Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User Kevin C. Groen

When it comes to employment in America, not all cities are created equal.

One Ohio city, however, is a cut above the rest.

In case you need a reminder of the rather dismal statistics, from 2000 to 2011, the number of employed Americans in their early 20s (ages 21 to 25) dropped from 84 percent to 72 percent.

The employment rate among those in their late 20s (ages 26 to 30) fell from 88 percent to 80 percent, according to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW).

To help young whippersnappers increase their chances of finding work, the CEW put together a study that analyzed where, geographically, the best job prospects are.

What emerged were 10 U.S. cities were youth employment rates were 5-10 percent higher than those of the national average.

Can you guess which city came in second in the CEW’s top 10 list? That’s right- our very own Columbus, OH.

Thanks to our friends over at Business Insider, here are the top 10 best U.S. cities for young job seekers, according to CET data from 2010.

No. 10- Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Young adult employment rate: 74.5% – General employment rate: 67.8%  
Young adult population: 218,008 – General population: 1,017,756

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User Kevin C. Groen

No. 9 – Seattle, Washington

Young adult employment rate: 74.7% – General employment rate: 70.2%
Young adult population: 406,404- General population: 1,874,057

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User Mike Holland

Number 8- Austin, Texas

Young adult employment rate: 75.0%- General employment rate: 72.6%
Young adult population: 295,832- General population: 1,121,847

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User jae_freespiri

Number 7- Kansas City, Missouri 

Young adult employment rate: 75.1%- General employment rate: 71.3%
Young adult population: 258,685- General population: 1,235,111


Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User Elizabeth Brown

Number 6- Virginia Beach, Virginia

Young adult employment rate: 75.5%- General employment rate: 70.2%
Young adult population: 267,788- General population: 1,094,605

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User adodsons

Number 5- Salt Lake City, Utah

Young adult employment rate: 77.0%- General employment rate: 71.3%
Young adult population: 260,870- General population: 989,311

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User caboderoca

Number 3/4: Washington D.C. (tie)

Young adult employment rate: 77.3% – General employment rate: 74.6%
Young adult population: 843,709- General population: 3,846,500

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User tinacci

Number 3/4- Denver, Colorado (tie)

Young adult employment rate: 77.3%- General employment rate: 71.9%
Young adult population: 404,208- General population: 1,763,089


Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User _sukitez_

Number 2- Columbus, Ohio

Young adult employment rate: 77.7%- General employment rate: 70.8%
Young adult population: 254,878- General population: 1,106,181

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User heisbnice

Number 10: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Young adult employment rate: 79.6%- General employment rate: 74.3%
Young adult population: 452,083- General population: 2,124,137

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Instagram User gabimtorgerson

This article appears in Oct 2-8, 2013.

Alaina Nutile is the Web Editor who oversees all digital content and social media initiatives for Cleveland Scene Magazine and Detroit Metro Times. Before joining the staff in June 2013, she interned at Business Insider in New York City, and at La Hora in Quito, Ecuador. Alaina is a graduate of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where she double majored in English and Spanish. Her interests include Japanese food, Breaking Bad, and career development advising.