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As automation fears intensify, workers are increasingly looking to the trades for careers that can't easily be replaced by AI.
But which cities offer the best career paths for those in trades?
SupplyHouse, an online distributor of plumbing, heating, and HVAC supplies, ran the data to find out. It looked at dozens of the most populated cities across six factors: workforce density, training access, salary, job growth, union coverage, and cost of living for trades workers.
Continue reading to see the top eight.
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Boston offers the highest median salary among the top 8 cities at $82,385 and boasts the strongest union coverage at 14%. However, the city shows the slowest job growth at just 0.30% from 2019-2024 and has a high cost of living.
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Raleigh has experienced strong job growth of 5.30% over the past five years while maintaining 583 licensed trade professionals per capita. The city also offers a relatively affordable cost of living.
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Philadelphia stands out with the highest union coverage at 12% and offers a competitive median salary of $70,003. The city provides 19 training programs while maintaining 410 licensed trade professionals per capita.
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Mesa ties for the highest number of training programs at 31 and matches Phoenix with 679 licensed trade professionals per capita. The city has seen impressive job growth of 6.50% from 2019-2024 while maintaining a low cost of living score.
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Charlotte offers affordable cost of living for a top-ranked citiy and has experienced strong job growth of 5.80%. The city provides 21 training programs with a median salary of $56,212.
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Nashville leads all cities with the highest job growth at 7.20% from 2019-2024 and maintains the lowest cost of living score of the cities on the list. Nashville supports 652 licensed trade professionals per capita with a median salary of $60,560.
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Phoenix offers an exceptional 31 training programs, the most among all ranked cities, and has experienced outstanding job growth of 6.50%. The city maintains 679 licensed trade professionals per capita with a median salary of $60,474.
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Omaha took first with the highest concentration of licensed trade professionals at 756 per capita and a competitive median salary of $68,147. The city provides eight training programs, which is a lot for its size, and maintains a reasonable cost of living.
