Consider moving to a city that already recognizes licensed massage therapists. As the practice becomes more popular, cities are increasingly requiring therapists to be certified or licensed by the state. ABC Newspapers reported in June 2011 that 44 metropolitan cities required a license -- and that number continued to grow. In June 2013, the "Star Tribune" noted that the cities all over Minnesota, including Eden Prairie, Apple Valley and Minneapolis, adopted similar requirements. No massage therapy laws were enforced at a state level in Wyoming, Oklahoma, Vermont, Kansas or Alaska as of December 2014, but cities were able to impose their own guidelines.

Certain cities offer a higher amount of jobs per area than others, which varies based on the demands and preferences of the general population in that region. Choose a city with numerous job options to try out different workplaces and have more job security. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in May 2013 that the metropolitan areas of Napa, California, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, had the highest concentration of jobs, followed by Bellingham and Olympia, Washington.

Many professionals flock to cities that offer the highest wages in exchange for the same amount of work. According to the BLS, massage therapists in Anchorage, Alaska, earned the highest average salary per year in May 2013, bringing in $88,100. While many enjoy the cold climate, others may prefer a destination such as Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The BLS notes that massage therapists in Pittsfield earned the second-highest income at $79,060, as of May 2013.

If you plan to further your skills in massage therapy, move to a city that provides opportunities for continuous learning or training. For example, the Sunshine State offered dozens of programs in major cities like Miami, Tampa and Orlando in 2014, while the National Holistic Institute held classes all over California, including Emeryville, Sacramento, San Francisco and Santa Ana. In addition, the Texas Department of State Health Services noted that in 2014, Houston had 77 continuing education providers and Austin had 43.