NextChapter

Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Midwest

Minnetonka leads the Midwest for AI skills: 27% of its professional openings ask for them, against 7% across all cities in our data.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Minnetonka, MN: 27%
  • #2 Eden Prairie, MN: 23%
  • #3 Ann Arbor, MI: 18%
  • 69 cities ranked in the Midwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 7% across all cities in our data.

  1. 1Minnetonka MN27%
  2. 2Eden Prairie MN23%
  3. 3Ann Arbor MI18%
  4. 4Carmel IN17%
  5. 5Chicago IL13%
  6. 6Rolling Meadows IL13%
  7. 7Lisle IL12%
  8. 8Rochester MN10%
  9. 9Detroit MI10%
  10. 10Oakbrook Terrace IL10%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Minnetonka (27%) is well clear of Oakbrook Terrace at #10 (10%).
  • Minnetonka reaches #1 on a sample of 121 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Chicago is the largest market in the top ten, with 8,033 openings behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Some labor markets ask for AI skills in a large share of postings, others in very few. The share tells you how far AI has moved from a specialist skill into ordinary job requirements in that place.

How to use it

Compare your own city to the top of the list. A gap is a reason to build one AI skill and show it on your résumé before you apply, not a reason to move.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Minnetonka MN

    27%

    AI-skill openings
    33
    All openings
    121
    Median posted pay
    $135k

    Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Legrand North America

    Based on 121 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Minnetonka

  2. 2

    Eden Prairie MN

    23%

    AI-skill openings
    84
    All openings
    363
    Median posted pay
    $139k

    Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Illinois Tool Works

    Based on 363 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Eden Prairie

  3. 3

    Ann Arbor MI

    18%

    AI-skill openings
    65
    All openings
    362
    Median posted pay
    $153k

    Hiring most here: May Mobility, Torc Robotics, Thomson Reuters

    Based on 362 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Ann Arbor

  4. 4

    Carmel IN

    17%

    AI-skill openings
    25
    All openings
    148
    Median posted pay
    $86k

    Hiring most here: Allegion, Belden, CNO Financial Group

    Based on 148 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Carmel

  5. 5

    Chicago IL

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    1,071
    All openings
    8,033
    Median posted pay
    $140k

    Hiring most here: Publicis Groupe, Confidential, Mars

    Based on 8,033 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chicago

  6. 6

    Rolling Meadows IL

    13%

    AI-skill openings
    37
    All openings
    283
    Median posted pay
    $95k

    Hiring most here: Arthur J. Gallagher, Gallagher Bassett, Gallagher

    Based on 283 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rolling Meadows

  7. 7

    Lisle IL

    12%

    AI-skill openings
    16
    All openings
    131
    Median posted pay
    $147k

    Hiring most here: Navistar, International Institute For Sustainable Development, International Motors

    Based on 131 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lisle

  8. 8

    Rochester MN

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    19
    All openings
    182
    Median posted pay
    $93k

    Hiring most here: Mayo Clinic, Gilbane, Via

    Based on 182 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Rochester

  9. 9

    Detroit MI

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    78
    All openings
    786
    Median posted pay
    $126k

    Hiring most here: Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Accident Fund

    Based on 786 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Detroit

  10. 10

    Oakbrook Terrace IL

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    15
    All openings
    153
    Median posted pay
    $94k

    Hiring most here: Baltimore Gas and Electric, Pepco Holdings, Exelon

    Based on 153 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oakbrook Terrace

  11. 11

    Dublin OH

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    13
    All openings
    134
    Median posted pay
    $102k

    Hiring most here: Oclc, Univar Solutions, Amazon

    Based on 134 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Dublin

  12. 12

    Schaumburg IL

    10%

    AI-skill openings
    23
    All openings
    242
    Median posted pay
    $110k

    Hiring most here: Motorola Solutions, Fictiv, Zurich

    Based on 242 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Schaumburg

  13. 13

    Des Moines IA

    8%

    AI-skill openings
    30
    All openings
    394
    Median posted pay
    $129k

    Hiring most here: Principal Financial Group, OpenLoop, Olsson

    Based on 394 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Des Moines

  14. 14

    Northbrook IL

    7%

    AI-skill openings
    14
    All openings
    192
    Median posted pay
    $125k

    Hiring most here: UL Solutions, Astellas (ADP), Medline Industries

    Based on 192 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Northbrook

  15. 15

    Lenexa KS

    7%

    AI-skill openings
    15
    All openings
    223
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: Weeks Marine, Kiewit, Kiewit Corporation (Peter Kiewit Sons')

    Based on 223 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lenexa

  16. 16

    Columbus OH

    7%

    AI-skill openings
    134
    All openings
    2,024
    Median posted pay
    $115k

    Hiring most here: State of Ohio, Nationwide, American Electric Power

    Based on 2,024 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Columbus

  17. 17

    Omaha NE

    7%

    AI-skill openings
    38
    All openings
    577
    Median posted pay
    $110k

    Hiring most here: Conagra Brands, Valmont, First National Bank of Omaha

    Based on 577 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Omaha

  18. 18

    Minneapolis MN

    6%

    AI-skill openings
    84
    All openings
    1,313
    Median posted pay
    $130k

    Hiring most here: Mortenson, Ameriprise Certificate, U.S. Bank

    Based on 1,313 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Minneapolis

  19. 19

    Lake Forest IL

    6%

    AI-skill openings
    7
    All openings
    111
    Median posted pay
    $167k

    Hiring most here: W.W. Grainger, Reynolds Consumer Products, Novolex

    Based on 111 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lake Forest

  20. 20

    Cleveland OH

    6%

    AI-skill openings
    57
    All openings
    917
    Median posted pay
    $100k

    Hiring most here: Flexjet, Sherwin Williams, KeyBank

    Based on 917 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Cleveland

  21. 21

    Southfield MI

    6%

    AI-skill openings
    15
    All openings
    242
    Median posted pay
    $136k

    Hiring most here: Lucid Motors, Sun Communities, Lear

    Based on 242 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Southfield

  22. 22

    Bloomington MN

    6%

    AI-skill openings
    12
    All openings
    200
    Median posted pay
    $122k

    Hiring most here: General Dynamics Mission Systems, HealthPartners, Geronimo Power

    Based on 200 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bloomington

  23. 23

    Mason OH

    6%

    AI-skill openings
    9
    All openings
    151
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data

    Hiring most here: Cintas, L3HARRIS Technologies, Procter & Gamble

    Based on 151 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mason

  24. 24

    Lincoln NE

    6%

    AI-skill openings
    12
    All openings
    210
    Median posted pay
    $86k

    Hiring most here: Nelnet Servicing, General Dynamics OTS, Hudl

    Based on 210 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Lincoln

  25. 25

    Indianapolis IN

    5%

    AI-skill openings
    82
    All openings
    1,496
    Median posted pay
    $124k

    Hiring most here: Eli Lilly and Company, State of Indiana, Masco

    Based on 1,496 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Indianapolis

Full ranking

All 69 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Minnetonka MN27%121
2Eden Prairie MN23%363
3Ann Arbor MI18%362
4Carmel IN17%148
5Chicago IL13%8,033
6Rolling Meadows IL13%283
7Lisle IL12%131
8Rochester MN10%182
9Detroit MI10%786
10Oakbrook Terrace IL10%153
11Dublin OH10%134
12Schaumburg IL10%242
13Des Moines IA8%394
14Northbrook IL7%192
15Lenexa KS7%223
16Columbus OH7%2,024
17Omaha NE7%577
18Minneapolis MN6%1,313
19Lake Forest IL6%111
20Cleveland OH6%917
21Southfield MI6%242
22Bloomington MN6%200
23Mason OH6%151
24Lincoln NE6%210
25Indianapolis IN5%1,496
26Milwaukee WI5%909
27Troy MI5%258
28Maple Grove MN5%100
29Rosemont IL5%102
30Peoria IL5%167
31Novi MI5%152
32Cincinnati OH5%1,451
33St. Louis MO5%596
34Topeka KS4%112
35Grand Rapids MI4%439
36St. Paul MN4%232
37Sioux Falls SD4%212
38Fargo ND4%165
39Naperville IL4%196
40Downers Grove IL4%147
41Springfield MO4%205
42Overland Park KS4%454
43Evanston IL4%109
44Kansas City MO4%916
45Cedar Rapids IA4%370
46Fort Wayne IN3%293
47La Crosse WI3%118
48Waukesha WI3%122
49Toledo OH3%184
50Mundelein IL3%255
51Madison WI3%526
52Akron OH3%323
53Kansas City KS3%148
54Dayton OH3%446
55Auburn Hills MI3%160
56Jefferson City MO2%125
57Columbia MO2%133
58Springfield IL2%323
59Wichita KS2%237
60Oak Brook IL2%148
61Neenah WI2%101
62Appleton WI2%156
63Aurora IL2%133
64Green Bay WI1%143
65Lansing MI1%229
66New Albany OH0%152
67Rockford IL0%145
68Jeffersonville IN0%126
69Evansville IN0%124

How this ranking works

A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool, found by our AI-skill tagger on the posting text.

The tagger looks for named skills (for example prompt engineering, machine learning, or a named AI tool), not the words "AI-powered" in a company blurb.

A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles on employer career sites, verified in the last week. Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which city ranks first: best cities for ai-skill jobs in the midwest?
Minnetonka leads the Midwest for AI skills: 27% of its professional openings ask for them, against 7% across all cities in our data.
How many cities are ranked?
69 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 69 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A city's score is the share of its open professional roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool, found by our AI-skill tagger on the posting text. The tagger looks for named skills (for example prompt engineering, machine learning, or a named AI tool), not the words "AI-powered" in a company blurb. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-midwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-midwest">Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Midwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

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