Best Places to Live for Healthcare Jobs

 The best places to live for healthcare jobs may surprise you. With the influx of new patients and the reorganization of the industry due to the Affordable Care Act, some cities are getting a jolt of economic growth.

Deciding which job to take, especially if it involves relocation, is a big decision. Most people are looking for a new city that will provide plenty of employment opportunities, recreational activities, and provide security for potential family opportunities down the road.

Figuring out where you want to live can be quite stressful, and where you choose to set down roots helps determine how happy you are in your career. If you love your job, but hate the commute to work, or how dirty the city is — then you most likely won’t enjoy your job because the stress from outside work eventually bleeds over.

This means that you need to find a city that you enjoy and want to be in for the foreseeable future, which also offers plenty of employment opportunities that will ensure that you have a secure future.

One of the many complications that healthcare professionals experience is that they find a city that they truly love, but their chosen specialization or medical field isn’t thriving or is expected to decline over the next decade.

This means healthcare professionals are tasked with determining whether or not they want to risk their career stability by living in a place they truly love without career stability, or live in a place that they feel is “average”, but has tremendous career stability.

As one can see, it’s a delicate balance that needs to be found, which is why we have put together this list of fantastic cities that also offer great opportunity and employment stability.

One of the main factors to consider is where you want to work and the best places for your chosen field. A great salary isn't great if taxes and living expenses account for a substantial chunk of your paycheck.

There are plenty of great resources available for you to get an idea of what you should expect in terms of salary for various locations. One of them is the BLS’ Occupational Outlook handbook.

You can do a little research on the occupational outlook for your particular field at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For instance, you can look up the median salary for a Dentist across the nation in the handbook, and you’ll find that the 2017 Median Pay for Dentists was: $158,120.
If you are looking for a Dentist opportunity in one city, and it’s above or below the median salary for the country, then you can make more informed decisions about whether or not financially it’s a solid opportunity for your career.

Another useful tool for you to use is our Career Insights. To get an estimate on what the potential earnings, salary outlook, and employment projections for each career in the healthcare industry, review our Salary Trends page.

To help you with your relocation needs, we’ve put together a list of some of the top cities for healthcare career opportunities.

With each city, we’ll also detail some of the most exciting features about each city and why you should consider it.

Best Places to Live for Healthcare Jobs

 

15. Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona is one of the more expensive cost of living cities on our list of best places to live for healthcare jobs. The Cost of Living Index puts Tucson are 131, as you can expect to pay slightly higher prices for various areas.

Tucson is home to roughly 530,000 residents. This means that there are plenty of healthcare opportunities and careers available for qualified healthcare professionals looking to set their roots down in an exciting city.

One of the largest employers in the city is a renowned hospital: Banner University Medical Center Tucson.

14. Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky is one of the most exciting hustle and bustle cities in the state, as it houses roughly 320,000 residents.

Lexington is known as the Horse Capital of the World due to the Kentucky Derby champions that stemmed from Lexington. However, the city is also known for the University of Kentucky, and the strong economy associated with the healthcare industry.

Lexington has plenty of hospital and healthcare employment opportunities.

Lexington is constantly rated as one of the best places to live in the United States for its unique city features and cost of living affordability.

One of the best healthcare employers in Kentucky is the University of Kentucky.

13. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Home to some of the most famous national monuments and historical features of our country, Philadelphia joins our list of best places to live for healthcare jobs.

If you’re passionate about history, then you should consider moving to Philadelphia to start or improve your healthcare career. Home to the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence, the city is a dream for history lovers.

Philadelphia comes in at 99.5 cost of living index. This means that living in Philly is slightly cheaper than the rest of the healthcare industry.

Philadelphia is home to some of the best hospitals in the northeast, including the University of Penn hospital system.

This means that if you are passionate about history and want to work in some of the finest institutions and research facilities in the healthcare industry, then you should consider moving to Philadelphia.

12. Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama is home to some of the most unique art culture in the country. One of the most recognizable healthcare facilities and organizations in Birmingham is the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. This hospital is not only one of the best healthcare facilities in the city, but also one of the best in the country.

The city is known for its passionate football fan base, and is the most populated city in the state of Alabama. The city is home to roughly 215,000 residents.

11. Detroit, Michigan

This city comes in at number 11 in our best places to live for healthcare jobs. The city of Detroit was one of the cities that was hit the hardest during the most recent economic recession, but it has come roaring back in style.

Many companies have made a commitment to revitalize the city and turn the outlook around in a positive fashion. One of the industries that has been a large component of the revitalization of Detroit is the healthcare industry - as Michigan has some of the finest institutions in healthcare research and practice in the state.

Detroit, Michigan has been clawing its way back to be on of the premier cities in the state, and that trend only appears to be going upward.

Detroit is home to some of the most fascinating cultural and artistic museums, as well as top-tier sports teams.

Whether you’re passionate about music, culture, sports, or something else - you can find something to love about Detroit when you’re not working hard as a healthcare professional.

The city of Detroit has roughly 680,000 residents.

One of the best hospitals to work in Detroit is: DMC Harper University Hospital.

10. Rochester, Minnesota

Rochester, Minnesota comes in a little below average for cost of living at 92 (average is 100), but let’s face it, they are known for having some brutal winters. They have one of the best hospitals in the country; that hospital being the Mayo Clinic.

The Mayo Clinic is a great hospital to work for, providing many jobs to the area. They have exceptional staff and do their best to employ the best people and train leaders in the health community.

In addition to the stable healthcare employment opportunity that Mayo Clinic provides, it also helps contribute a sizable chunk to Rochester’s economy.

This is due to the fact that so many patients will come in from outside city limits to seek advanced care from some of the best professionals that are featured at Mayo Clinic.

This means that if you want to work at a hospital or healthcare facility that provides plenty of opportunities to impact patients from a variety of states and walks of life, than you should consider working at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

If you don't mind a little snow, it's one of the best places to live for healthcare, but you definitely won't have the sun like if you worked at Jacksonville's Mayo Clinic.

The city of Rochester, MN has a population of roughly 115,000. This means that if you’re looking for a city that doesn’t have too large of a population, then Rochester might be the city for you. On the flip side, Rochester has been steadily rising in population over time, which is great for those healthcare jobs in a city that is growing rapidly over time.

Another fantastic thing about living in Minnesota, is that it has an extensive park system. If you’re an outdoors fanatic, then you can find plenty of opportunities to spend some time outside in exciting parks.

If you’re passionate about living in a city that has a beautiful park system and is growing each year, then this is one of the best places to live for healthcare jobs.

9. Jacksonville, Florida

Florida is a great place for healthcare industry jobs. It has one of the most sophisticated healthcare systems in the country, a huge pharmacy industry, and makes a large portion of the nations medical devices.

Florida boasts and is home to nationally regarded research centers and over 720 hospitals.

This means there are plenty of fantastic employment opportunities for healthcare and hospital professionals who are seeking long-term opportunities in one of the most robust hospital and healthcare centric environments in the country.

It’s clear through the widespread commitment to the healthcare industry in the state that Florida is going to remain a hub for hospital and healthcare professionals moving forward.

Jacksonville, is a good place to live if you are a healthcare worker. Similar to Rochester, Jacksonville is also home to a Mayo Clinic hospital.

It houses The Mayo clinic, which is one of the esteemed hospitals in Jacksonville (and one of the best in the country), and it employees a large number of workers and provides nationally ranked care.

Jacksonville has a livability ranking of 79 out of 100, but comes in at the 100 average for living costs, so some of these locations above would be better for your money.

Florida is well known for its expensive tastes and cost of living expenses, so you need to ensure that the hospital or healthcare job you are looking at is going to compensate you for those extra living expenses.

Jacksonville, Florida has roughly 900,000 residents, so it comes in at one of the top cities in our list of 10 best places to live for healthcare jobs.

There are plenty of exciting things to do in Jacksonville, so virtually everyone can find something they are passionate about or enjoy doing during their free time.

For instance, if you’re passionate about sports - there are plenty of professional and collegeiate sport teams that you could attend.

If you have a passion for an exciting night life, then you can find plenty of the top bars and nightclubs to visit.

Jacksonville is also home to some of the best shopping centers for those individuals who enjoy spending their cash on luxurious items.

Jacksonville is an exciting place to live if you can deal with the hustle and bustle of a large city and expensive cost of living. It is one of the best places to live for healthcare jobs.

8. Durham, North Carolina

Durham, NC has an 80% livability rating because of its overall climate and cost of living, but it only comes in 3% below the nation's average for living expenses. In Durham lies one of the best university hospitals in the nation - Duke. Duke provides many jobs to the area and is a great employer.

With over 900 beds, it requires many positions and is a great place for graduates to get their start.

Durham, North Carolina is home to roughly 230,000 residents in the city.

One great thing that Durham, North Carolina is known for is the “research triangle” for housing several different technology, education, and scholarly institutions in the area.

There are also plenty of museums and attractions that could be exciting to any individual from all walks of life.

If you are looking for a city that has established a community and commitment to engaging research, then Durham, North Carolina might be the city for you, and is one of the best places to live for healthcare jobs.

7. Boston, Massachusetts

Boston gets to claim bragging rights to no less than 21 four-year colleges and universities.

This makes it the unofficial center for higher education in the nation. Needless to say, high-tech industries are attracted to the city due to the amount of well-educated students that are within city limits.

Some of the most high-tech industries are looking for quality talent, they reduce their recruitment budgets by recruiting those individuals who are directly in their backyard.

This also means that some of the most advanced and exciting healthcare and hospital companies are located in the region as well. The cost of living is on the high side, however, so that has to be taken into account.

The city of Boston has roughly, 690,000 residents.

The city of Boston has plenty of things to do for everyone. You can go whale watching, visit museums, go on lengthy tours, and also attend some sporting events from some of the most beloved and exciting sport franchises to watch.

With all these industries come people and businesses in need of healthcare services. A few of the renowned hospitals in the area are Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

They have one of the countries best locations for healthcare services and with that comes a high demand for positions in the industry.

6. Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville comes in at number 6 on our best places to live for healthcare jobs. Nashville has a cost of living that is 3.4% below the national average. This means that Nashville is a great city to live in if you are looking for a city that has a slightly cheaper cost of living.

Everyone knows that Nashville is the capital of America’s country music industry. But that isn’t the only strength to Nashville’s economy and vitality.

It is also a national leader in finance and insurance, healthcare, and biotechnology.

With all of these jobs comes people in need of doctors, nurses, and other health specialties, making it one of the best places to live for many industries.

The healthcare industry is Nashville's largest and fastest employer, and it brings over 250,000 jobs to the area. The major contributors in Nashville’s healthcare and wellness industries are Vanderbilt Medical Center and Nashville General Hospital.

Nashville is home to roughly 700,000 residents - and that number keeps growing every year as new companies look to set up shop in a bustling city.

This means that Nashville is an exciting town to work in - which is something that many hospital and healthcare professionals are seeking.

Nashville is home to plenty of fantastic recreational and luxury activities - and that number continually grows at an alarming rate.

If you’re passionate about finding a city that is large, constantly growing, and offers plenty of new and exciting things each day - then Nashville is one of the best places to live for healthcare jobs.

5. Austin, Texas

The City of Austin is booming in growth. They have experienced quite a renaissance in the past few years and hoards of people have flocked there to take advantage of their growing number of jobs and low unemployment rates. Austin, Texas has repeatedly been ranked as one of the best places to work in the United States for several years in a row by the USNews.

The cost of living in Austin is very reasonable and is 3% lower than the national average and the cost of housing is 15% below the average.

This means that your dollar goes further in Austin.

As for healthcare jobs, St. David's HealthCare is the third largest employer in Austin and has over 8,100 employees. They are the first health system in Texas to be named "Texas Employer of the Year" by the Texas Workforce Commission and has a nationally recognized Nurse training program.

Another large provider for healthcare jobs in Austin is Cornerstone Hospital of Austin with over 2000 employees and a commitment to excellence for their patients and employees.

Austin, Texas has roughly 1,000,000 residents - and that number keeps growing every year. Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and separates itself as one of the largest cities on our list of 10 best places to live for healthcare jobs.

One of the common complaints that residents constantly mention is the fact that it can get quite hot year-round in Austin. The average temperature for Austin can range anywhere from 61 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, to 96 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.

If the heat doesn’t bother you, and you feel like you can get acclimated to the weather, then you should consider relocating to Austin, Texas.

4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Forbes magazine named Oklahoma City the city most likely to survive the recession in America in 2008. Oklahoma’s capital city is still enjoying active job growth.

It is the state’s center for government and the hub of energy exploration. The city has a low average commute time for most workers, and the cost of living to income ratio is comfortable.

St. Anthony Hospital and Mercy Health Systems are two of the leading medical employers. But the city has 20 medical and surgical hospitals, four specialized hospitals and two federal medical installations. All these institutions create over 60,000 healthcare jobs with a need for more every year.

The healthcare industry is one of the fastest growing industries in Oklahoma at almost 30% expected growth over the next 10 years.

Oklahoma City has roughly 580,000 residents and offers plenty of healthcare and hospital job opportunities for every specialization.

There are plenty of exciting things and activities to participate in when you visit or live in Oklahoma City.

Some of the best things to go do or see include the historical attractions.

3. Salt Lake City, Utah

This biggest city in Utah, Salt Lake City is historically a service-oriented city. Not only is it the home to the Mormon Church, but houses the country’s largest industrial banking center. Top it off with the outstanding seasonal recreational tourism, and Salt Lake City is an attractive place for job growth with a 43.5% growth rate over the next ten years.

With only a 2.9% unemployment rate and low taxes, one can live comfortably on almost any salary in Salt Lake City.

This means that as a healthcare professional, you can enjoy a little bit of comfort knowing that your professional career will be solid in this fine city - and you won’t need to seek employment frequently.

For those healthcare and hospital professionals that are seeking an opportunity to set down some roots and grow their career in one location over a period of time, you should definitely consider Salt Lake City, Utah - as it is one of the best places to live for healthcare jobs.

The major healthcare employers in the city are the University Health System, Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, and Intermountain Health Care.

There are 326 physicians for every 100,000 patients (the national average is 261). There is a small percentage of the population that fulfill the number of healthcare jobs in the area.

So, there are positions to be filled and a great opportunity to land a job in the field because there isn't a ton of competition.

2. San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas. Since the onset of the recent recession, San Antonio boasts the lowest change in its unemployment rate. It also has one of the most stable cost of living to salary ratios in the nation and a cost of living that comes in below the national average. This vibrant city offers multiple opportunities for education, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Area colleges and universities have expanded their research and teaching rolls at area hospitals which has driven the need for more healthcare workers. Health is a big industry in San Antonio. The military base, located there, trains all their medical students in the area and many colleges and universities funnel their graduates into the area.

There are many nursing positions available and the ability for higher education and training is enabled by the universities and hospitals working together.

Similar to Austin, San Antonio is one of the hottest places to live in the country. So you have to be comfortable living in a warmer climate than some of the other options on our list of best places to live for healthcare jobs.

San Antonio is one of the most popular and dense cities in the country, as it has roughly 1.5 million residents within city limits.

This means that you have to be comfortable in an environment with a dense population that is constantly growing each year - as new companies and investors flock to San Antonio for new growth and opportunities.

The flood of new companies and investors means that San Antonio is going to be one of the hot spots for hospital and healthcare companies, as well as healthcare professionals who want to start their career in a thriving city.

1. Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is one of the best places to live if you're looking to make your dollar go further. It is ranked 25th in the country in terms of living costs, 11% below the national average. What it doesn't have in terms of costs of living it makes up for in healthcare employment because it is a great place for healthcare jobs.

It boasts the nationally ranked Cleveland Clinic and has landed some of the biggest investment dollars for healthcare over the past couple of years, which creates more jobs and better care.

It has 5 big hospitals that provide over 100,000 healthcare jobs with that number growing and a great job growth outlook for the future. People come from all around to work and receive care in Cleveland. It is a great overall place to work and live if you are in healthcare.

This means that you’ll be exposed to patients and healthcare professionals from across the globe who are seeking advanced treatment. You’ll be surrounded by some of the best and most proficient healthcare professionals in the industry working in a facility like Cleveland Clinic, and in a thriving city like Cleveland.

Cleveland is home to some of the best sporting teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers - so if you’re a sports fan you can easily root for the home team.

Cleveland comes in around the middle in terms of population on our list, with roughly 400,000 residents.

If you’re looking for a city that has a medium-sized population and has plenty of healthcare industry benefits then you should definitely consider Cleveland.