Study: The Best Cities For New College Grads In 2016

As millions of students finish college and enter the workforce this year, many will be faced with the difficult decision of where to live. Every city is unique from job prospects to rent prices, leaving grads pondering about the optimal place to settle down.
To explore where new graduates should start their careers, we studied six different datasets for the 260 largest metro regions in the US. Our analysis utilized the most up to date U.S. Census Bureau data combined with Zumper’s own rental data, comprised of millions of rental listings.

Top 10 Nationwide Results

1. Madison, Wisconsin
Madison topped our list as the best location for new college graduates. Similar to other college dominated towns, much of the population is young, single, and well educated, with 16.7% of the entire population between the ages of 20-29. The city also had a high Amenities Score, with 119 bars and 203 restaurants and coffee shops. Madison’s economy is incredibly vibrant with a low unemployment rate for young people at 5.53%, coupled with strong salaries. Lastly, rent prices are moderate given income, meaning new graduates won’t be rent burdened compared to larger cities.
2. Austin, Texas
It’s no secret that Austin is an amazing place to live and work. Like Madison, Austin is anchored by a large student population from the University of Texas, meaning much of the city is young and well educated. The bar and restaurant scene, along with vibrant musical roots, also make Austin a desirable place to live. While scoring very high in almost every category, Austin scored below average in rent affordability led by net positive migration into the metro region. On average such a dynamic has caused rents to increase faster than local wages.
3. Columbus, Ohio
Columbus ranked well in almost every factor we considered. The city had great rent affordability, strong income for people in their twenties, and low unemployment. Mix that with rent prices of $590 for a one bedroom and $850 for a two bedroom, and you have a great place to start a career.
4. Salt Lake City, Utah
Coming in fourth, and first in the western region of the country, was Salt Lake City. The metro scored well in every factor, particularly for income, amenities, and employment. SLC is also particularly young, with 15.7% of the total population aged between 20-29 years old.
5. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston was fifth overall, and first in the northeast for new graduates. This college town offers a range of benefits for young professionals – some of the highest starting salaries, great dating life, and many amenities. However, quality of life comes at a cost. The city has the third highest rent prices in the nation.
6. Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo scored well in almost every metric we tracked. Fargo remains a millennial focused city, with over 20% of inhabitants aged between 20-29 years, and a large single population. Fargo’s unemployment rate is also one of the lowest in the country at 3.97% for young professionals.
7. Boulder, CO
Boulder remains a growing tech hub and intellectual powerhouse, anchored by students and young professionals graduating from the University of Colorado. Boulder scored well on amenities, with 155 total bars and restaurants, very low young professional unemployment at 6.12%, and a large single population at 37.1%.
8. Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha’s strong economy translates into competitive graduate incomes at over a median of $50,000, low millennial unemployment at 5.97%, and low rent burden given cheap housing prices. The city does however fall short on the dating scene, with a smaller millennial population compared with other top cities on this list.
9. Washington, DC
Washington, D.C. scored as one of the highest for income and amenities, as well as within the top quartile for employment and dating. The city does however have a relatively high rent burden.
10. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City‘s bustling economy is great place to start a career, with young professional employment rates in the top 15% of all cities in the United States. The city also scored well on amenities and the overall millennial population.

Results By Region

Northeast

In the Northeast, Boston edged out New York as the best place for recent graduates to start a career. Boston’s millennial population, coupled with high starting salaries, gave the city a slight edge over its larger neighbor. Other top choices in the region included Burlington, Albany, and Rochester.
Southeast

Washington D.C. topped the Southeast region with strong median incomes, amenities, and employment. The next best options included two Louisiana cities, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, followed by Baltimore and Virginia Beach.
Midwest

The Midwest was one of the strongest regions, with Madison and Columbus taking first and third place nationally. High incomes and relatively low rent bolstered the region substantially in our analysis.
Southwest

Texas held all five top Southwestern cities. Austin topped the list, followed by Houston and Midland.
West

Salt Lake City topped the Western region, with high employment and income scores. Other great options included Boulder and Denver, followed by San Diego and Seattle. While still a great choice, San Francisco was absent from the top five due to a high cost of living and the most expensive rent prices in the nation.

Méthodologie

Our data analysis included a mix of proprietary and Census datasets to determine overall rankings. Census American Community Survey numbers were pulled via the American FactFinder.
The following six main factors were used in calculations, each weighted based on overall importance to a new graduate.
– Millennial Population
To compare millennial population across metro regions, we drew Census data from 2014 covering the total percentage of all inhabitants between the ages of 20-29 years old.
– Young Professional Income
The income desirability for young professionals can be split up into two parts – starting salary and future earning potential. To explore, we pulled 2014 Census data on median income for inhabitants between the ages of 20-29.
– Amenities, Nightlife, Restaurants, Bars
Our analysis included Census numbers tallying the total amount of restaurants, bars, clubs, coffee shops, bakeries, and eateries in each metro region. This also includes venues that serve alcohol, but would not necessarily fall into one of the categories.
– Employment Rate
To evaluate local job markets, we pulled stats on the total employment rate of those aged between 20-44 years old.
– Population Single/Never Married
While job prospects may be considered one of the primary factors in deciding where to move, a strong secondary consideration is the dating scene. We included 2014 Census data for inhabitants designated as single (never married).
– Rent Prices
A rapid increase in rent prices across major U.S. metro regions should be considered when moving. To determine rent burden, we calculated the yearly rent an individual would pay divided by the metro region’s median yearly income. The dataset included Zumper rental data and income data from the U.S. Census.

Full Dataset

Enter a city name in the search box to explore the results. 260 cities total are included.

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.