LinkedIn says Sacramento’s combination of career opportunities, affordability, healthcare, higher education and technology industries helped earn the ranking.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento has earned a spot on LinkedIn’s second annual Cities on the Rise report, ranking number 19 among the nation’s fastest-growing metro areas for career opportunity.

The report uses LinkedIn workforce data to identify U.S. metros gaining momentum through hiring, job creation and talent migration, highlighting emerging markets outside the country’s traditional employment hubs.



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Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn’s editor-at-large for jobs and career development, said the rankings are entirely data-driven and evaluate where people are relocating, where careers are growing, which industries are expanding, where employers are investing in talent and quality-of-life factors.

“What we really look for in this list is where people are moving, where people are growing their careers, where there are expanding industries, where there’s strong job growth,” Seaman said. “It’s all data driven.”

According to LinkedIn, Sacramento continues to attract people from the Bay Area and other metropolitan regions by offering a lower-cost alternative while remaining close to major economic centers. The report also points to the region’s Central Valley location as a key driver of its agricultural economy, while UC Davis and the recently opened Aggie Square innovation campus are helping expand the area’s biotechnology and agri-food industries.

Seaman said Sacramento’s combination of affordability, a diverse job market and career opportunities helped set it apart from other California cities.

“So, what we’re seeing is strong career growth,” Seaman said. “It’s really a place where people who are looking for affordable opportunities while still having a strong and diverse job market can settle down and really make a name for themselves.”

He said Sacramento also reflects a broader national trend as professionals increasingly seek cities that offer career growth, lower living costs and a better quality of life than many traditional employment hubs.

In response to the ranking, Sacramento City Manager Maraskeshia Smith said the recognition reflects what residents and businesses already experience in the city:

“Sacramento’s recognition as one of LinkedIn’s Cities on the Rise affirms what our residents and businesses already experience every day: a city with an exceptional quality of life, a diverse and resilient economy, and genuine opportunity to build a future here.

We are committed to growth that works for everyone. That means investing in infrastructure, accelerating housing production at every income level, streamlining development and strengthening community safety — so that opportunity reaches every neighborhood. With Aggie Square, our world-class universities and a thriving innovation economy, Sacramento is exceptionally well positioned for what comes next. We look forward to deepening our partnerships across the region to ensure this momentum benefits all who call Sacramento home.”

Healthcare, higher education, and technology and internet companies were identified as Sacramento’s top hiring sectors. The report lists the University of California, Davis, UC Davis Health and Sutter Health among the region’s leading employers.

Seaman said healthcare has remained one of the strongest industries in LinkedIn’s workforce data and credited Sacramento’s education and healthcare institutions with helping fuel the region’s economy.

“Healthcare has been really resilient in a lot of our data recently,” Seaman said. “You look at all of the ways that UC Davis, Sutter Health is doubling down in Sacramento. Those are the things that I think are really powerful in driving the economy.”

LinkedIn also reported Sacramento’s median income at $87,320 and the average home listing price at $899,045. About 7.4% of available jobs are fully remote, while 16.7% are hybrid.

Seaman said remote and hybrid positions continue to make up a shrinking share of job postings, making in-office roles less competitive for applicants than many remote opportunities.

The Cities on the Rise report comes as LinkedIn says nearly 80% of professionals feel unprepared to find a job in 2026, aiming to help workers identify growing markets where career opportunities, affordability and quality of life are converging.

Seaman said Sacramento’s ranking also reflects longer-term momentum rather than a temporary surge, noting that about 60% of cities on this year’s list also appeared in last year’s rankings.

“That shows that there’s obviously cities and regions like Sacramento… that they have staying power,” Seaman said. “This isn’t like something where it was a blip in the data.”

LinkedIn’s U.S. Cities on the Rise:

Augusta, GARichmond, VAReno, NVNorth Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FLHarrisburg, PACharleston, SCPensacola, FLAustin, TXPortland, METulsa, OKLancaster, PAAlbany, NYPortland, ORIndianapolis, INCharlotte, NCMyrtle Beach, SCAppleton-Oshkosh-Neenah Area, WIFort Wayne, INSacramento, CALittle Rock, ARSalt Lake City, UTWilmington, NCLouisville, KYMilwaukee, WIGrand Rapids, MI

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