America's Worst Job Markets

Worries about the sluggish jobs recovery continue to nag at the economy but there are glimmers of hope — even in the worst job markets in America, according to the latest jobs report from job-listing site Indeed.com.

“Absolutely, I think the data are showing very clearly that there is a steady recovery,” said Paul Forster, CEO of Indeed.com. “And I expect the momentum to continue — across almost all sectors.”

Take Detroit: At the depths of the recession, in August 2009, Detroit had 18 job seekers for every job listing, according to Indeed.com. Today, there are six job seekers for ever job opening. And, while the Motor City is still one of the worst job markets, it’s moved up the list a couple notches as the auto industry recovers.

On the flip side, consider Jacksonville, Fla.: In August 2009, when Detroit was struggling to survive, Jacksonville was enjoying a run as the No. 5 city on Indeed’s list, with three job seekers for every job. In the latest report, Jacksonville has slipped in its ratio — there are now four job seekers for every opening — and it’s fallen to No. 44 on the list, putting it in the bottom 10, not the top 10.

Is your city one of America's Worst Job Markets? Click through to find out — and learn who's hiring in your town.

By Cindy Perman
Posted 1 Oct 2010

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:4
Population: 332,888
Median household income: $34,415

Unemployment rate:  12.6%
Cost of living: 11.8% below U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: University Community Hospital, BayCare Health System, Citigroup, IBM, JPMorgan Chase

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:4
Population: 208,123
Median household income: $27,123

Unemployment rate: 5.6%
Cost of Living: 16.7% below U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: Rochester General Hospital, Harris Corporation, Paychex, Rochester General Health System, Sears, Bausch & Lomb

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:4
Population: 1.2 million
Median household income: $45,733

Unemployment rate: 10.6%
Cost of living: 32.7% higher than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: University of California, General Atomics, Kaiser Permanente, Northrop Grumman

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:4
Population: 223,388
Median household income: $27,133

Unemployment rate: 8.1%
Cost of living: 4.8% lower than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: AT&T, Ochsner Health System, Louisiana Dept. of State Civil Service, Marriott, Northrop Grumman

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:4
Population: 347,181
Median household income: $27,156

Unemployment rate: 9.9%
Cost of living: 18.7% lower than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: St. Anthony’s Medical Center, AT&T, St. Louis University

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:4
Population: 220,186
Median household income: $35,732

Unemployment rate: 11.9%
Cost of Living: 5.2% lower than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: Florida Hospital Orlando, Peabody Hotel Group, Orlando Health, Marriott, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Siemens

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:4
Population: 794,555
Median household income: $40,316

Unemployment rate: 11.9%
Cost of living: 15% lower than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Everbank, St. Vincent’s

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:5
Population: 453,781
Median household income: $37,049

Unemployment rate: 12.4%
Cost of living: 6.1% higher than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, Catholic Healthcare West, ACS, AT&T, IBM, Intel

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:6
Population: 552,539
Median household income: $44,069

Unemployment rate: 14.7%
Cost of living: 9.5% lower than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, Venetian Resort Hotel-Casino, UnitedHealth Group, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, Wyndham International, Station Casinos, Valley Health Systems, MGM Grand Las Vegas

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:6
Population: 871,121
Median household income: $29,526

Unemployment rate:  14.4%
Cost of living: 23.3% lower than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: Deloitte, Detroit Medical Center, bank of America, General Motors

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:6
Population: 3.8 million
Median household income: $36,687

Unemployment rate: 12.1%
Cost of living: 44% higher than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: Kaiser Permanente, Deloitte, University of Southern California, Cedars-Sinai, Robert Half Finance & Acct., Bank of America

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:6
Population: 293,761
Median household income: $41,646

Unemployment rate: 14.8%
Cost of living: 0.1% higher than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: Kaiser Permanente, Loma Linda University Medical Center, ESRI, Bank of America

Ratio of job listings to job seekers: 1:8
Population: 404,048
Median household income: $23,483

Unemployment rate: 12.8%
Cost of living: 3.2% lower than U.S. average

Major employers hiring right now: University of Miami, Miami Dade College, Baptist Health South Florida, Marriott International, Wells Fargo, AT&T