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If you are one of the nearly 8 million unemployed Americans who contributed to a national unemployment rate of 4.6% in November, then you might want to consider looking for a new job in North Texas. According to a new report, a trio of cities in the Dallas area is among the best cities for jobs in the U.S.
So, the 2025 job market ended on a down note, but according to WalletHub, perhaps you should take some control over your own fate and see what opportunities might be available to you in Plano, Irving and Grand Prairie.
To determine the best cities for jobs, WalletHub analyzed over 180 cities using 31 key factors that shape the strength of local job markets, including job openings per applicant, employment growth, average starting salary and even average work and commute time.
“It’s important to look at more than just the number of jobs available or the unemployment rate when determining the best place to find employment,” said WalletHub’s Chip Lupo. “Quality matters just as much as quantity, from the average salaries and benefits to job security and overall satisfaction. There are plenty of secondary factors to take into account as well, from how easy a city makes commuting to jobs to whether it’s a good place for raising a family or engaging in recreational activities outside of work.”
Plano came in at a lofty No. 7 in the overall rankings, thanks to its position near the top of the country in the job market ranking portion of the scoring. The suburb to the north is home to massive hubs for job-creating giants such as JP Morgan Chase, Toyota North America, Samsung and NTT Data. The city often finds itself near the top of similar surveys for homeowners, renters, remote workers, and general quality of life.
Irving finds itself at No. 18 on the list, which is certainly not surprising, given that the many offices and headquarters of Las Colinas are located there. Irving ranked No. 5 in the job market part of the survey on the strength of major presences from Exxon-Mobil, Microsoft, McKesson and Kimberly-Clark.
Located at the No. 24 overall spot, Grand Prairie finds itself high on this list on the strength of the No. 13 job market. Let’s hope the jobs at Grand Prairie employers such as Lockheed Martin and Siemens Energy pay well. Earlier this week, we reported on a different survey that noted Grand Prairie has one of the nation’s highest property tax burdens for homeowners.
Other North Texas locales fared fine, but failed to crack the top 30. Garland came in at No. 48 and Big D splashed down at No. 54, while Arlington followed at No. 60.
Although Texas is one of only two states with four cities residing in the top 30 best cities for jobs (Austin is No. 9), one of WalletHub’s experts says that locals likely don’t have to worry too much about job seekers from other states coming to take up too many open jobs.
“Remote and hybrid work have reduced the need for geographic relocation, especially for higher-skill occupations,” said Dr. Haiyong Liu, professor of finance and economics at Texas State University. “Regional convergence in job opportunities makes mobility constrained as good jobs are available in more places, reducing the pull of distant labor markets.”
