Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter.
Just like the vast outdoors, jobs working in the heat, cold, sun and rain are varied — roofers, mail carriers, forest rangers and landscapers, to name just a few.
Some jobs require people to be outside — such as ski instructors, garbage collectors, linemen, scuba divers and vineyard managers. Some people just prefer working in the sun.
But not every city or its weather is equally suitable for a career in the fresh air and sunshine.
That’s why LawnStarter took stock of the outdoor employment landscape, to bring you its 2021 Best Cities for Outdoor Jobs report.
We compared the 200 largest employment markets in the U.S. across 26 key factors, from outdoor job opportunities to cost of living to average daily temperature.
Following are the best cities for outdoor jobs, followed by our methodology.
Once you’ve finished, grab a shovel and head out into the sunshine.
1. Frisco, TX
Overall Score: 63
Opportunity Rank: 60
Affordability Rank: 1
Work-Life Balance Rank: 199
Safety Rank: 10
Climate Rank: 93
2. Henderson, NV
Overall Score: 62.27
Opportunity Rank: 132
Affordability Rank: 18
Work-Life Balance Rank: 108
Safety Rank: 1
Climate Rank: 46
3. Seattle, WA
Overall Score: 62.2
Opportunity Rank: 26
Affordability Rank: 23
Work-Life Balance Rank: 91
Safety Rank: 11
Climate Rank: 58
4. Scottsdale, AZ
Overall Score: 62.04
Opportunity Rank: 28
Affordability Rank: 17
Work-Life Balance Rank: 147
Safety Rank: 4
Climate Rank: 71
5. Gilbert, AZ
Overall Score: 61.59
Opportunity Rank: 95
Affordability Rank: 8
Work-Life Balance Rank: 164
Safety Rank: 2
Climate Rank: 71
6. Tempe, AZ
Overall Score: 61.16
Opportunity Rank: 15
Affordability Rank: 87
Work-Life Balance Rank: 8
Safety Rank: 31
Climate Rank: 71
7. Vancouver, WA
Overall Score: 61.05
Opportunity Rank: 70
Affordability Rank: 27
Work-Life Balance Rank: 76
Safety Rank: 9
Climate Rank: 39
8. Chandler, AZ
Overall Score: 60.96
Opportunity Rank: 73
Affordability Rank: 12
Work-Life Balance Rank: 145
Safety Rank: 3
Climate Rank: 71
9. Plano, TX
Overall Score: 59.94
Opportunity Rank: 54
Affordability Rank: 6
Work-Life Balance Rank: 174
Safety Rank: 19
Climate Rank: 93
10. Bellevue, WA
Overall Score: 59.73
Opportunity Rank: 16
Affordability Rank: 9
Work-Life Balance Rank: 122
Safety Rank: 115
Climate Rank: 53
11. San Francisco, CA
Overall Score: 58.96
Opportunity Rank: 10
Affordability Rank: 148
Work-Life Balance Rank: 168
Safety Rank: 28
Climate Rank: 11
12. McKinney, TX
Overall Score: 58.72
Opportunity Rank: 134
Affordability Rank: 5
Work-Life Balance Rank: 194
Safety Rank: 8
Climate Rank: 93
13. Boston, MA
Overall Score: 58.63
Opportunity Rank: 11
Affordability Rank: 117
Work-Life Balance Rank: 71
Safety Rank: 6
Climate Rank: 146
14. Portland, OR
Overall Score: 58.05
Opportunity Rank: 64
Affordability Rank: 106
Work-Life Balance Rank: 44
Safety Rank: 17
Climate Rank: 39
15. Las Vegas, NV
Overall Score: 57.7
Opportunity Rank: 138
Affordability Rank: 45
Work-Life Balance Rank: 89
Safety Rank: 16
Climate Rank: 46
Methodology
We ranked the 200 most populated U.S. cities in descending order — from best to worst — based on their individual score totals in the metrics list below. The city that scored the highest was ranked No. 1, or “best.”
- Outdoor Job Opportunities per 100,000 Residents
- Employment Access Index
- Jobs Accessible in 30-Minute Transit Ride
- Labor-Force Participation Rate
- Cost of Living
- Income Tax Rate
- Housing Affordability
- Share of Workers in Poverty
- Median Household Income
- Minimum Wage
- Transit Score
- Average Commute Time
- Length of Average Workday
- Violent Crime Rate
- Property Crime Rate
- Traffic Fatalities per Capita
- Natural Hazard Index Score
- Share of Roads in Poor Condition
- Work-Related Fatalities per 100,000 Employed Residents
- Work-Related Severe Injuries per 100,000 Employed Residents
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Average Yearly Total of Very Hot Days
- Average Yearly Total of Very Cold Days
- Average Daily Temperature
- Average Monthly Precipitation in Inches
- Median Air Quality
*Data for outdoor job opportunities was collected from Indeed on Feb. 17, 2021. It therefore reflects only a snapshot in time and does not reflect the day this report was published.
Sources: AreaVibes, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indeed, National Center for Disaster Preparedness, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Tax Foundation, TRIP, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Walk Score.
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