LIMA — The metropolitan area of Lima ranked 66th in the U.S. for teachers to live and work according to data analysis company GoodCall.
Lima earned that rank out 913 cities that were analyzed in the report. The analysis was based on average salary, open jobs, school performance rankings, housing affordability and amenities.
The majority of the top-ranking cities were concentrated in the Midwest and the Northeast, with Pennsylvania and Minnesota cities showing up the most frequently. Noticeably missing from the top 20 are cities on the west coast. The smallest ranking metro area in the top 20 is Butte-Silver Bow, Montana, and the largest is Canton-Massillon.
“Lima ranked as a great place for teachers because of strong teacher salaries, great local school rankings and a healthy job market,” said GoodCall media relations director Michelle Billick.
Billick said it was the second annual report.
“We have written about how teaching is one of the most demanding, and lowest-paid, professions,” said Carrie Wiley with GoodCall. “However, according to teachers, it’s also one of the most rewarding. According to recent studies, a vast majority of teachers are satisfied with their jobs and would even recommend the career to others. The main reason is the effect they have on students’ lives. However, competitive salaries, great schools, and locations with affordable housing and lots to do don’t hurt, either.”
Categories for the rankings were weighted 35 percent affordability, 35 percent school rating, 20 percent job competition and 10 percent amenities. Affordability was based on housing cost statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Job competition was based on the number of jobs available against the number of resumes for positions and the total number of jobs available per 1,000 residents. School rankings were based on math and reading test scores and adjusted based on socioeconomic status. Amenities were based on the number of arts, entertainment and restaurant venues available in the metropolitan area. That rating was composited with the average salary, which was weighted against the average salary of all employment positions in the area.
Lima ranked 218th in school ranking, 173rd in housing affordability and 501st in amenities. The average teacher salary of $56,977 was based on numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Columbus metropolitan area rated the highest in Ohio, finishing eighth in the U.S. Altoona, Pennsylvania, rated first and Bogalusa, Louisiana, was last in the study.
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