This U.S. Destination Was Just Named the No. 1 ‘City on the Rise’ for Its Affordability and Job Market

Finding a new job is challenging and takes time. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median duration of unemployment in June 2025 was about 10 weeks. And while that is the median, some job seekers have been on the market for over a year. There is, however, a way to speed up the process, and that’s by moving to a city with a fast-growing job market.

On July 15, LinkedIn released its new list of cities on the rise, which highlights emerging U.S. cities that offer both “vibrant job markets and growing professional communities.” And it named the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area the No. 1 spot. 

“A growing tech scene and booming insurance industry are helping Grand Rapids redefine its industrial identity while drawing a wave of young professionals thanks to its growing job market, bustling downtown, and proximity to Lake Michigan,” reported LinkedIn. It added that the top industries hiring in the area include manufacturing, health care, and professional services, while the top employers are Corewell Health, Grand Valley State University, and Meijer.

Here, workers can expect an average income of $65,235 and an average home listing price of $524,195. This makes the price-to-income ratio of the homes slightly higher; however, according to Apartment Advisor, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,250, a far more affordable option. 

Other cities joining Grand Rapids include the Boise metro area in Idaho at No. 2, followed by the greater Harrisburg area in Pennsylvania (third), the Albany metro area in New York (fourth), and the greater Milwaukee area in Wisconsin (fifth).

For this list, LinkedIn explained that it partnered with Economic Graph to define “on the rise” cities, which included migration data, along with “year-over-year growth across each metric: where talent is landing, where roles are opening, and where people are moving (relative to leaving).” 

LinkedIn also analyzed each destination at the metropolitan area level rather than just the city proper to “better reflect how people actually live and work today.” 

LinkedIn has seen job applications grow by 45 percent year-over-year, with 11,000 applications filed per minute, according to a company statement shared with Travel + Leisure.

See the complete list at linkedin.com