When you are trying to decide where you want to live on your next travel therapy assignment, what are some criteria you should consider? You probably have that mental checklist in your head of things you hope to see or do in a certain area, aside from taking care of patients. Perhaps you have a temperature range in mind, or certain geographical features like beaches, mountains, or lakes. Maybe you are looking for a city with a lively nightlife, or you want to live in a more rural community where you can enjoy a slower lifestyle. From there, the question is obvious – what states fit the description in your head, and where are the best cities for healthcare jobs in that state?
Aside from the attractive, physical features of a destination, it is important to also consider other things when looking for your next travel destination, such as the concentration of health care jobs in the area, the median salary and monthly rental costs. These factors are what Forbes had in mind when it compiled a list in February of the best cities for healthcare jobs.
10 Best Cities for Healthcare Jobs
If you are looking for destinations for a certain specialty, such as occupational therapy, check out this list of top 10 destinations for occupational therapists that we put together last year. As for healthcare jobs in general, here’s our list of the 10 best cities for healthcare jobs.
1. Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Durham-Chapel Hill, which is in central North Carolina, is the top area for North Carolina healthcare jobs, with 99 out of every 1,000 jobs being healthcare related. The median occupation salary for healthcare jobs is $60,800, and average monthly rent for a one-bedroom costs $1,135.
2. Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio, which sits near the Ohio-Michigan state line has a median occupation salary of $58,900 and monthly rent for a one-bedroom is $519 on average. The healthcare employment per 1,000 jobs is 75.
3. Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI
Not far from Toledo is Detroit, Michigan, where the healthcare employment per 1,000 jobs is only slightly lower than Toledo at 70. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia area is $550, and the median occupation salary is $64,180.
4. Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio, on Lake Erie, has a median occupation salary of $60,970 for healthcare workers, and 74 out of every 1,000 jobs are healthcare-related. The median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $627.
5. Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas, on the western side of the state near the New Mexico state line, has 75 Texas healthcare-related jobs for every 1,000 jobs, and the median occupation salary is $52,860. Rent costs about $638 on average for a one-bedroom apartment.
6. Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama
You could move south and check out Birmingham, Alabama, where the median occupation salary is $54,890 and rent will cost you about $873 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. In the Birmingham-Hoover area, 79 out of every 1,000 jobs are in healthcare.
7. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Like Ohio, North Carolina made the list twice for having the best cities for healthcare jobs. Winston-Salem, which is further west in North Carolina from Durham-Chapel Hill, has an average rental cost of $785 a month for a one-bedroom, and the median occupation salary is $57,040. There are 77 healthcare-related jobs for every 1,000 jobs.
8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Check out the largest city in the Keystone State, and consider a career in Philadelphia. Philadelphia has 78 healthcare-related jobs for every 1,000 jobs, and the median salary is $70,800. The average cost of rent for a one-bedroom is about $1,232 a month.
9. Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky has 72 healthcare-related positions for every 1,000 jobs, and the median occupation salary is $56,860. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $737.
10. Tucson, Arizona
Heading west is always an option. Tucson, Arizona, which is very close to the U.S.-Mexico border, is last on the list for best cities for healthcare jobs, but it offers one-bedroom apartments for about $614 a month. The median occupation salary is $61,900. The healthcare employment per 1,000 jobs is 65.
