Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Pacific Northwest
Key facts
- #1 Bellevue, WA: 28%
- #2 Seattle, WA: 26%
- #3 Redmond, WA: 18%
- 17 cities ranked in the Pacific Northwest
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 19% across all cities in our data.
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Bellevue (28%) is well clear of Tacoma at #10 (5%).
- Seattle is the largest market in the top ten, with 5,635 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
Bellevue WA
28%
- AI-skill openings
- 403
- All openings
- 1,455
- Median posted pay
- $197k
Hiring most here: Amazon, TerraPower, Okta
Based on 1,455 openings.
- 2
Seattle WA
26%
- AI-skill openings
- 1,448
- All openings
- 5,635
- Median posted pay
- $180k
Hiring most here: Amazon, Blue Origin, Shield AI
Based on 5,635 openings.
- 4
Richland WA
13%
- AI-skill openings
- 14
- All openings
- 105
- Median posted pay
- $132k
Hiring most here: Battelle Memorial Institute (PNNL), Sargent & Lundy, Prosidian Consultng
Based on 105 openings.
- 7
Bothell WA
8%
- AI-skill openings
- 11
- All openings
- 138
- Median posted pay
- $185k
Hiring most here: Verathon, IonQ, Koninklijke Philips
Based on 138 openings.
- 8
Vancouver WA
7%
- AI-skill openings
- 12
- All openings
- 163
- Median posted pay
- $121k
Hiring most here: HP, Ecolab USA, ZoomInfo
Based on 163 openings.
- 9
Everett WA
6%
- AI-skill openings
- 11
- All openings
- 195
- Median posted pay
- $183k
Hiring most here: Helion Energy, Fortive, Helion
Based on 195 openings.
- 10
Tacoma WA
5%
- AI-skill openings
- 6
- All openings
- 123
- Median posted pay
- $109k
Hiring most here: Globe Main, TOTE Maritime
Based on 123 openings.
- 11
Hillsboro OR
4%
- AI-skill openings
- 8
- All openings
- 187
- Median posted pay
- $161k
Hiring most here: American Society for Microbiology, Microsoft, Synopsys
Based on 187 openings.
- 12
Portland OR
4%
- AI-skill openings
- 31
- All openings
- 837
- Median posted pay
- $130k
Hiring most here: Oregon Health & Science University, Legacy Health, Keen Footwear
Based on 837 openings.
- 13
Salem OR
2%
- AI-skill openings
- 3
- All openings
- 123
- Median posted pay
- $128k
Hiring most here: Agility Robotics, Garmin, Northwest Human Services
Based on 123 openings.
- 16
Kent WA
1%
- AI-skill openings
- 1
- All openings
- 149
- Median posted pay
- $125k
Hiring most here: Stoke Space, Cowboy Space, Amazon
Based on 149 openings.
Full ranking
All 17 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellevue WA | 28% | 1,455 |
| 2 | Seattle WA | 26% | 5,635 |
| 3 | Redmond WA | 18% | 1,166 |
| 4 | Richland WA | 13% | 105 |
| 5 | Renton WA | 12% | 134 |
| 6 | Kirkland WA | 11% | 167 |
| 7 | Bothell WA | 8% | 138 |
| 8 | Vancouver WA | 7% | 163 |
| 9 | Everett WA | 6% | 195 |
| 10 | Tacoma WA | 5% | 123 |
| 11 | Hillsboro OR | 4% | 187 |
| 12 | Portland OR | 4% | 837 |
| 13 | Salem OR | 2% | 123 |
| 14 | Beaverton OR | 2% | 120 |
| 15 | Eugene OR | 1% | 112 |
| 16 | Kent WA | 1% | 149 |
| 17 | Spokane WA | 1% | 157 |
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 pacific northwest?
- Bellevue leads the Pacific Northwest for AI skills: 28% of its professional openings ask for them, against 19% across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 17 cities have at least 100 openings, so the list has 17 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
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Pacific Northwest
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Pacific Northwest
- Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Pacific Northwest
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Pacific Northwest
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Pacific Northwest
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Pacific Northwest
- Best cities for AI-skill jobs
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Pacific Northwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-pacific-northwest
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-ai-jobs-in-the-pacific-northwest">Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Pacific Northwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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