American teenagers aren’t working as much as they once did. Compared with previous decades, teens today have higher demands on their time thanks to extended school enrollment, volunteer community service requirements and unpaid internships. There are also fewer entry-level jobs to go around.
Just 35% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 19 participate in the workforce, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, down from 53% in 1998. The accommodation and food services industry is more likely to employ teens rather than the once-popular fields of retail, construction or manufacturing.
Despite the national drop-off, teens remain a significant source of labor in many cities. LendingTree researchers analyzed Census Bureau data to determine the places with the highest percentages of working teens between the ages of 16 and 19. We ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities based on the number of teens in the local labor force, including working teens and those actively seeking a job.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
25. Charlotte, North Carolina
Teens: 44,126
Teens in the labor force: 19,758
Percent of teens in the labor force: 44.8%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
24. Boise City, Idaho
Teens: 10,782
Teens in the labor force: 4,839
Percent of teens in the labor force: 44.9%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
23. Louisville, Kentucky
Teens: 31,908
Teens in the labor force: 14,337
Percent of teens in the labor force: 44.9%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
22. Madison, Wisconsin
Teens: 17,690
Teens in the labor force: 7,996
Percent of teens in the labor force: 45.2%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
21. Tulsa, Oklahoma
Teens: 19,876
Teens in the labor force: 9,053
Percent of teens in the labor force: 45.5%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
20. Chesapeake, Virginia
Teens: 11,520
Teens in the labor force: 5,305
Percent of teens in the labor force: 46.1%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
19. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Teens: 31,343
Teens in the labor force: 14,672
Percent of teens in the labor force: 46.8%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
18. Wichita, Kansas
Teens: 18,880
Teens in the labor force: 8,882
Percent of teens in the labor force: 47.0%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
17. Nashville, Tennessee
Teens: 31,133
Teens in the labor force: 14,661
Percent of teens in the labor force: 47.1%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
16. St. Paul. Minnesotta
Teens: 16,606
Teens in the labor force: 7,835
Percent of teens in the labor force: 47.2%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
15. Toledo, Ohio
Teens: 14,557
Teens in the labor force: 6,905
Percent of teens in the labor force: 47.4%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
14. Reno, Nevada
Teens: 12,535
Teens in the labor force: 5,956
Percent of teens in the labor force: 47.5%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
13. Virginia Beach, Virginia
Teens: 20,729
Teens in the labor force: 9,959
Percent of teens in the labor force: 48.0%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
12. Minneapolis, Minnesotta
Teens: 21,512
Teens in the labor force: 10,391
Percent of teens in the labor force: 48.3%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
11. Gilbert, Arizona
Teens: 181,453
Teens in the labor force: 7,299
Percent of teens in the labor force: 49.2%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
10. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Teens: 25,388
Teens in the labor force: 12,652
Percent of teens in the labor force: 49.8%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
9. Chandler, Arizona
Teens: 12,825
Teens in the labor force: 6,443
Percent of teens in the labor force: 50.2%
Image Credit: Ixnayonthetimmay.
8. Norfolk, Virginia
Teens: 15,156
Teens in the labor force: 7,677
Percent of teens in the labor force: 50.7%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
7. Anchorage, Alaska
Teens: 14,996
Teens in the labor force: 7,693
Percent of teens in the labor force: 51.3%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
6. Lexington, Kentucky
Teens: 16,322
Teens in the labor force: 8,406
Percent of teens in the labor force: 51.5%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
5. Glendale, Arizona
Teens: 15,052
Teens in the labor force: 7,811
Percent of teens in the labor force: 51.9%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
4. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Teens: 14,335
Teens in the labor force: 7,472
Percent of teens in the labor force: 52.1%
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
3. Aurora, Colorado
Teens: 17,753
Teens in the labor force: 9,508
Percent of teens in the labor force: 53.6%
Aurora – although not technically in the Midwest – rounds out our top three with 53.6% of teenagers in the workforce. However, many teens who are just hunting still can’t find work — the teen unemployment rate is nearly 24%.
Jobs for teens in Aurora include positions at food establishments like Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and Chick-fil-A, as well as openings at child care facilities and hotels. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment promotes youth employment through the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt, a program connecting 14- to 24-year-olds with work opportunities. As in Nebraska, Colorado teens younger than 16 are not allowed to work more than 8 hours each day or more than 40 hours per week.
Image Credit: Jeffrey Beall.
2. Omaha, Nebraska
Teens: 25,794
Teens in the labor force: 14,744
Percent of teens in the labor force: 57.2%
Of the 25,794 teenagers between 16 and 19 years old in Omaha, 57.2% are in the workforce. The teen unemployment rate is 14.1%, meaning about 2,000 teens are seeking work but can’t find employment.
Similar to Lincoln, jobs for teens in Omaha include fast-food positions at restaurants like Popeyes, Wendy’s and Chipotle. Home2 Suites by Hilton, also hires teens in Omaha for housekeeping positions. Employers throughout Nebraska have recently struggled to fill jobs and retain workers of all ages, The Omaha World-Herald reports. A number of statewide and local initiatives have been put in place to boost workforce development, some targeting teenagers. For instance, community organization Step-Up Omaha helps teens find and train for employment opportunities with companies looking to fill key roles.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
1. Lincoln, Nebraska
Teens: 18,562
Teens in the labor force: 11,136
Percent of teens in the labor force: 60.0%
In Lincoln, 11,136 teens participate in the labor force, 60% of the 18,562 teenagers aged 16 to 19 in the city. Of those in the workforce, 12.9% are unemployed and unable to find work.
Available jobs for teens in the state capital include food service jobs at chains like Buffalo Wild Wings, Raising Cane’s and Jimmy John’s. Nebraska regulates employment of teens younger than 16. Teenagers between the ages of 14 and 15 may not work more than eight hours a day or 48 hours per week before 6 a.m. or after 10 p.m. Programs also exist to provide support for working teens. Local nonprofit Youth Employment and Support Services helps teens and young adults in Lincoln find employment while managing their education. The organization provides financial assistance and job leads to qualifying participants.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
Methodology
In order to rank the places with the most working teens, researchers looked at the number of teenagers in the largest 100 cities compared with the number of teenagers who were in the workforce, either employed or unemployed. Data for all sources comes from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey for 2018.
This article originally appeared on LendingTree.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
