Cities with low unemployment rates 2018 (job market, wages, to live)

[kyle19125]

Which cities are experiencing shortages of retail/restaurant applicants as the job market tightens?

[Hemlock140]

Here in Seattle and the surrounding suburbs many restaurants and retail places have help wanted signs, but unfortunately, it’s hard to live on that pay here.

[NOVA_guy]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Here in Seattle and the surrounding suburbs many restaurants and retail places have help wanted signs, but unfortunately, it’s hard to live on that pay here.

Same problem here in Northern Virginia.

In DC there's all these new restaurants being built but they can't find the talent. This is probably one of the most underreported stories of the last few years, if the largest metro areas continue to get more and more expensive and continue to price out certain demographics, where are they going to find their retail, fast food, etc workers?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by NOVA_guy

Same problem here in Northern Virginia.

In DC there's all these new restaurants being built but they can't find the talent. This is probably one of the most underreported stories of the last few years, if the largest metro areas continue to get more and more expensive and continue to price out certain demographics, where are they going to find their retail, fast food, etc workers?

I agree, and thought it would be interesting to find out how many areas are seeing this. I suspect it's not limited to the large metros either and could very well extend to the areas seeing aggressive population growth in the Sunbelt region as well.

[Taynxtlvl]

Add Dallas to the list. There was an article in the local paper here about two months ago.

[ckhthankgod]

I’m also wondering if some of this is based upon a shifting of shopping habits in terms of more online shopping as well.

[rynetwo]

https://www.bls.gov/web/metro/laummtrk.htm

[NC2ATL60]

Plain and simple, wages must go up if they are to attract workers. Cities are getting more and more expensive but who can make it in these cities off of $10-12/ hr? No one...

[MinivanDriver]

Here's a pretty easy list.

https://www.bls.gov/web/metro/laummtrk.htm

Basically, if you can't get a job in a metro area with unemployment below 4%, you just aren't trying that hard.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by MinivanDriver

Here's a pretty easy list.

https://www.bls.gov/web/metro/laummtrk.htm

Basically, if you can't get a job in a metro area with unemployment below 4%, you just aren't trying that hard.

Good point and think I had heard/read that any city at or below 3% was in or nearing crisis mode for staffing most positions.