Photo by flickr user Wade in Oklahoma
We all know that it’s no fun being unemployed. If you’re going to live in a city you’re going to need a job, hopefully one you enjoy.
That being the case, we were pleased to see Baltimore do well in this years Kiplinger’s survey of the best cities in America, this year’s theme being, “It’s All About Jobs.” While Baltimore didn’t place in the top ten overall, we were tied for 19th in percentage of workforce in the creative class, coming in at 36.1 percent.
The percentage of the workforce in the creative class is a telling statistic of what a city’s employment is actually like: it’s a measure of those workers who aren’t stagnant and easily outsourced, the scientists, engineers, educators, writers, artists, and entertainers. Creative class workers ideally create long-term economic growth and cultural excitement in a city, making it a more livable place. (If you’re interested in learning more check out Richard Florida’s book The Rise of the Creative Class.)
We don’t find it surprising that Baltimore would rank highly on that scale. Between the Johns Hopkins medical campus and Wham City we cover the creative class spectrum. But it’s nice to have it confirmed that working in Baltimore doesn’t mean being bored at your job.
Posted in: City LivingNo Comments
I am envious of Baltimore and it’s jobs. The creative class needs to rise a little bit more where I’m from. Thanks for the link to that book though. I’ve been hearing a lot about it.