A new report from NerdWallet, a personal finance website, finds that the Research Triangle Park area is the best bet for finding a job in North Carolina. Four RTP-area towns are included in its newly released list of the best places in North Carolina for job-seekers. NerdWallet analyzed 46 North Carolina cities and towns using four metrics: Population growth between 2009-2012, median household income, median monthly homeowner costs and unemployment rates. These four metrics were then combined to generate an overall score and rank. Only cities and towns with a population greater than 25,000 were considered. Holly Springs ranked No. 2, with NerdWallet noting the town’s proximity to top health and life science employers such as Rex Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline and WakeMed Health & Hospitals. The report names the Wake County Public School System and Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics as the town’s principal employers. The other RTP contenders were Wake Forest, Cary, and Apex! Click here to read more from NerdWallet.
Key Holly Springs metrics:
Population change (2009 to 2012, based on Census data): +19 percent
Median household income (2011, based on Census data): $89,421
Median monthly homeowner costs (2011, based on Census data): $1,665
Unemployment rate (2013): 5 percent
Wake Forest ranked No. 3, with NerdWallet calling the town a “hub of technology” and crediting the town’s economic division for helping businesses procure necessary resources. The report names the Wake County Public School System, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and CenturyLink as the town’s principal employers.
Key Wake Forest metrics:
Population change (2009 to 2012): +15.2 percent
Median household income (2011): $72,421
Median monthly homeowner costs (2011): $1,754
Unemployment rate (2013): 5 percent
Cary slotted in at No. 7, as NerdWallet cites the town’s well-educated workforce and points to Cary’s Chamber of Commerce for advancing economic development by helping businesses expand and relocate. The report names SAS, Verizon Communications and WakeMed Health & Hospitals as the town’s principal employers.
Key Cary metrics:
Population change (2009 to 2012): +6.2 percent
Median household income (2011): $91,997
Median monthly homeowner costs (2011): $1,880
Unemployment rate (2013): 5.4 percent
Apex brings up the caboose at No. 10, with NerdWallet crediting the town’s Small Business and Technology Development Center for fostering a pro-growth environment. The report names the Wake County Public School System, Cooper Industries and EMC Corporation as the town’s principal employers.
Key Apex metrics:
Population change (2009 to 2012): -1.2 percent
Median household income (2011): $86,782
Median monthly homeowner costs (2011): $1,727
Unemployment rate (2013): 5.5 percent