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GOLETA, Calif. — Summer is right around the corner, and that means teens and young adults across the country will be scouring job boards for part-time employment opportunities. A new study from CoworkingCafe has pinpointed the best cities for Gen Z to find summer gigs, weighing factors like job availability, scheduling flexibility, health benefits, and commuting accessibility.
The analysis looked at over 300 U.S. cities through a multi-metric scoring system. Cities were ranked based on the number of current part-time job openings per young adult resident, the percentage of the youth population not currently working, the relative prevalence of part-time versus full-time employment among young workers, the portion of part-time jobs offering health insurance, and the use of public transit for commuting.
Mid-sized cities in the Northeast emerged as prime destinations for summer part-time work, capturing the top four spots on the list. But promising locales spanned the nation, with strong showings from the Midwest, West Coast, and South Atlantic regions as well.
Landing in first place was Rochester, New York, which scored exceptionally high marks across the board. The city boasts over 5,100 part-time job openings per 100,000 residents between the ages of 16 and 24 – the third highest availability nationwide and about five times the national average. An impressive 80 percent of these part-time roles also include health insurance benefits.
Rochester's youth labor force leans heavily towards part-time work, with 26 percent more young part-timers compared to full-timers. This scheduling flexibility is ideal for students looking to balance a summer job with other commitments. The city's six percent public transit utilization rate further allows affordable commuting options.
Just behind Rochester was Charleston, South Carolina, which saw the second-highest number of part-time openings per young adult at over 5,700. Around 70 percent of these jobs provide health insurance. Charleston's 35 percent idle youth population signals relatively low competition levels.
In third was Everett, Washington, which topped all cities in raw job availability with a staggering 6,500 part-time openings per 100,000 young adults. Though the job market is more fast-paced overall, Everett still offers solid health coverage rates and below-average competition for roles.
Other standout cities for summer part-time jobs included Hartford, Connecticut, which prioritizes benefits with 74 percent of part-time jobs offering insurance, and Syracuse, New York, where an incredible 39 percent of young workers are part-timers. Springfield, Massachusetts had the third highest rate of health coverage at 82 percent.
On the West Coast, Burbank, California, secured a top 10 spot despite fewer raw openings, as 82 percent of part-time roles included insurance – the highest rate in the study. Irvine, California, also made the top 15 with exceptional insurance coverage and very low competition.
While prioritizing factors like flexibility, benefits, and minimal commuting challenges, today's young workers aren't afraid to job hunt in locales beyond major metro areas. Smaller regional hubs are stepping up to provide quality part-time opportunities tailored to their schedule and lifestyle needs.
“There are several ways to categorize part-time workers, and many of them are transient. Gen Z workers need to be involved in decision-making, have a chance to be innovative, and creative. The key is to give them a positive line on their résumé and involve them more so that their work can be a segue into their future career,” says Dr. Michael J. Provitera, an associate professor at Barry University, in a statement.
Whether motivated by a desire for work experience, supplemental income, or simply staying busy over summer break, teens and young adults have plenty of promising places to pursue part-time roles this year. The Northeastern U.S., in particular, is ripe with openings and perks aimed at the emerging workforce.
Survey methodology
For this report, CoworkingCafe compared 331 U.S. cities with at least 100,000 residents that had data for all metrics analyzed.
Researchers used a proprietary scoring system to synchronize the key metrics analyzed and then weighted them to reflect their significance in determining the top cities for summer part-time work for young adults. The total score was calculated using data points for Youth Part-Time Job Availability, Youth Idle Rate, Youth Part-Time Work Prevalence, Part-Time Health Coverage, and Public Transit Use.
EdNews Editor Chris Melore contributed to this report.
