The economy has made it practically impossible to get a job in some corners of the country. Some, however, have had an easier time than others at creating opportunities for the unemployed to become employed once again.

Forbes examined 398 US metro areas and surveyed employment trends from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for a recent study on what cities, towns and municipalities saw the highest increases in job opportunities and offered the best catalysts for job growth and creation.

More than half of the 398 metro areas saw an average drop in public sector jobs by less than one percent and an increase in public-sector jobs by 1.4 percent.

Texas posted the most cities on all three of Forbes’ lists of the top big, mid-size and small cities with the best potential for jobs. Texas’ growth in energy and technology jobs helped put 12 of their cities and metropolises on Forbes’ three lists, nine of which ranked in the top five or higher. Well, they say everything is bigger in Texas.

Forbes’ 10 Best Big Cities for Jobs

1. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas

2. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas

3. Salt Lake City, Utah

4. Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas Metropolitan Division

5. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

6. Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas Metropolitan Division

7. Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina

8. Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania

9. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee

10. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Forbes’ 10 Best Mid-Size Cities for Jobs

1. Lafayette, Louisiana

2. Corpus Christi, Texas

3. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas

4. El Paso, Texas

5. Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, South Carolina

6. Knoxville, Tennessee

7. Provo-Orem, Utah

8. Bakersfield, Delano, California

9. Boulder, Colorado

10. Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Michigan

Forbes’ 10 Best Small Cities for Jobs

1. Odessa, Texas

2. Midland, Texas

3. Columbus, Indiana

4. San Angelo, Texas

5. Blacksburg-Christianburg-Radford, Virginia

6. Casper, Wyoming

7. Williamsport, Pennsylvania

8. Glenn Falls, New York

9. Lubbock, Texas

10. Laredo, Texas

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