You might be reading this from your office — whether at home or otherwise — but for many Americans, their office is in the great outdoors.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the outdoor recreation economy generated 5.2 million direct national jobs.
Working among nature can take many different forms. From construction to scuba divers and landscaping, these jobs are just as diverse as those that can be done indoors.
LawnStarter recently published 2021′s Best Cities for Outdoor Jobs. Although outdoor jobs can be conducted in a variety of environments, the lawn care company noted “not every city — or its weather — is equally suitable for a career in fresh air and sunshine.”
For this year’s report, the company listed the 200 most populated U.S. cities from best to worst. They were ranked in descending order based on their individual score totals on several metrics. The metrics are categories in opportunity, affordability, work-life balance, climate and safety. The highest-ranked city was in the No. 1 spot.
“Southern cities fared the worst in our outdoor employment ranking with eight of the bottom 10 in Alabama and Mississippi. It’s not difficult to see why: Cities such as Jackson have a low minimum wage, too many extremely hot days, and well above-average amounts of precipitation,” LawnStarter noted.
While no Georgia cities made it in the top spots, five made it on the list.
Atlanta, Savannah, Macon, Augusta and Columbus had overall scores of at least 41.
In Atlanta, the work-life balance landed the capital city at No. 142 while Savannah came in at No. 60 in the category. Columbus is at No. 132 for affordability and Augusta is a little lower at No. 144. Macon is among the lowest for safety coming in at No. 183.
Regardless, working outside can be beneficial.
“Outdoor jobs are can be healthier and more fun than indoor work,” Mitchell Langbert, associate professor at Brooklyn College CUNY told LawnStarter. “The physical and mental demands of outdoor work can contribute to physical fitness and psychological resilience, reducing stress. Those who enjoy outdoor work will avoid the constraints of office jobs. Many of us do elements of outdoor work for fun, and when a job can combine a good income with a pleasant environment and healthful activity, it is hard to beat.”
2021′s Best Cities for Outdoor Jobs in Georgia
144 - Atlanta
165 - Columbus
179 - Augusta
189 - Macon
196 - Savannah
