Employees Are Getting Bigger Paychecks for Less Work in These 6 Cities
Wouldn’t it be nice to work fewer hours and get paid more? According to a study from RewardExpert, this dream can be your reality if you know where to look. The study used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ State and Metro Area Employment, Hours and Earnings report to identify the top metropolitan areas where workers enjoy shorter workweeks and heftier paychecks.
You can see all the rankings here, but we couldn’t resist highlighting some of the best small to mid-sized cities that made the cut:
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Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato, MN came in at #1, and for good reason: employees in this Minnesota college town work an average of 29 hours a week, and crush the national average hourly wage rate, raking in an average of $26.21 per hour. These two factors weigh in and send Mankato to the top of the list. This brief workweek, combined with Minnesota’s vibrant job market, makes the state a haven for young professionals looking to start their careers. Some of the largest sectors in Mankato are health care and social assistance, retail and manufacturing jobs.
Corvallis, Oregon
Located about an hour south of Portland and home of Oregon State University, Corvallis frequently appears on our Top 100 Best Places to Live list due to its tight-knit community, fantastic educational opportunities and gorgeous green spaces. But Corvallis also deserves accolades for a workweek that averages 30.4 hours and an hourly wage average of $29.19. Corvallis residents have access to a variety of careers, but the education and health care, professional services and agriculture industries are among the largest in the area.
Chico, California
Life moves at a different pace in the small city of Chico, CA. Tucked away from the booming technology and entertainment industries in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, Chico came in at number three on the list due to the fact that employees here earn an average of $30.90 an hour. Its workweeks are also pretty laid back and clock in at a mere 30.6 hours. Chico is home to California State University, Chico and Enloe Medical Center, so it’s no surprise that education and health services are major economic drivers. There are also plenty of jobs to be found in the retail and food and beverage industries, too.
It’s no wonder that one out of every eight people in America live in California because it’s home to sunny weather, great job opportunities and a creative culture that contributes to the high quality of life. While this part of the country is notoriously pricey, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find affordable places to live here. You just have to know where to look.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Once a hub for both the manufacturing and lumber industries, Eau Claire has successfully evolved into a thriving center of tech manufacturing and healthcare. Eau Claire is one of Wisconsin’s best places to live, thanks to a vibrant economy and all the amenities provided by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. This city of more than 70,000 landed the fifth spot on RewardExpert’s list due to the fact that it has the fourth-shortest workweek out of the 387 studied metropolitan areas — the average hourly wage for its residents clocks in at $26.57. Looking for a job in Eau Claire? The health care, retail and manufacturing industries are titans of industry.
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is nestled along the coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles. This sweet, coastal city nabbed ninth place thanks to its short workweeks (averaging just 29.6 hours) — short enough for employees to duck out of the office early and get in some surfing.
Because it is farther away from bigger metropolitan areas, hourly wages are slightly lower than those in other cities on the list. However, the average employee can still expect to rake in $33.13 an hour. Tourism, government and education are the three largest economic industries in town. People in San Luis Obispo are delighted with their quality of life, so much so that the city is often called America’s happiest place. (Sorry, Disneyland.)
Ames, Iowa
The charming college town of Ames, IA, has a lot going for it. This small Iowa city routinely earns accolades, and it’s easy to see why. Ames is an ambitious city in the center of Iowa, home to nearly 66,000 people, and growing fast thanks in part to the caliber and quantity of job opportunities here. Home to Iowa State University, it should come as no surprise that education is one of the largest industries in town, but there are plenty of jobs in other industries, like retail and health care, too!
However, one of the city’s greatest attributes is its 31.9 average hourly workweeks and hourly wages of $29.02. Residents here make the most out of those weekly hours and enjoy all four seasons, 37 parks and miles and miles of walking and bike trails.