Top Metropolitan Areas for Manufacturing Jobs – 2024 Guide

Think it's tough to get a job in the manufacturing industry? While that may be the common perception, the truth is that the manufacturing job market offers more opportunities than you think. 

In fact, Forbes recently looked at the state of the hiring within the industry and found that all but 18 of the country’s 70 largest metropolitan regions have seen an uptick in industrial employment since 2011. They also ranked all 357 metropolitan areas to determine the locations with the best, most thriving manufacturing employment situations.

Rankings are based on a number of factors, including recent growth trends (year-over-year and the last two years) mid-term growth (2011-2016), long-term growth (2005-2016) and regional momentum.

So, which areas topped the list? Here's a partial list:

• Louisville/Jefferson County, which straddles the border between Kentucky and Indiana, was ranked the best location for manufacturing jobs in the entire nation. Since 2011, manufacturing employment in the area has expanded 30.2% to a total of 83.300 jobs. Most of those jobs (27,000) are within the resurgent auto industry.
• The Grand Rapids-Wyoming metro area in West Michigan saw its manufacturing workforce expand 22% since 2011. Growth has been fueled by expansion in a number of industries, including aerospace, advanced metals and automotive.
• Albany-Schenectady, in upstate New York, is the only metro area in a "blue" state ranked in the top 10. With local factories producing everything from steam and gas turbines to computer chips and medical supplies, the area has seen a 17.6% gain in manufacturing jobs since 2011.

Our friends at Industrial Equipment News reviewed the rankings in depth. Watch the video below to learn more. And for more coverage on the manufacturing job market, check out our latest Manufacturing Industry Jobs Update.