	62
64	Gilbert, AZ	46.03	52	119
65	New York, NY	45.72	98	16
66	Columbia, SC	45.67	41	162
67	Honolulu, HI	45.61	130	3
68	Durham, NC	45.41	56	125
69	Kansas City, MO	45.35	71	69
70	Nampa, ID	45.34	45	169
71	Billings, MT	45.30	72	55
72	Milwaukee, WI	45.27	76	60
73	Aurora, CO	45.20	54	130
74	Knoxville, TN	45.15	55	131
75	Glendale, AZ	45.00	64	91
76	Omaha, NE	44.69	108	34
77	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	44.62	97	40
78	Wilmington, DE	44.60	107	18
79	Baltimore, MD	44.58	86	61
80	Sacramento, CA	44.33	111	41
81	Indianapolis, IN	44.16	68	116
82	Cedar Rapids, IA	44.08	83	79
83	South Burlington, VT	44.05	110	31
84	Huntington Beach, CA	43.72	94	70
85	Little Rock, AR	43.65	78	102
86	Providence, RI	43.59	81	97
87	Nashua, NH	43.54	90	80
88	Warwick, RI	43.45	109	47
89	Santa Rosa, CA	43.35	88	94
90	Glendale, CA	43.34	96	82
91	Vancouver, WA	43.21	80	114
92	Manchester, NH	43.10	100	85
93	Lexington-Fayette, KY	42.99	73	132
94	Tucson, AZ	42.79	135	19
95	West Valley City, UT	42.73	113	56
96	Rochester, NY	42.69	137	14
97	Worcester, MA	42.69	91	111
98	Irving, TX	42.66	62	156
99	Houston, TX	42.45	131	49
100	Huntsville, AL	42.32	106	104
101	Missoula, MT	42.24	79	144
102	New Haven, CT	42.21	129	38
103	Albuquerque, NM	42.17	132	53
104	Charleston, WV	42.16	124	64
105	Ontario, CA	42.13	93	126
106	Port St. Lucie, FL	42.03	82	145
107	Cleveland, OH	42.02	119	90
108	Fresno, CA	41.94	77	150
109	Norfolk, VA	41.86	75	155
110	Newport News, VA	41.80	74	166
111	Fort Wayne, IN	41.72	105	129
112	Oakland, CA	41.57	148	17
113	Stockton, CA	41.46	102	135
114	Riverside, CA	41.45	114	124
115	Detroit, MI	41.36	120	113
116	Oklahoma City, OK	41.35	121	112
117	Cape Coral, FL	41.31	95	142
118	Modesto, CA	41.26	134	75
119	Akron, OH	41.15	123	100
120	Huntington, WV	41.15	85	158
121	Burlington, VT	41.14	118	122
122	Lewiston, ME	41.10	104	140
123	Pembroke Pines, FL	40.97	103	147
124	Chesapeake, VA	40.96	87	164
125	San Bernardino, CA	40.88	125	110
126	Lincoln, NE	40.79	141	68
127	Greensboro, NC	40.75	84	167
128	Springfield, MO	40.55	101	158
129	Fremont, CA	40.19	144	73
130	Birmingham, AL	40.18	112	151
131	Fort Worth, TX	39.84	99	172
132	Memphis, TN	39.84	116	154
133	Fort Smith, AR	39.57	122	149
134	Gulfport, MS	39.38	117	168
135	San Jose, CA	39.33	151	74
136	Fontana, CA	39.17	140	95
137	Anchorage, AK	39.02	149	98
138	Tulsa, OK	38.99	139	123
139	Oceanside, CA	38.91	143	107
140	Jersey City, NJ	38.83	157	66
141	Winston-Salem, NC	38.61	136	136
142	Arlington, TX	38.61	115	177
143	Yonkers, NY	38.56	153	77
144	Pearl City, HI	38.29	174	33
145	New Orleans, LA	38.25	164	67
146	Long Beach, CA	38.23	159	78
147	Grand Prairie, TX	37.85	127	173
148	Anaheim, CA	37.80	162	86
149	Philadelphia, PA	37.75	160	89
150	Bakersfield, CA	37.75	150	127
151	Santa Ana, CA	37.41	155	115
152	Santa Clarita, CA	37.34	154	117
153	North Las Vegas, NV	37.30	145	146
154	Garden Grove, CA	37.30	173	21
155	Moreno Valley, CA	37.13	138	165
156	Garland, TX	37.12	133	176
157	Hialeah, FL	36.99	128	179
158	Tallahassee, FL	36.79	146	157
159	Aurora, IL	36.74	142	170
160	Lubbock, TX	36.71	126	181
161	Columbus, GA	36.66	147	160
162	Newark, NJ	36.66	171	81
163	Wichita, KS	36.46	156	137
164	Bridgeport, CT	36.38	172	54
165	Mobile, AL	36.18	158	139
166	Casper, WY	35.65	167	133
167	Corpus Christi, TX	35.07	165	152
168	Fayetteville, NC	35.03	161	161
169	Augusta, GA	34.64	152	178
170	Shreveport, LA	34.53	170	143
171	Cheyenne, WY	34.51	178	118
172	Amarillo, TX	34.15	176	134
173	Chula Vista, CA	34.05	169	163
174	Baton Rouge, LA	34.02	168	171
175	Montgomery, AL	33.92	163	175
176	Toledo, OH	33.62	175	148
177	Las Cruces, NM	33.52	177	141
178	Oxnard, CA	32.60	180	128
179	Brownsville, TX	31.46	179	174
180	Laredo, TX	31.40	166	182
181	El Paso, TX	31.17	181	153
182	Jackson, MS	28.62	182	180

Ask the Experts

As with searching for permanent employment, finding part-time, seasonal or temporary work can be challenging. For advice on overcoming those obstacles, we asked a panel of experts to answer the following key questions:

1. What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job or internship?
2. What types of summer jobs or internships will best equip young people with the skills and experiences they need to secure a full-time career after graduation?
3. What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job or internship?
4. How can local authorities encourage companies to provide summer jobs or internships for young people? Should the government subsidize the cost of summer employment for young people?
5. In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?

Methodology

In order to determine the best cities for summer jobs, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions, including “Youth Job Market” and “Social Environment & Affordability.” Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

We evaluated the two dimensions using 21 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for individuals seeking summer work.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Youth Job Market – Total Points: 75

• Availability of Summer Jobs: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of part-time and temporary jobs per total civilian population aged 16 to 24 in the labor force.
• Availability of Internships: Double Weight (~10.71 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of internship listings per total civilian population aged 16 to 24 in the labor force.
• Summer Employment Growth: Double Weight (~10.71 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the change in employment during summer 2017 and during summer 2016.
• Summer Employment Bump: Double Weight (~10.71 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the difference in employment during summer versus year-round. A higher difference favors summer employment.
• Labor-Force Participation Rate of Population Aged 16 to 24: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
• Unemployment Rate of Population Aged 16 to 24: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
• Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
• Net Employment Outlook: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Notes: This metric measures the percentage of employers who expect to add employees minus the percentage who expect to have fewer, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
• Ratio of Part-Time Workers to Full-Time Workers: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of part-time employees per 100 full-time employees.
• Median Income of Part-Time Workers: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
• Share of Insured Part-Time Workers: Full Weight (~5.36 Points)
  Note: “Insured” refers to those with health-insurance coverage.

Social Environment & Affordability – Total Points: 25

• Share of Population Aged 16 to 24: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Share of Population Aged 16 to 24 in Poverty: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Minimum Wage: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: Data for this metric were available at the state level only.
• Rental Price as Share of Median Income: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the rental price for a one-bedroom property as a share of the median income of part-time workers.
• Access to Public Transportation: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the percentage of commuters who use public transit.
• Commuter-Friendliness of Jobs: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the number of jobs accessible by a 30-minute transit ride per total civilian employed population.
• Annual Costs of Public Transportation Pass for Part-Time Workers: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric measures annual costs of public transportation pass as a share of the median income of part-time workers.
• Fun-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Most Fun Cities in America ranking.
• Active-Lifestyle-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle ranking.
• Singles-Friendliness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Best & Worst Cities for Singles ranking.

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, ManpowerGroup, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Indeed.com, Internships.com, Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Conference of State Legislatures, Numbeo, Center for Neighborhood Technology and WalletHub research.