Raleigh in the top 5 cities for jobs in the U.S., Charlotte in top 25

North Carolina’s two largest cities are ranked among the best cities for jobs in the United States.

Raleigh is ranked the No. 4 city in the U.S. for jobs and Charlotte is ranked No. 24, according to employment website Glassdoor, where employees and former employees anonymously review companies and their management.

Glassdoor ranked 25 cities based on number of job openings, median base salaries, median home values and overall average job satisfaction (according to reviews for local employers on its site).

Only Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Kansas City, Mo., ranked higher than Raleigh.

Raleigh had 65,810 job openings, a median base salary of $50,000, a median home value of $228,200 and a job satisfaction score of 3.4 out of 5.

Charlotte, ranked No. 24, had 78,285 job openings, a median base salary of $45,000, a median home value of $174,800 and a job satisfaction score of 3.3 out of 5.

Glassdoor’s “Best Cities for Jobs” report compared the 50 most populated U.S. metro areas using hiring opportunity, cost of living and job satisfaction criteria. Hiring opportunity is the ratio of active job openings to population, cost of living is the ratio of media base salary to median home value. The report was published on Sept. 12, 2017.

To read the full ranking, go to www.glassdoor.com/List/Best-Cities-for-Jobs-LST_KQ0,20.htm.

The statewide North Carolina unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in August, the lowest figure posted since the end of 2000, according to data from the N.C. Department of Commerce.

But job growth has slowed in the state.

“Job growth in North Carolina remained sluggish in August,” said John Quinterno, a principal with South by North Strategies, Ltd., a research firm specializing in economic and social policy. “Over the first eight months of 2017, North Carolina netted a total of 40,300 payroll jobs, which was the smallest net gain posted during the first eight months of a year since 2011. Based on payroll data, North Carolina’s already slow recovery has slowed even more this year.”

Wake County unemployment was 3.8 percent in July (not seasonally adjusted). Updated numbers for August are expected this week.

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Raleigh in the top 5 cities for jobs in the U.S., Charlotte in top 25."