The Wall Street Journal released their hottest job markets for 2020, and it comes as no surprise to Coloradoans that two Colorado cities, Denver and Boulder, rank in the top five hottest job markets in their respective categories.

In metros with more than 1 million people, Denver jumped from number 9 to number 3 on the list from last year, following closely behind Austin and Nashville.

In metros with fewer than 1 million people, Boulder ranked in the number 1 spot.

The study took five factors into account to determine the “hottest” job markets:

  • The unemployment rate—a low rate suggests ample opportunities for those seeking work
  • Labor-force participation rate—shows what share of adults is employed or seeking work.
  • Job growth—the rate at which employers added to payrolls last year.
  • Labor force growth—shows whether a region is attracting new workers, either from elsewhere or off the sideline.
  • Wage growth—shows whether employers are paying more to attract and retain workers.