Top Cities All Young Professionals Should Consider
As you start your career, choosing a location to call home can be an intimidating process. You want to make sure the place you plan to live has plenty of opportunities in your industry, but it's just as important to find a city that's affordable and has more to offer than just work.
To help in your search, we've put together this list of some of the top cities that young professionals should consider moving to.
Houston, TX
Houston is a vibrant city with plenty of opportunities, making it one of the best places to live for young people. Industries such as technology, energy, aviation, and manufacturing are thriving in this city, and on top of that, housing costs here are nearly 20% below the national average. While Houston is a great choice economically, it's also a fun place to live. There are several museums in the city, as well as shopping centers and restaurants. And if you're not a fan of chilly weather, you'll be happy to know it's pretty rare to see snow in Houston. In fact, most days are sunny and warm, which means you can get out and see the city year-round.
Seattle, WA
Some of the country's top employers are headquartered in Seattle, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Boeing. It also serves as a major port for goods shipped to the United States from overseas, which means there's plenty of work to be had in logistics and transportation, too. If you consider yourself outdoorsy, you'll appreciate that the city is close to Puget Sound, as well as a variety of national parks and forests.
Denver, CO
When looking for some of the best cities for young professionals, look no further than Denver. Denver is a beautiful city that offers sprawling mountain views and access to some of the country's best ski and snowboard resorts. When it comes to working, the economy here is diverse. There are opportunities in sectors such as telecommunications, health care, finance, and bioscience, and the city's biggest employers include Kaiser Permanente and Wells Fargo Bank. Although the overall cost of living in Denver is above the U.S. average, some expenses such as health care are lower, which helps when it comes to balancing your budget.
Austin, TX
Austin is the capital of Texas, and in recent years, it's become one of the best cities for young people. Big technology businesses like Facebook, Apple, and Google have established a presence here. Austin's population is relatively young, too, with a median age of just 33.3 years. That makes it a lot easier to find social circles when you're a young professional who's new to the city.
Boston, MA
Boston is an incredible place to call home, with easy access to major cities, including Philly and NYC, as well as popular day trip destinations like Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. And while the city is a great place to live, it's also an excellent place to work. And most importantly, the job market here is strong, with opportunities in health care, tourism, and education.
Portland, OR
Portland is known as a city that's a little offbeat, and the people who live here love it that way. There are some big businesses that operate out of the city, including Nike, Providence Health & Services, and Intel, and it's predicted that over the next ten years, the local job market will grow more than 40%.
Whether you're looking for a city with lots of job opportunities or one that offers affordable living and high quality of life, these cities are great options for starting your life as a young professional.