Young professionals across the country are looking for a place to live that fulfills them on several levels. They want a city that has plenty of other people ages 25-34 living there, lots of new people moving in, low crime, rent, and unemployment, high ethnic diversity, and a variety of coffee shops, bars, and restaurants.
Additionally, the number of ‘Millennials’ is expected to overtake Baby Boomers for the first time this year. With more young professionals looking for the best city to call their home, competition in popular cities will increase and good real estate will go fast.
Some cities are perfect for rising executives, business owners, and entrepreneurs. Here’s a list of the 15 best cities for young professionals, according to data from Niche.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
Professionals between the ages of 25-34 use unique criteria when evaluating a city they might choose to settle in. As you’ll see below, the top cities in the U.S. for young professionals differ in Millennial population, unemployment rate, median rent, and the rate of new young professionals moving in.
For example, while Berkeley has the lowest percentage of population ages 25-34 (17 percent), it has a relatively high rate of population ages 25-34 moving in (4.3 percent) and a low unemployment rate.
These are the top 15 best cities for young professionals:
1. Cambridge, MA
Population ages 25-34: 27.7%
New Millennials: 6.9%
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%
Median Rent: $1612/mo
2. Manhattan, NY
Population ages 25-34: 22.1%
New Millennials: 3.1%
Unemployment Rate: 5.7%
Median Rent: $1442/mo
3. Alexandria, VA
Population ages 25-34: 24.4%
New Millennials: 6.2%
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Median Rent: $1501/mo
4. San Francisco, CA
Population ages 25-34: 21.5%
New Millennials: 3.1%
Unemployment Rate: 5.2%
Median Rent: $1488/mo
5. Jersey City, NJ
Population ages 25-34: 22.8%
New Millennials: 3.4%
Unemployment Rate: 7.3%
Median Rent: $1174/mo
6. Seattle, WA
Population ages 25-34: 27.7%
New Millennials: 6.9%
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%
Median Rent: $1612/mo
7. Washington, D.C.
Population ages 25-34: 21.5%
New Millennials: 3.4%
Unemployment Rate: 7%
Median Rent: $1242/mo
8. Berkeley, CA
Population ages 25-34: 17%
New Millennials: 4.3%
Unemployment Rate: 4.1%
Median Rent: $1298/mo
9. Boston, MA
Population ages 25-34: 21.5%
New Millennials: 3.6%
Unemployment Rate: 7.2%
Median Rent: $1281/mo
10. New York City, NY
Population ages 25-34: 17.3%
New Millennials: 1.6%
Unemployment Rate: 6.1%
Median Rent: $1200/mo
11. Denver, CO
Population ages 25-34: 21.2%
New Millennials: 4.2%
Unemployment Rate: 6%
Median Rent: $883/mo
12. Minneapolis, MN
Population ages 25-34: 21.3%
New Millennials: 2.9%
Unemployment Rate: 6.9%
Median Rent: $836/mo
13. Ann Arbor, MI
Population ages 25-34: 17.2%
New Millennials: 4.2%
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%
Median Rent: $1008/mo
14. Brooklyn, NY
Population ages 25-34: 17.3%
New Millennials: 1.4%
Unemployment Rate: 5.9%
Median Rent: $1149/mo
15. Sunnyvale, CA
Population ages 25-34: 20.4%
New Millennials: 3.3%
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%
Median Rent: $1606/mo
Written By
Debra Carpenter contributes to the Huffington Post, Startup Grind, Business2Community, and other publications. She is a freelance content specialist who enjoys writing about startups, women in business, and the freelance industry.
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