By: Tania Khadder, Anna Hennings, Adam Starr, Alice Handley | WomenCo.

Now more than ever, it’s important to get the best bang for your buck. And there’s no question about it — when it comes to value, not every U.S. city is created equally.

Why chase a great salary if your rent swallows most of it, unemployment is skyrocketing and you spend two hours a day just to get to and from work?

So, which cities offer the most overall value in 2009?

WomenCo. has come up with the top 25 — and some may surprise you! After examining various city lists, weighing the rankings and taking note of our personal opinions, we’ve produced a list of cities that’s sure to offer something for everyone.

Our Criteria

We looked at cities’ growth rates, average salaries and costs of living.

We factored in average commute time — which, according to experts, has a colossal impact on your overall happiness.

We looked not only at unemployment figures, but also at the rate that unemployment has actually increased since February 2008.

Thinking of relocating for better job prospects? Need to compare two top contenders? Just curious to see where your city ranks? We’ve got you covered. Read on!

#25. San Diego, CA

Population: 1,266,731

Average Salary: $45,210

Cost of Living Rank (in a 1-100 list): 91

Average Commute Time: 23.4 minutes

Job Growth Rank (in a list of 372 Highest Growth Cities): 208

Unemployment Rate: 8.8

San Diego is a splashy surfers paradise in Southern California. If wealth were measured by sun and sand, San Diego would be the nation’s richest city. Unfortunately, the recession has burned San Diego with a 3.8% increase in unemployment. Still, the city enjoys a mean income of over $45,000 and a top-25 ranking amongst the nation’s best cities for job growth. So grab your board and your resume because San Diego remains a promising place to work and even better place to play.

#24. Philadelphia, PA

Population: 1,449,634

Average Salary: $44,460

Cost of Living Rank (in a 1-100 list): 59

Average Commute Time: 29.4 minutes

Job Growth Rank (in a list of 372 Highest Growth Cities): 176

Unemployment Rate: 8.0

The “City of Brotherly Love” — and the largest city on our list — has experienced a modest 3.1% uptick in unemployment, but has maintained an unemployment rate much lower than that of comparable cities. A mecca for tourists and American history buffs, Philadelphia also promotes itself as a center for biomedical and pharmaceutical companies. In recent years, education and health sectors have emerged as principal drivers of the local economy, helping the city stay in our top 25.

Bonus fun fact: The lemon meringue pie was invented in Philadelphia.

#23. Cincinnati, OH

Population: 332,458

Average Salary: $40,540

Cost of Living Rank (in a 1-100 list): 14


Average Commute Time: 21 minutes


Job Growth Rank (in a list of 372 Highest Growth Cities): 207

Unemployment Rate: 8.9

Procter & Gamble, Sunny Delight, and Chiquita Brands International are amongst the impressive list of 10 Fortune 100 companies based in the this all-American, river-front city. Its unemployment rate has not grown as much as other former industrial cities, gaining only 3.6 % since before the economy collapsed. With solid job growth potential, Cincinnati’s big Fortune 100 companies are slowly pulling the city back into a positive economic reality.

Bonus fun fact: Cincinnati was home to the first night baseball game.

Find out which cities are on the rest of the list here!

Further Reading

• Does Your Future Prosperity Depend on Your Zip Code? (0)
• Who’s Hiring Now (0)
• Average Wedding Costs Plummet (2)
• 7 Ideas to Recession Proof Your Mood (1)
• Free Stuff: Weekends at National Parks (0)

Tags: California, career, Chiquita Brands International, Cincinnati, Counties, Philadelphia, San Diego, United States, US

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 11:00 am and is filed under Budget. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.