When looking to buy a new home, there are many factors to take into consideration such as commute time, access to doctors and hospitals, the quality of education their children will have access to, and the quality of work in their own profession. According to a new study 380-city study by AdvisorSmith, El Paso was ranked #1 for Big Cities (500K+ pop.) and Las Cruces was ranked #3 for Mid Sized Cities (150K-500K pop.). Both cities were ranked within the top 7 of 50 Cities for Teachers.

According to the National Service of Education Statistics, the three largest school districts in El Paso were made up of 9,446 teachers, this number is only going to grow based on Beaurea of Labor Statistics. So what is it about El Paso and Las Cruces that make these cities so attractive to teachers? AdvisorSmith used 4 factors to make up their top 50 Cities for Teachers list; total number of jobs, the number of jobs per capita, average annual salaries, and the cost of living.

Top Cities for Teachers by City Size

Thirty-seven of the top 50 best cities for teachers were midsize or small cities, but smaller city living may not be ideal for everyone. In order to highlight this distinction in lifestyle preference, our study segments cities into different sizes based on population, listing the top 10 small (population under 150,000), midsize (population of 150,000-500,000), and large (greater than 500,000 population) cities for teachers.

Rank	City	City Size	Average Annual Salary	Total Jobs	Location Quotient	Cost of Living

1	Hanford, CA	Midsize	$80,330	1,580	2.07	99
2	Grand Island, NE	Small	$69,826	1,280	1.16	88
3	Laredo, TX	Midsize	$62,818	4,120	2.01	85
4	Las Cruces, NM	Midsize	$64,543	2,340	1.69	90
5	El Centro, CA	Midsize	$69,823	2,230	1.97	100
6	Kingston, NY	Midsize	$74,604	1,840	1.33	102
7	El Paso, TX	Large	$60,596	10,130	1.28	83
8	Hinesville, GA	Small	$55,320	410	2.35	84
9	New Bedford, MA	Small	$75,630	2,100	1.43	107
10	Muskegon, MI	Midsize	$58,612	1,470	0.87	80

Methodology

AdvisorSmith’s study examined three key variables in determining the best cities for teachers to pursue their careers in.

1. Average annual salaries for teachers

For the purposes of this study, we focus on teachers ranging from preschool to high school, excluding special education and career/technical education.

We considered the average annual salary earned by teachers across the different teacher groups: preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school in each city in our study. The higher the average salary, the more highly we ranked a given metro area. The average salary for teachers in our study was $51,418.

2. Density of jobs for teachers in each city

Our study leveraged a location quotient, which represents the number of jobs available to teachers, relative to the national average. Cities with a higher location quotient have a higher concentration of jobs for teachers, which means more career opportunities and more demand for developers in those cities. Cities with higher location quotients ranked more highly in our study.

In 2018, there were 3.8 million teachers (preschool through high school) employed in the U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for teachers will grow at a 3.82% pace over the 10-year period of 2018-2028, which is a fast as the national job growth outlook. This was calculated using a weighted average across the different age groups and number of jobs.

3. Cost of living index for each city

We adjusted the salaries earned by teachers in each city by a cost of living multiplier. The cost of living, including necessities such as rent, transportation, and groceries, varies by city, so it is important to normalize the salaries so that the cities can be compared fairly. Cities with more affordable lifestyles were ranked more highly in our study.

Source: AdvisorSmith

If you are a teacher looking to make the move to El Paso or Las Cruces, rest assured that there are many opportunities to grow in your career in these southwest cities. Hakes Brothers can help make your move easy with our knowledgeable sales professionals ready to help you with every step of the way.

If you are looking for a home builder to create your dream home, we have you covered. We currently build new homes within East and West El Paso, TX and all over rapidly growing Las Cruces, NM. Contact our team today to build your home in a city that is perfect for you.