January 6, 2021
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Today, Columbia was named the second Best City for Jobs in the United States for 2021 by WalletHub, the personal finance outlet. 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, job market and socioeconomics.
“Howard County continues to be an ideal location for many business owners, companies and entrepreneurs – people want to live, work, and stay here,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “Despite employment setbacks from the pandemic, we’ve seen many indicators that in the long-term we will continue to be the economic engine in Central Maryland. Howard County has proven repeatedly – we are resilient. This recognition is a huge testament to the hard work of our business community to be at the forefront of emerging markets, and to our commitment to providing a strong quality of life for all our residents.”
To determine the strongest local job markets, WalletHub compared cities across 32 key metrics. The data set ranges from job opportunities to employment growth to monthly average starting salary. Columbia ranked notably in the following metrics:
- 40th – Monthly Average Starting Salary
- 1st – Median Annual Income*
- 6th – Housing Affordability
*Adjusted for cost of living