America’s Best Cities for Corporate Workers in 2024

In recent years, the United States has experienced a significant shift in the way people work. The shift toward remote and hybrid work has impacted millions of Americans, but none more than ‌corporate workers, also known as knowledge workers, white-collar workers, and office workers, among other descriptions.

Historically, some corporate jobs have been viewed as demanding and have been accompanied by long hours at the office. But in recent years, the mindset of the employer and employee has changed, with a new emphasis on employee well-being and mental health, work-life balance, increased autonomy and trust provided by digital tools and communication platforms, and most of all, flexible work arrangements that many companies have embraced to provide workers a balance of personal and professional time and more effective use of their days. 

In 2024, the relationship between place and economy is evolving rapidly, and work is shaping the growth and development of cities across the country. While the digital revolution is benefiting many industries and workers by providing flexible work arrangements, cities that are home to a wide variety of corporate jobs are some of the best places to call home for many Americans. And the list of those cities offering work in the corporate world is constantly growing. Outside of major metro areas like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, cities of all sizes are providing corporate workers with high-paying jobs, affordable housing, and many more attractive benefits. 

With this in mind, Checkr compiled a list of the best cities for current corporate workers and for individuals seeking a new home with great employment opportunities in the corporate world.

Additionally, business owners looking to relocate or hire top talent in specific geographic locations can use this data to find a place that is well suited for their needs as a corporate employer as well.

To showcase the top cities for corporate workers, Checkr crunched the numbers using data sourced from the US Census Bureau. We dug into six critical factors about the 100 largest US metro areas. Each of the following six key factors was weighted appropriately and scaled, and then we calculated the weighted sum of the factors to obtain a final Corporate Score—the higher the score the better—using the metrics below.

Key Factors:

Now that we’ve revealed the key factors, let’s check out some important findings. 

Let’s start by looking at the top of the list when it comes to corporate jobs in America.

*Data analyzed by Checkr from the US Census Bureau

Above you’ll see that Raleigh, NC tops the list as America’s best city for corporate workers, boasting the best Corporate Score of 87.0—a result of Raleigh’s top 10 ranking for key metrics like wage growth, unemployment rate, and corporate workforce size. 

Raleigh has seen impressive job market growth over the past decade, in large part due to the Research Triangle, a common nickname for the area of North Carolina anchored by Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill—home to the region’s three major Universities: North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

The Research Triangle is well-known for its corporate jobs in healthcare, tech, software development, and life sciences—a great place for anyone looking to land a corporate job or find a new place of employment. 

Joining Raleigh near the top of the list is fast-growing Austin, TX. A booming tech hub, Austin ranks inside the top 10 for multiple key metrics including wage growth, workforce growth, workforce size, and the number of households earning more than $200,000 annually. This comes as no surprise as companies like Tesla, Apple, Dell, Amazon, Facebook, Indeed, Oracle, and Charles Schwab have a major presence in Austin in 2024.

Rounding out the top five on the list are three smaller but popular cities: Boise, ID, Charleston, SC, and the notable midwestern tech hub and home to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.

Raleigh’s neighbor Durham, NC ranks 6th on the list of the best cities for corporate jobs, followed by Ogden, UT, Palm Bay, FL, Nashville, TN, and Seattle, WA. These cities offer a complex mix of opportunities in several different industries and are all great options for corporate workers looking to take the next step in their careers. 

Here’s an additional quick snapshot of the top 10 cities for corporate workers:

For individuals and businesses on the lookout for opportunities in the corporate world, this top 10 list would be a great place to start, along with the rest of the top 25 list featured in the graphic above. 

Next, let’s review the cities that fall on the other side of the corporate worker and opportunity spectrum—the low-ranking cities in America for corporate jobs.

We’ve learned why certain cities in the US are booming with opportunities for corporate workers while experiencing economic growth. But why are some cities flourishing while others are struggling to provide the same opportunities?

It’s important to remember that several factors should be considered here: economic investment, demographic trends, environmental constraints, social and political instability, and market conditions, among others.

Furthermore, economic dynamics play a crucial role, with established economic hubs often attracting more corporations due to existing infrastructure, networks, and resources conducive to business growth. Additionally, geographical location and accessibility, along with governmental policies and incentives, shape corporate decisions regarding headquarters and office locations. 

It's equally important to recognize that each city's corporate potential is influenced by their own unique combination of factors, and addressing the challenges requires a comprehensive approach that involves collaboration between government, private sector entities, and the community to identify and overcome barriers to growth.

Now, let’s map out the cities that are currently showing less opportunity for corporate workers, according to our analysis.

*Data analyzed by Checkr from the US Census Bureau

The graphic above shows El Paso, TX as the lowest-ranked city in the country for corporate workers. Additional research shows many locals believe the El Paso job market is increasing in some aspects but may be dwindling in certain professional or corporate areas. 

According to an interview via CBS El Paso, residents believe that many locals are leaving the area to pursue specialized jobs in other regions in Texas as the larger cities in the state are booming with opportunity, such as Austin, Houston, and Dallas. 

El Paso, however, ranks in the bottom 10 for the unemployment rate for corporate workers, corporate worker labor force size, and for the percentage of households making $200,000 annually. 

Joining El Paso in the bottom five are: Jackson, MS; Wichita, KS; Baton Rouge, LA; and Bakersfield, CA. 

Rounding out the bottom 10 on the list of top cities for corporate workers are Springfield, MA; Las Vegas, NV; Lakeland, FL; New Orleans, LA; and Fresno, CA.

Here’s an additional quick snapshot of the cities at the bottom of the list of the best cities for corporate workers:

These low-ranking cities may struggle to offer corporate jobs due to various factors. One key factor is the lack of a conducive business environment, which may include high taxes, burdensome regulations, and limited access to capital or investment incentives.

Additionally, inadequate infrastructure, such as unreliable transportation networks or outdated facilities, can deter corporations from establishing a presence in certain cities. Moreover, a shortage of skilled labor, resulting from deficiencies in education and workforce training programs, can also hinder corporate growth.

Finally, let’s look at the full rundown of all the 100 largest metro areas and how they stack up in terms of the best and worst cities for corporate jobs in America.

Data analyzed by Checkr from the US Census Bureau

For more information on Checkr’s research or to request graphics, please contact press@checkr.com.

To rank America’s best cities for corporate workers, Checkr analyzed six key factors from the US Census Bureau. The factors include labor force growth, unemployment rate, wage growth, labor force size, rate of median income to housing costs, and the percentage of high-earning residents making more than $200,000 annually. Each factor was weighted and scaled appropriately by Checkr resulting in the final rankings of America’s best cities for corporate workers. 

About the author

Sara Korolevich serves as checkr.com’s editor and content manager. In this role, she produces educational resources for employers on a broad range of screening topics, including background check compliance and best practices. She also writes about Checkr’s company and product news to keep customers updated and informed.