1. Manchester, N.H.
Unemployment rate: 5.3% (U.S. avg.: 8.6%)
Income growth: 4.64% (U.S. avg.: 2.96%)
$50K+ job postings: 2,681
$50K+ job postings per 100 unemployed: 47 (U.S. avg.: 11)
Manchester weathered the recession with a 6% unemployment rate, and the former mill town’s strong income growth and refurbished business district still make it a promised land for job seekers. Finance and health care are traditionally strong sectors here, with average wages between $64,000 and $75,000 a year. Six percent of city residents work in management positions, pulling in $105,000, on average. Employers such as the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center and Elliot Hospital are hiring for high-paid positions in nursing, information technology and management.