10 Millennial-Friendly Cities that Aren’t New York or LA
BY ELIA ESSEN
Sometimes it feels like everyone and their mother has moved to New York or LA. But there are plenty of reasons not to move to the Big Apple or the City of Angels— from high rent prices to crazy competitive job markets. If you're looking to relocate but can't quite decide where yet, read on.
Southeast
Charleston, SC
With its cobblestoned French Quarter and elegant Spanish moss, there’s no denying Charleston is a stunning city. But it’s also a great place for young people to live. With a reasonable median household income ($57,603), plenty of colleges and research institutes, and a recent boom in economic growth, it’s a great place to be on the job hunt. Not to mention all the amazing Southern food, beautiful parks and rich history — it’s one of the oldest cities in the country.
Austin, TX
Austin is the state capital and home to the University of Texas but it also hosts tons of Fortune 500 companies including 3M, Amazon, Apple, Google and Cisco. There’s also a thriving art scene (Austin is sometimes called the Live Musical Capital of the World) and many beautiful lakes and rivers nearby to explore. As if that isn’t enough, the FBI recently ranked it the second safest city in the U.S.
Northeast
Pittsburgh, PA
Once a major manufacturing city, today Pittsburgh is rife with opportunities for college-educated millennials. With offices for IBM, Uber, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook, and nearly 70 colleges and universities, there are plenty of jobs to go around. Pittsburgh is also an exceptionally friendly city; it is home to Mr. Rogers, afterall. There’s plenty to do, from rooting on one of their beloved sports teams to visiting one of their many museums.
Providence, Rhode Island
There’s something for everyone in Providence. Art enthusiasts can roam the halls of the countless museums and galleries. History buffs can explore the city’s nearly 400 year history. Outdoor lovers can take advantage of the over 1,200 acres of parks. And just about everyone can appreciate that Providence has more coffee and doughnut shops per capita of any city in the nation. It’s also got an active LGBTQ community. With eight hospitals and seven universities, there are plenty of opportunities in medicine and research. Plus who knows when Emma Watson will stop by to visit her alma mater?
Midwest
Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor could easily be one of the most underrated cities in the U.S. Home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is a great place to live, whether you’re single and ready to mingle or hoping to start a family soon. Ann Arbor is nicknamed Tree Town because of the abundance of vegetation throughout the city. Locals share an affinity for political activism that traces back to the Vietnam War protests in the 1960s and 70s. Today Ann Arbor is a bustling epicenter of restaurants, breweries and locally owned bookshops. There’s also a quite a few medical centers and laboratories that employ people.
Madison, WI
From its massive Saturday morning farmers market to its acclaimed craft beer festival in August, there’s tons to love about living in Madison. State capital and home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this city is one of the fittest in the country. There lots of outdoor recreation including ice fishing, hiking and biking, plus a large number of living and shopping co-ops. With an unemployment rate of just 2 percent, Madison is a great place to hunt for jobs.
West Coast
Portland, OR
How can you not love Portland when it’s motto is “Keep Portland weird?” Portlanders accept just about every oddity that comes their way so you’ll never get bored (hello annual naked bike race). It’s one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the world, with exceptional public transportation and bike paths. There are over 1,200 tech companies in the city and headquarters for Adidas, Nike, Columbia, Dr. Martens and Keen. There’s no shortage of amazing coffee and craft brews to get you through your work week.
Seattle, WA
There’s so much more to Seattle than the rainy weather and the famous Space Needle on its skyline. The seaside city is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. with one of the highest minimum wages. It’s also the headquarters for Amazon, Starbucks, and Microsoft and an exceptionally high median household income ($83,476). Plenty of global health organizations also call Seattle home, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Infectious Disease Research Institute. There’s also plenty to do outside of work hours like visiting nearby Olympic National Park, enjoying the city’s thriving coffee culture, and exploring the rich music history (Seattle is the birthplace of Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters, to name a few).
Southwest
Albuquerque, NM
The Sandia Mountains preside over this old Spanish colony turned flourishing mountain city. Intersected by the Rio Grande, 25 percent of the city is comprised of parks. From its historic Old Town district to their October International Balloon Fiesta (the largest gathering of hot air balloons in the world), there is always something to do. The city also boasts an exceptionally high concentration of tech and government institutions, including Sandia National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and the University of New Mexico.
Boulder, CO
Boulder is an outdoor lover’s paradise. Nestled over 5,000 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, there’s a cornucopia of hiking and biking trails. A little snow doesn’t keep Boulderites inside. In the winter there’s plenty of skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and just about every other cold weather sport. Boulder is also an exceptionally young and well-educated city — median age of just 28 and 72% of residents have college degrees. That’s because of all the start-ups and tech companies in Boulder. National Center for Atmospheric Research and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are headquartered here, plus Google and Microsoft have offices.
So there you have it — 10 amazing American cities for millennials. The tough part? Deciding which one to make home next!
Meet the Writer
Elia Essen is a freelance writer and journalist from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She lives in Vancouver, Canada where she enjoys dancing, hiking and keeping up celebrity drama. You can read more of her work at http://eliaessen.com/.
