Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in New England

Question 1
Where are you right now?
Why we ask: a laid-off week and a thinking-about-a-move week look nothing alike. No résumé, no account.
Key facts
- #1 Somerville, MA: 28%
- #2 Lexington, MA: 19%
- #3 Greenwich, CT: 18%
- 20 cities ranked in New England
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 9% across all cities in our data.
- 1Somerville MA28%
- 2Lexington MA19%
- 3Greenwich CT18%
- 4Boston MA18%
- 5Cambridge MA14%
- 6Stamford CT9%
- 7Framingham MA8%
- 8Springfield MA7%
- 9Worcester MA7%
- 10Waltham MA6%
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Somerville (28%) is well clear of Waltham at #10 (6%).
- Boston is the largest market in the top ten, with 984 entry-level openings behind its figure.
- Cities with fewer than 40 entry-level openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Entry-level roles used to ask for little technical background. When they ask for AI skills, the starting line has moved. This list shows where that has happened most.
How to use it
If you are applying for first roles, learn the tools named in the postings you want and show a small project that uses them.
The top 25
- 1
Somerville MA
28%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 21
- Entry-level openings
- 74
- All openings
- 295
Hiring most here: Formlabs, Tulip Interfaces, Generate Biomedicines
Based on 74 openings.
- 2
Lexington MA
19%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 11
- Entry-level openings
- 58
- All openings
- 255
Hiring most here: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Lincoln Lab), Takeda Development Center Americas, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International
Based on 58 openings.
- 3
Greenwich CT
18%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 8
- Entry-level openings
- 45
- All openings
- 129
Hiring most here: iCapital, AQR Capital, Berkley W R
Based on 45 openings.
- 4
Boston MA
18%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 174
- Entry-level openings
- 984
- All openings
- 5,143
Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, State Street, Confidential
Based on 984 openings.
- 5
Cambridge MA
14%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 22
- Entry-level openings
- 153
- All openings
- 1,141
Hiring most here: Harvard University, Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Based on 153 openings.
- 6
Stamford CT
9%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 8
- Entry-level openings
- 88
- All openings
- 331
Hiring most here: Philip Morris International, Gartner, Charter Communications
Based on 88 openings.
- 7
Framingham MA
8%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 4
- Entry-level openings
- 50
- All openings
- 208
Hiring most here: Staples, Bose, TJX Companies
Based on 50 openings.
- 8
Springfield MA
7%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 3
- Entry-level openings
- 42
- All openings
- 111
Hiring most here: MassMutual, Kbwfinancial
Based on 42 openings.
- 9
Worcester MA
7%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 3
- Entry-level openings
- 46
- All openings
- 162
Hiring most here: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Umass Memorial Health Care, Milford Regional Medical Center
Based on 46 openings.
- 10
Waltham MA
6%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 8
- Entry-level openings
- 126
- All openings
- 583
Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry
Based on 126 openings.
- 11
Andover MA
5%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 3
- Entry-level openings
- 55
- All openings
- 167
Hiring most here: RTX, TransMedics Group, Vicor
Based on 55 openings.
- 12
Quincy MA
5%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 3
- Entry-level openings
- 58
- All openings
- 258
Hiring most here: State Street, Anduril Industries, Anduril
Based on 58 openings.
- 13
Providence RI
4%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 2
- Entry-level openings
- 57
- All openings
- 202
Hiring most here: Gilbane, Women and Infants Hospital, Brown University
Based on 57 openings.
- 14
Hartford CT
3%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 3
- Entry-level openings
- 100
- All openings
- 350
Hiring most here: CVS HEALTH, Hartford HealthCare, Eversource Energy
Based on 100 openings.
- 15
Portland ME
3%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 2
- Entry-level openings
- 69
- All openings
- 190
Hiring most here: Unum Group, BerryDunn, Kbwfinancial
Based on 69 openings.
- 16
New Haven CT
2%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 2
- Entry-level openings
- 93
- All openings
- 285
Hiring most here: Yale University, Yale New Haven Health, Knights of Columbus
Based on 93 openings.
- 17
Burlington MA
2%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 1
- Entry-level openings
- 54
- All openings
- 272
Hiring most here: State Street, Veracode, Vericel
Based on 54 openings.
- 18
Woburn MA
2%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 1
- Entry-level openings
- 54
- All openings
- 175
Hiring most here: RTX, Kbwfinancial, Spear Bio
Based on 54 openings.
- 19
Marlborough MA
2%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 1
- Entry-level openings
- 61
- All openings
- 252
Hiring most here: RTX, Hologic, Danaher
Based on 61 openings.
- 20
Manchester NH
0%
- Entry-level AI openings
- 0
- Entry-level openings
- 47
- All openings
- 151
Hiring most here: BAE Systems, Allegro Microsystems, Eversource Energy
Based on 47 openings.
Full ranking
All 20 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somerville MA | 28% | 74 |
| 2 | Lexington MA | 19% | 58 |
| 3 | Greenwich CT | 18% | 45 |
| 4 | Boston MA | 18% | 984 |
| 5 | Cambridge MA | 14% | 153 |
| 6 | Stamford CT | 9% | 88 |
| 7 | Framingham MA | 8% | 50 |
| 8 | Springfield MA | 7% | 42 |
| 9 | Worcester MA | 7% | 46 |
| 10 | Waltham MA | 6% | 126 |
| 11 | Andover MA | 5% | 55 |
| 12 | Quincy MA | 5% | 58 |
| 13 | Providence RI | 4% | 57 |
| 14 | Hartford CT | 3% | 100 |
| 15 | Portland ME | 3% | 69 |
| 16 | New Haven CT | 2% | 93 |
| 17 | Burlington MA | 2% | 54 |
| 18 | Woburn MA | 2% | 54 |
| 19 | Marlborough MA | 2% | 61 |
| 20 | Manchester NH | 0% | 47 |
How this ranking works
A city's score is the share of its entry-level and early-career roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool.
Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. A city where one employer posts at least half the openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
Sample bar: cities with fewer than 40 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 entry-level jobs that want ai skills in new england?
- Somerville leads New England: 28% of its entry-level openings ask for AI skills, against 9% across all cities in our data.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 20 cities have at least 40 entry-level openings, so the list has 20 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A city's score is the share of its entry-level and early-career roles whose posting names at least one AI skill or tool. Only roles verified on the employer's own career site in the last week are counted. A city where one employer posts at least half the 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 New England
- Best college towns for junior jobs in New England
- Counties with the lowest unemployment in New England
- Counties where unemployment fell the most in New England
- Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in New England
- Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in New England
- Job families where entry-level jobs want AI skills
- Industries where entry-level jobs want AI skills
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in New England,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-new-england
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-entry-level-ai-jobs-in-new-england">Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in New England (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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