Working outdoors no doubt has its perks; access to fresh air, sunshine, and nature makes many outdoor jobs enticing. The reality of outdoor work, however, is often harsher than one might imagine. Postal workers in many northern cities deliver mail on foot in freezing temperatures. Loggers in the Pacific Northwest are currently felling hazardous trees in the midst of raging wildfires. (Here are the 25 most dangerous jobs in America.)
Obviously, location and climate have a large impact on the desirability of outdoor jobs. 24/7 Tempo has compiled the 50 best cities for outdoor jobs using a ranking formulated by LawnStarter, a lawn-care startup that frequently researches city and state amenities. LawnStarter compared the 200 most populous cities across 26 metrics including air quality, average temperature (and temperature extremes), precipitation, outdoor job opportunities, cost of living, transit access, and rate of work-related injuries.
Click here to see the best cities for outdoor jobs in 2021.
Cities in Texas, Arizona, and Washington dominate the top 10. Milder climates and lack of precipitation contributed to the high rankings of both Texas and Arizona, with many cities in Arizona also receiving high job opportunity and safety scores. Some cities in Washington earned high scores for public transit access, high minimum wage, and affordability — factors that overcame Seattle’s high precipitation rate to move it into third place. (It’s one of the 25 cities with the highest paying jobs.)
Cities in the sweltering Deep South and the far north tended to have lower scores based on their extreme temperatures, while many cities in California scored low in the air quality and natural hazards metrics.
50. St. Paul, Minnesota
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 663.3 — 25th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 1.3
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 15
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 153
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49. New York, New York
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 30.6 — the lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 2.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 15
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 82
48. Tampa, Florida
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 368.4 — 21st lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 58.1
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 87
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 2
47. Washington, District of Columbia
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 342.1 — 20th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 21.9
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 36
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 67
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46. Thornton, Colorado
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1902.6 — 2nd highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 8.8
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 36
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 155
45. San Jose, California
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 174.7 — 9th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.1
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 2
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0
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44. Minneapolis, Minnesota
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 474.2 — 23rd lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 1.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 15
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 153
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43. Overland Park, Kansas
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 740.3 — 21st highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 14.4
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 37
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 108
42. Miramar, Florida
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1354.4 — 7th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 4.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 68
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0
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41. Honolulu, Hawaii
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 125.8 — 5th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 3.0
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 24
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0
40. Fort Collins, Colorado
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 232.5 — 13th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 27.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 36
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 155
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39. Santa Rosa, California
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 185.3 — 11th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.7
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 21
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0.5
38. Sioux Falls, South Dakota
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 125.3 — 4th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 53.3
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 23
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 164
37. Glendale, California
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1321.5 — 8th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.6
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 21
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0.5
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36. Naperville, Illinois
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1455.6 — 5th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 9.6
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 17
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 128
35. Pembroke Pines, Florida
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1120.7 — 13th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 7.9
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 68
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0
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34. Grand Rapids, Michigan
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 335.7 — 19th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 1.3
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 10
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 139
33. Alexandria, Virginia
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1295.6 — 10th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 2.3
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 36
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 67
32. Austin, Texas
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 158.4 — 6th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 22.6
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 114
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 17
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31. Sunnyvale, California
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1166.5 — 12th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.0
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 2
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0
30. Jersey City, New Jersey
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1018.6 — 15th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 10.8
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 23
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 92
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29. Lincoln, Nebraska
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 109.9 — 2nd lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 31.4
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 42
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 143
28. Irvine, California
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 698.5 — 24th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.9
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 21
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0.5
27. Irving, Texas
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1252.8 — 11th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 32.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 103
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 31
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26. Eugene, Oregon
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 160.4 — 8th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.7
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 16
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 53
25. Boise City, Idaho
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 270.7 — 15th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 32.3
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 48
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 119
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24. North Las Vegas, Nevada
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 307.0 — 18th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 1.1
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 135
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 26
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23. Grand Prairie, Texas
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1470.7 — 4th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 41.4
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 103
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 31
22. St. Petersburg, Florida
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 443.1 — 22nd lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 23.4
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 87
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 2
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21. Arlington, Virginia
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 965.0 — 17th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 1.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 36
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 67
20. Virginia Beach, Virginia
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 158.8 — 7th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 1.4
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 33
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 49
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19. Orange, California
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 2001.6 — the highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.9
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 21
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0.5
18. Glendale, Arizona
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 966.9 — 16th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 169
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 8
17. Mesa, Arizona
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 478.1 — 24th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 169
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 8
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16. Cary, North Carolina
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 729.5 — 22nd highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.0
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 44
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 73
15. Las Vegas, Nevada
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 117.0 — 3rd lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 2.0
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 135
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 26
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14. Portland, Oregon
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 204.9 — 12th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 1.7
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 12
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 38
13. Boston, Massachusetts
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 291.8 — 17th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 14.8
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 13
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 97
12. McKinney, Texas
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 655.3 — 25th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 25.8
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 103
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 31
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11. San Francisco, California
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 181.4 — 10th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 2
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 0
10. Bellevue, Washington
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1473.0 — 3rd highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.0
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 3
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 32
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9. Plano, Texas
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 811.7 — 20th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 14.3
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 103
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 31
8. Chandler, Arizona
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 829.5 — 19th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 3.6
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 169
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 8
7. Vancouver, Washington
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 699.5 — 23rd highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.7
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 12
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 38
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6. Tempe, Arizona
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1357.7 — 6th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.6
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 169
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 8
5. Gilbert, Arizona
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 863.7 — 18th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.6
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 169
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 8
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4. Scottsdale, Arizona
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1031.5 — 14th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.9
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 169
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 8
3. Seattle, Washington
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 286.6 — 16th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.8
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 3
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 32
2. Henderson, Nevada
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 246.9 — 14th lowest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 0.4
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 135
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 26
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1. Frisco, Texas
> Outdoor job opportunities per 100,000 residents: 1297.0 — 9th highest
> Work-related severe injuries per 100,000 workers: 25.5
> Average yearly total of very hot days: 103
> Average yearly total of very cold days: 31
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