These Are the Best Cities for Interior Design

If you’re an interior designer, you’ve probably wondered if you're in the right city for your career, or if you should consider moving.

Relocating for a job isn’t the right move for everyone, but it’s always a good idea to keep an open mind when it comes to relocating for your career. After all, if you’re strategic about it, relocating might just be the best career move you can make.

But, as you probably know, moving is no easy task. And if you’re going to uproot your life to further your career, you’ll want to be sure this sacrifice pays off. One of the best ways to ensure that this is the case is to move to a design-forward city; the kind of city that will provide you the inspiration and resources necessary to flourish in such a creative, constantly-evolving field. So…Where are these design-forward cities, you ask?

Using factors such as the number of interior designers per capita, new hires for interior design jobs, home furnishing stores, hourly wages of interior designers, and growth in interior design graduates, a new study ranks the best cities for interior design in the United States.

Here are the best cities for interior design, broken down by the top U.S. regions:

Western US

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “The West Coast is the best coast,” before. In many ways, this statement is up for debate, however, in the world of interior design, it’s not. If you’re looking to advance your career in interior design, there’s no better place than the West Coast.

If you don’t mind a little bit of rain, and cooler temperatures, you should consider moving to Seattle, Washington, as this is the best city in the country for interior design. A few places behind is Portland, Oregon, as the ninth best city for interior design. But if you’re an interior designer who prefers warmer West Coast weather, don't worry. You have plenty of other options–if you’re up for moving to California, that is. Between San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles, you’re sure to find a Californian city that floats your boat.

Not ready to move to the West Coast? No worries. There are a few other cities out West worth looking into as well. Denver, Dallas, and Phoenix, for example, are all among the top 15 cities for interior design nationwide.

Eastern US

While the West is clearly the best place to be for interior design, it’s not for everyone.

If you’d rather not make the trek to the West Coast, there are a couple of other options in the Eastern part of the country worth checking out. Like Jacksonville, FL, for instance. Aside from the incredible interior design scene, Jacksonville also has a plethora of nearby beaches and an average annual temperature of 70 degrees, so you could spend a ton of time outdoors.

Not sold on moving to Jacksonville just yet? Charlotte, North Carolina is another great East Coast option. As the tenth-best city for interior design in the country, Charlotte has a lot to offer anyone pursuing a career in interior design. Between its numerous reputable interior design firms and the artistic inspiration you’re sure to find throughout the city, Charlotte could be a great place to settle down if you’re an up-and-coming interior designer.

Northern US

If you’re an interior designer who has your sights set on moving up North, you might be out of luck. Of all the top ten cities for interior design in the country, only one made the cut: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

But hey, if you don’t mind the chilly temperatures, and snowy winters, Milwaukee might be the perfect place to advance your interior design career.