According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Missouri has been steadily dropping since 2010, with more jobs being added yearly. According to statistics gathered by NerdWallet, the best places for job seekers were determined based on the working age population growth of the city, affordability and cost of living, and the employment rate, in cities with more than 15,000 residents.

  1. Jefferson City

“Jefferson City” by Sarah Minor, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - NRCS photo gallery (use search criteria “State: Missouri” and “Category: Urban” to locate image). Image name: NRCSMO02032. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - What makes it great for job seekers: Growth in population, and a low unemployment rate compared to the state of Missouri. Population growth: 5.4% Median Household Income: $48,201/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,113/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.8%

  1. Maryland Heights

http://www.claycorp.com/p/453/magellan-health-services/ What makes it great for job seekers: Excellent level of growth. Training in disaster medicine, dentistry, and X-Ray technology is available at Anthem College. Large employers in town: Magellan Health Services, Edward Jones, Hollywood Casino, and Monsanto Population growth: 5.2% Median Household Income: $55,095/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,348/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

  1. Kirkwood

Facebook/ Kirkwood School District What makes it great for job seekers: Solid growth and median income. Saint Louis County Department of Human Services’ career center in nearby Maplewood offers career support, and the state Division of Workforce Development offers job boards and skills assessments online. Large employers in town: Kirkwood School District and the Junior College District of St. Louis Population growth: 2.4% Median Household Income: $72,946/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,725/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.4%

  1. Grandview

Facebook/ Peterson Manufacturing Co. What makes it great for job seekers: Population growth, and low homeowners expenses. Specialized career training for health care, IT, animal science or hospitality are available at Metropolitan Community College’s Institute for Workforce Innovation. Large employers in town: Peterson Manufacturing Company, Burger and Brown Engineering, and Mead Westvaco Population growth: 3.7% Median Household Income: $42,092/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,179/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

  1. Ballwin

Facebook/ City of Ballwin Missouri Government What makes it great for job seekers: It has a great median income level and low homeowner costs. West County People in Business chapters meetings in Ballwin provide great networking opportunities, and the St. Louis Agency of Training and Employment’s job center is nearby in St. Louis.
Population growth: 1.1% Median Household Income: $83,441 Homeowner Costs: $1,749 Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

  1. Chesterfield

http://www.stlukes-stl.com/location/ What makes it great for job seekers: Recent business developments include the headquarters for the Reinsurance Group of America, a Monsanto research center, and Mercy Health’s virtual care center. Resources for job seekers include Logan University Career Development Center’s annual job fair for health care careers and nearby University of Missouri St. Louis’ Computer Education and Training Center for tech careers. Large employers in town: St. Luke’s Hospital Population growth: 2.5% Median Household Income: $96,851/yr Homeowner Costs: $2,162/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

  1. O’Fallon

Yelp.com What makes it great for job seekers: The nearby St. Charles Community College offers workforce training for jobs, and manages the Career Center Partnership, which offers career counseling, and resume and interview skills training. Also, the St. Charles County Career center offers workshop and job fairs.
Large employers in town: CitiMortgage, MasterCard St. Louis Operations Center Population growth: 5.8% Median Household Income: $77,210/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,596/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

  1. Wildwood

Facebook/ St. Louis Community College-Wildwood What makes it great for job seekers: It has the highest median household income at $120,507. There are also many different resources for job seekers. The St. Louis Community College offers classes locally to Wildwood students, offers career training at its nearby campuses in Bridgeton and Ferguson, and also offers online professional development classes catered to working adults. Population growth: 3.0% Unemployment Rate: 4.1%

  1. Columbia

“University of Missouri - Jesse Hall” by AdamProcter - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - What makes it great for job seekers: It has the lowest unemployment rate. Job skills, fairs, training and career counseling opportunities are available at the Moberly Area Community College and the Columbia Career Center, and Job Point.
Large employer in town: University of Missouri Population growth: 10.3% Median Household Income: $43,084

  1. Lee’s Summit

http://trumed.org/lakewood What makes it great for job seekers: High median household income at $76,179 per year. Availability to obtain career growth through the University of Central Missouri’s Summit Center, as well as a satellite campus for University of Central Missouri, and help with resumes, interviews and career counseling at the Independence Career Center, located only about 20 minutes away in Independence.
Large employers in town: Truman Medical Center, U.S. Benefits Center Population growth: 12% Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

  1. Wentzville

http://wentzville.gm.com/Facilities/public/us/en/wentzville/news.html What makes it great for job seekers: Has a low unemployment rate of just 3.9 %, and 33% population growth. Also nearby for jobseekers is the St. Charles County Department of Workforce Development in St. Peters, which provides help with resumes, interviewing skills, and career counseling.
Large employers in town: General Motors assembly plant, Serco, Crider Health Center, RK Stratman

Most of the information provided in this article was provided by nerdwallet.com.  Other cities that rounded out the top 15 include: Springfield, St. Charles, St. Joseph and Joplin. What do you think of these findings?  Share in the comments below.

“Jefferson City” by Sarah Minor, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - NRCS photo gallery (use search criteria “State: Missouri” and “Category: Urban” to locate image). Image name: NRCSMO02032. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -

What makes it great for job seekers: Growth in population, and a low unemployment rate compared to the state of Missouri. Population growth: 5.4% Median Household Income: $48,201/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,113/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.8%

http://www.claycorp.com/p/453/magellan-health-services/

What makes it great for job seekers: Excellent level of growth. Training in disaster medicine, dentistry, and X-Ray technology is available at Anthem College. Large employers in town: Magellan Health Services, Edward Jones, Hollywood Casino, and Monsanto Population growth: 5.2% Median Household Income: $55,095/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,348/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

Facebook/ Kirkwood School District

What makes it great for job seekers: Solid growth and median income. Saint Louis County Department of Human Services’ career center in nearby Maplewood offers career support, and the state Division of Workforce Development offers job boards and skills assessments online. Large employers in town: Kirkwood School District and the Junior College District of St. Louis Population growth: 2.4% Median Household Income: $72,946/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,725/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.4%

Facebook/ Peterson Manufacturing Co.

What makes it great for job seekers: Population growth, and low homeowners expenses. Specialized career training for health care, IT, animal science or hospitality are available at Metropolitan Community College’s Institute for Workforce Innovation. Large employers in town: Peterson Manufacturing Company, Burger and Brown Engineering, and Mead Westvaco Population growth: 3.7% Median Household Income: $42,092/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,179/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

Facebook/ City of Ballwin Missouri Government

What makes it great for job seekers: It has a great median income level and low homeowner costs. West County People in Business chapters meetings in Ballwin provide great networking opportunities, and the St. Louis Agency of Training and Employment’s job center is nearby in St. Louis.
Population growth: 1.1% Median Household Income: $83,441 Homeowner Costs: $1,749 Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

http://www.stlukes-stl.com/location/

What makes it great for job seekers: Recent business developments include the headquarters for the Reinsurance Group of America, a Monsanto research center, and Mercy Health’s virtual care center. Resources for job seekers include Logan University Career Development Center’s annual job fair for health care careers and nearby University of Missouri St. Louis’ Computer Education and Training Center for tech careers. Large employers in town: St. Luke’s Hospital Population growth: 2.5% Median Household Income: $96,851/yr Homeowner Costs: $2,162/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

Yelp.com

What makes it great for job seekers: The nearby St. Charles Community College offers workforce training for jobs, and manages the Career Center Partnership, which offers career counseling, and resume and interview skills training. Also, the St. Charles County Career center offers workshop and job fairs.
Large employers in town: CitiMortgage, MasterCard St. Louis Operations Center Population growth: 5.8% Median Household Income: $77,210/yr Homeowner Costs: $1,596/mo Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

Facebook/ St. Louis Community College-Wildwood

What makes it great for job seekers: It has the highest median household income at $120,507. There are also many different resources for job seekers. The St. Louis Community College offers classes locally to Wildwood students, offers career training at its nearby campuses in Bridgeton and Ferguson, and also offers online professional development classes catered to working adults. Population growth: 3.0% Unemployment Rate: 4.1%

“University of Missouri - Jesse Hall” by AdamProcter - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons -

What makes it great for job seekers: It has the lowest unemployment rate. Job skills, fairs, training and career counseling opportunities are available at the Moberly Area Community College and the Columbia Career Center, and Job Point.
Large employer in town: University of Missouri Population growth: 10.3% Median Household Income: $43,084

http://trumed.org/lakewood

What makes it great for job seekers: High median household income at $76,179 per year. Availability to obtain career growth through the University of Central Missouri’s Summit Center, as well as a satellite campus for University of Central Missouri, and help with resumes, interviews and career counseling at the Independence Career Center, located only about 20 minutes away in Independence.
Large employers in town: Truman Medical Center, U.S. Benefits Center Population growth: 12% Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

http://wentzville.gm.com/Facilities/public/us/en/wentzville/news.html

What makes it great for job seekers: Has a low unemployment rate of just 3.9 %, and 33% population growth. Also nearby for jobseekers is the St. Charles County Department of Workforce Development in St. Peters, which provides help with resumes, interviewing skills, and career counseling.
Large employers in town: General Motors assembly plant, Serco, Crider Health Center, RK Stratman

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