April 2012: The 10 Worst Cities to Find a Job

As employment shows signs of recovery, there are still pockets of cities where the turnaround is much slower.

If you are looking for a change or to relocate you may want to take note of these metro areas, which make up April 2012’s 10 Worst Cities to Find a Job:

10. Milwaukee

Overall Index Rank: 21st

Ranking Change From Last Month: +1

Index Score: 54

City Fact:
After a 5% drop in employment activity in March, Milwaukee gained back 2% of those lost jobs in April. Since last April, Milwaukee has lost 14-points in hiring activity.

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9. St. Louis

Overall Index Rank: 22nd

Ranking Change From Last Month: -1

Index Score: 54

City Fact:
The job market in St. Louis saw a drop of 2% of job opening in April and a 3-point loss from last April.

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8. Cincinnati

Overall Index Rank: 23rd

Ranking Change From Last Month: +1

Index Score: 51

City Fact:
Employment in Cincinnati gained 2% in April, but saw a 8-point loss year-over-year

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7. Phoenix

Overall Index Rank: 24th

Ranking Change From Last Month: -1

Index Score: 49

City Fact:
Phoenix job seekers saw a 4% drop in job opportunities in April, and a 6-point loss from last April.

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6. Tampa

Overall Index Rank: 25th

Ranking Change From Last Month: +/- 0

Index Score: 45

City Fact:
After a 10% gain in hiring last month, Tampa Bay dropped 2% in April. Overall, Tampa has slid 3-points from April 2011.

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5. Los Angeles

Overall Index Rank: 26th

Ranking Change From Last Month: +/- 0

Index Score: 44

City Fact:
Job seekers in Los Angeles saw a 4% drop in hiring in April and a 9-point loss from last March.

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4. Miami

Overall Index Rank: 27th

Ranking Change From Last Month: +/- 0

Index Score: 43

City Fact:
Though Miami is heating up for summer, the hiring activity in April slowed down by 4%. Since last April, Miami has dropped 8-points.

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3. Detroit

Overall Index Rank: 28th

Ranking Change From Last Month: +/- 0

Index Score: 41

City Fact:
One of the few cities to see a gain in hiring, Detroit saw a 2% spike in employment activity in April. Though the Motor city has lost ground (-4-points) since last April.

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2. Memphis

Overall Index Rank: 29th

Ranking Change From Last Month: +/- 0

Index Score: 39

City Fact:
After a 14% gain in employment activity in March, Memphis dropped 3% in April. Year-over-year Memphis has dropped 2-points in activity.

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1. Riverside

Overall Index Rank: 30th

Ranking Change From Last Month: +/- 0

Index Score: 19

City Fact:
Job activity in Riverside dropped by 1% in April. Since April 2011, Riverside has dropped 4-points in hiring.

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