The best cities in America for trade workers

Skilled trades are the backbone of everyday life, powering industries from construction and manufacturing to facilities management and safety. But opportunities in these fields vary depending on where you live. Some cities offer more jobs and higher wages, while others make it difficult for tradespeople to build stable, rewarding careers.

To find out where trade workers are set up for success, Trade Safe, a retailer of trade-related goods, examined the 100 largest U.S. cities using data from the Census Bureau, job postings on Indeed, and Google $GOOGL search trends. They evaluated the size of each city’s trade workforce, the median income of workers, the number of open positions relative to population, and the level of online search activity signaling demand. Those combined measures determined which cities provide the most supportive environment for people in the trades.

Continue reading to see the top 10 cities.

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Atlanta rounds out the top 10 thanks to extraordinary demand for trade workers. While it comes in 93rd for employment opportunities and 81st for income potential, its 22nd-place finish for job postings also helped it secure a spot on the list.

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Fort Worth comes in ninth, boosted by a healthy mix of opportunities. The city ranks 20th for employment and 29th for competitive wages. It also stands out for job openings, making it one of the more reliable markets for skilled workers.

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Cleveland is the lone Midwest city in the top 10, largely due to its second-place ranking in search demand. Employers and residents there are clearly eager for trade workers. The city also performs well for wages, but weaker scores in employment and job postings kept it from climbing higher on the list.

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Houston ranks seventh, driven by one of the best markets for openings. The city ranks second in job postings and 30th in search demand. Although wages sit lower at 72nd and employment overall ranks 37th, the abundance of available jobs makes Houston a great destination for trade workers.

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Glendale secures the sixth spot with one of the best employment scores in the country, ranking fifth overall. Job openings also rank strongly at sixth, highlighting steady growth across the trades. However, the city ranks 82nd in wages.

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Denver lands in fifth, thanks to high search activity. The city ranks sixth in search demand and eighth in job postings, reflecting strong interest in skilled trades and steady employer hiring.

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Chandler earned its fourth-place ranking through balance across several metrics. The city ranks sixth for employment and 13th for wages, offering strong opportunities and solid pay. Job openings came in 14th, underscoring steady demand.

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Irving takes third thanks to its top-ranked job openings score. Employment opportunities rank 24th, while wages are less competitive at 60th.

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Mesa claims second place with a strong showing across multiple categories. The city ranks 10th for employment, 16th for wages, and fourth for job postings, highlighting an especially favorable job market.

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Arlington tops the list as the best city for trade workers, combining strong job opportunities with high demand. It ranks second for employment, third for job openings, and 10th for search demand, showing an exceptional balance of opportunity and visibility.