We introduced our first list “Top 5 U.S. Cities for Millennials” was published in January of 2016 and boy did we get a wide range of feedback! Whether readers lived in the cities that made the list, or felt other cities should have been included, the feedback was awesome. The CGS Team figured it was time to introduce an updated list!
To come up with our list of the top U.S. cities for millennials, we took into consideration the cost of living, unemployment and job growth rates, and food and fun availability. Check out our first list to see what cities made the cut the second time, and share your thoughts by leaving a comment below!
Our new Top 5 U.S. Cities for Millennials includes…
Orlando, Florida
New to our list is sunny Orlando, Florida. Dubbed by Forbes as the second fastest-growing city of 2017, Orlando has seen a job growth rate of 4.5% in 2016 alone. The price of homes have gone up nearly 10% in 2016 and the projected wage increase rate for 2017 is over 8%. There is also a lot to do in Orlando! Not only are the Florida beaches perfect for almost every time of the year, Disneyworld and Universal Studios are popular attractions for locals and visitors.
Seattle-Tacoma, Washington
Seattle has made our list once again! Previously recognized for its large millennial population (24.1%) and 10% job growth rate through 2019, Seattle has proved its staying power as a top U.S. city for millennials. While population growth seems to be evening out for the Seattle-Tacoma area, the cost of living is going up. What’s important to note is that while the cost of living is increasing, wages are increasing at about 7-8% each year to help locals sustain.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City was listed as the number 8 best U.S. city for jobs in 2017 by WalletHub. This is likely due to the city’s steadily increasing job growth rate, decreasing unemployment rate and increasing average median income. Salt Lake City offers beautiful scenery for the nature lover, and is a quick 6-hour drive to fun and fabulous Las Vegas. If you love for seasons, beautiful mountains, and NBA, Salt Lake City has everything you need. Salt Lake City also ranks as the #3 city with the lowest average beer price! Beer lovers, drink up!
Austin, Texas
Another veteran of our top U.S. cities list, Austin continues to thrive as a great place for millennials. Austin has the lowest unemployment rate of anywhere in the U.S., and the city is growing at a rapid pace. While the heart of Austin’s downtown area may come with a hefty living price tag, suburbs like Cedar Park, Manor, Leander, and Round Rock are about 30 miles out with new homes at affordable prices. Austin was also ranked as #9 in the Daily Meal’s list of the 10 best U.S. cities for food. With the ACL music festival, South by Southwest, and incredible BBQ, there’s nothing bad to say about Austin.
Scottsdale, Arizona
According to Bestplaces.net, future job growth for Scottsdale, Arizona is predicted to be as high as 41%! Scottsdale also ranks as one of the top 10 most fun U.S. cities by WalletHub, thanks to a low cost-per-fun rating, a high bar and nightlife rank, and a fitness-health focus. Scottsdale’s cost of living is on the rise, but so are the wages. Scottsdale is driving distance from Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and prides itself on warm weather year-round.
A few cities (Denver, Atlanta and Portland) didn’t make our top 5 list, but they made room for other great U.S. cities for millennials to consider when thinking of a big move! What are your thoughts on the 5 cities above for millennials? If you are from or currently live in any of the cities above, please share your thoughts on food/fun, job growth and cost of living!
