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The 10 Happiest And Unhappiest Cities To Work In Right Now

This article is more than 9 years old.

Which cities claim the happiest employees and which have them singing the geographical blues?

To determine the happiest and unhappiest places to work, fulfillment-focused career site CareerBliss took a look at eight key factors that can influence an employee's contentment, including work-life balance, an employee's relationship with his or her boss and co-workers, general work environment, compensation, opportunities for advancement,  company culture, and resources.

“Where you live can definitely impact your overall happiness and even your perceived happiness in your career," said Heidi Golledge, CEO and co-founder of CareerBliss. "If the majority of companies in a city foster a work environment that encourages career growth and time to enjoy a lifestyle outside of work, there is a very high chance that employees in that city are going to be happier with their jobs then in cities with work cultures who have less work life balance and career growth.”

 Miami, Florida, tops a list stacked with cities in sunnier climes. While the city remains an important tourist hub, it's also a major producer of textiles, pharmaceutical and medical equipment, and agricultural products. Golledge notes that the city is also seeing a growing number of new ventures choosing to call Miami home. 

"We are seeing the beginnings of a start-up culture breathing new life into [Miami]," said Golledge. "More startups are venturing outside of Silicon Valley and bringing new opportunities to cities across the nation.  Even more encouraging is that more traditional businesses are evolving and adding a positive spin on traditional workplaces.” ​

Up next is Sacramento, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada; and Orlando, Florida. Washington, D.C. rounds out the top 5 as the only representative of the Mid-Atlantic region.

At the other end of the spectrum, Cleveland, Ohio, ranks as the unhappiest place to work in the country. (It may be a coincidence, but a greater number of cold-climate cities are viewed as unhappy places to work.)

Indianapolis, Indiana, takes runner up, followed by Kansas City, Missouri, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Austin, Texas, rounds out the top 5 unhappiest places to work.

How does your city stack up? To view the full list of the 10 Happiest And Unhappiest Places To Work, click here.

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