Sunday, May 18, 2025

11 Greatest Locations to Stay within the U.S. For Younger Adults

Younger individuals in America are on the transfer. And whereas everybody has their private causes to relocate, many younger individuals are shifting in the hunt for higher jobs, reasonably priced housing, and recreation. So the place are they headed?

Along with states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, and North Dakota, which are a magnet for newcomers with their laid-back existence, younger individuals additionally migrate to bigger city metros like Washington, D.C. and Denver, that are established job hubs. There, they typically settle in suburban communities the place they will get extra bang for his or her buck with out sacrificing proximity to town and concrete facilities.

When you’re contemplating relocating, we rounded up 11 of the most effective cities for younger adults proper now, primarily based on knowledgeable perception, in addition to current reviews and rankings on the highest quality of life for younger individuals, which the U.S. Census Bureau defines as individuals between the ages of 18 and 34.

Arlington, Virginia

Kayakers within the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia.

drnadig/Getty Photographs


“Arlington is a unicorn,” says John Mentis, a gross sales agent at Lengthy & Foster Actual Property/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, including that the Virginia metropolis, positioned simply throughout the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., has “a uncommon mixture of good-paying jobs, eating places, leisure, parks and recreation, and public transportation in an setting of various, charming, and enticing neighborhoods that really feel one thing between city and suburban.”

Final yr, Area of interest.com named Colonial Village, one among Arlington’s neighborhoods, the most effective in America, whereas town topped America’s fittest metropolis rating for the seventh yr in a row, because of its residents’ total well being and entry to leisure amenities. The Washington Metro connects Arlington with our nation’s capital, however you may even stroll there. If, for instance, you reside within the Rosslyn space, in style with younger professionals, it’ll take you round half-hour (give or take, relying in your place to begin) to stroll to Georgetown through the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

In line with Mentis, different Metro-convenient neighborhoods are Clarendon, Ballston, and Courthouse, in addition to the up-and-coming Nationwide Touchdown space, the place Amazon’s headquarters are positioned.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Buildings in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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GoBankingRates.com not too long ago named Cambridge the greatest place to dwell for “the younger and rich” after analyzing information on crime, family revenue, employment alternatives, and total high quality of life. In fact, training is what Cambridge is understood for.

“Cambridge is residence to 2 of the most effective colleges on the planet: Harvard and MIT. Each colleges are magnets for younger individuals due to their high quality and status and the burden their respective undergrad and graduate levels carry all through the world. Many companies and facilities within the space subsequently tailor towards this progressive, youthful, and clever viewers making the realm a middle for the demographic,” Dave Costello, managing director at Advisors Dwelling/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, defined.

Town is residence to 118,000 residents and is positioned throughout from Boston on the Charles River. Costello defined that there are 5 main squares in Cambridge — Harvard, Central, Inman, Kendall, and Porter — so its residents typically establish their neighborhood by the closest sq., every “providing distinctive sub-neighborhoods with their very own aptitude, whether or not that be cultural delicacies, museums, outlets, colleges, and proximity to the Charles River and Boston.”

Nevertheless, the true property market right here is aggressive, and costs mirror that. Zillow reviews that the median residence worth is $996,000.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Duuesne funicular in Pittsburgh.

Rolf Karlsson/Getty Photographs


Homeownership is out of attain for a lot of younger People today, so if reasonably priced housing is a high precedence, take into account settling in Metal Metropolis. A Zillow evaluation not too long ago discovered that three out of 4 properties available on the market are reasonably priced in Pittsburgh, that means that housing prices do not exceed 30 p.c of the family revenue. And the present median residence worth of round $225,00 displays that. “Pittsburgh has reworked right into a thriving hub for younger adults over the previous decade. Town attracts younger adults with its affordability, profession alternatives, vibrant neighborhoods, arts and leisure scene, and a mess of neighborhoods, every with their very own id,” Helen Cestra, a gross sales director at Howard Hanna Actual Property Providers/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated.

She defined that younger adults are likely to gravitate in the direction of neighborhoods that supply “a mix of facilities and walkability,” resembling Aspinwall, Lawrenceville, Dormont, Strip District, and Highland Park.

Portland, Oregon

Cyclings in Portland, Oregon.

timnewman/Getty Photographs


Portland is an out of doors fanatic’s dream. Town is nestled alongside the Willamette River and is residence to expansive Forest Park, together with over 270 extra public parks and gardens. Residents also can drive to the shoreline to surf or head to Mount Hood for snowboarding inside an hour and a half.

“Portland stands out as one of many few main cities on the West Coast that also presents comparatively reasonably priced housing alongside plentiful entry to nature and wealthy cultural experiences,” Alex Cole Juer, a gross sales agent at Windermere Actual Property, stated. Along with its pure variety, it has an leisure and cultural scene to match. Portland’s breweries are second to none, and its eating places and cooks have received dozens of James Beard distinctions by means of the years.

“Younger individuals can simply discover their area of interest right here, because of quite a lot of celebrations, nonprofit organizations, artisan teams, and distinctive boutiques and galleries. Somewhat than having a single cultural hub, Portland is characterised by various neighborhoods—every with its personal distinct vibe — resembling Alberta Arts, Sellwood, and Multnomah Village,” Juer added.

Presently, the median residence worth in Portland is round $525,000. Jouer defined that whereas costs might not drop sooner or later, they’re additionally not more likely to skyrocket as they did in 2021 and 2022.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Bench on the river overlooking downtown Minneapolis.

JianweiZ/Getty Photographs


Because the happiest metropolis in America, Minneapolis presents a superb work-life stability that pulls younger professionals from throughout the nation, offering ample job alternatives and a variety of leisure actions. The metropolis has over 100 biking lanes, a handy skyway system, a number of main skilled sports activities groups, and a thriving arts scene with over a dozen museums. And, after all, there are the lakes — Minneapolis alone is residence to 22 of them — providing ample alternatives for water actions, sunbathing, picnics, or simply strolling alongside the shoreline.

Sharry Schmid, president of Edina Realty, defined that the Twin Cities actual property market, which encompasses 13 counties, has seen a listing enhance of 15 p.c during the last yr, which is sweet information for potential consumers. In line with Zillow, the median residence worth is $314,000.

“Younger adults are sometimes drawn to Uptown, Northeast, and North Loop neighborhoods in Minneapolis due to their energetic social scenes, proximity to in style lakes and trails, and stylish eating choices. Town presents quite a lot of condos, townhomes, and twin properties, mixing historic buildings with trendy high-rises,” Schmid added.

Seattle, Washington

Restaurant in Seattle’s wharf.

©Studio One-One/Getty Photographs


Seattle’s cultural sights, robust job market (particularly in tech and innovation), and culinary scene, which boasts among the most interesting seafood on the planet, have made it a magnet for younger adults for many years. Town was simply named the nineteenth greatest on the planet, up a powerful 15 spots from final yr, abandoning cities like Boston and Vancouver.

“With walkable neighborhoods, a laid-back environment, and unbeatable summers, Seattle is the right spot for these seeking to stability profession alternatives with an lively, outside way of life,” Candace Hagen, a gross sales agent at Windermere Actual Property/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated.

Hagen defined that younger adults are often drawn to walkable neighborhoods like Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, and Ballard, “the place vibrant communities and easy accessibility to facilities are key sights.”

Nevertheless, life in Seattle shouldn’t be low cost. The median residence worth is over $850,000, and shopper costs are 13 p.c increased than the nationwide common.

Consequently, Hagen defined that “indifferent further dwelling models,” basically a separate home positioned on the identical property as a major single-family residence, have gotten more and more in style amongst youthful demographics and first-time consumers as they provide a decrease entry worth “whereas nonetheless offering the comfort of core Seattle neighborhoods.”

Denver, Colorado

Railroad bridge in Denver’s Cherry Creek neighborhood.

John Coletti/Getty Photographs


Because the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, Denver‘s attraction to outside lovers is fairly evident. However this isn’t the solely purpose younger individuals flock to the Mile Excessive Metropolis. Denver’s charms are many, together with a world-famous brewery scene, a thriving job market, and year-round outside actions.

As Kayla Schmitz of Kentwood Actual Property/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide summed it up: “Denver presents a way of life stability that is onerous to beat.” She defined that town’s actual property market has cooled since its pandemic days, and potential consumers see fewer bidding wars and extra worth stabilization.

“Many younger adults desire townhomes and condos for his or her low-maintenance attraction, however new single-family properties in rising areas like Inexperienced Valley Ranch or Central Park are additionally gaining traction with these searching for extra space,” Schmitz added.

Atlanta, Georgia

View of Midtown Atlanta from Piedmont Park.

Bob Krist/Getty Photographs


Georgia’s capital has been making headlines because of its prime quality of life, particularly for younger adults. Final yr, WalletHub named it the most effective metropolis for singles, whereas in accordance with the distinguished Economist Intelligence Unit’s World Liveability Index, it’s the greatest place to dwell on the East Coast.

“Atlanta is the epicenter for arts, tradition, sports activities, and distinctive neighborhood facilities, together with the famend Atlanta Beltline,” Joel Perkins, a gross sales agent at Harry Norman, Realtors/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated, referring to the 22-mile loop that connects 45 of town’s neighborhoods by means of trails and parks.

“Walkability stays a high precedence for a lot of residence consumers, and Atlanta has made important investments in mixed-use developments alongside the Beltline, expanded bike lanes all through town, and even live-work-play communities within the suburbs — setting it other than different markets throughout the nation,” Norman added.

Atlanta’s various actual property market presents one thing for everybody, and most significantly, it presents one thing for each funds, from spacious condos beneath $200,000 and townhomes beneath $500,000 to multimillion-dollar estates.

Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina

Crosswalk in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mark Howard/Getty Photographs


Raleigh and neighboring cities Durham and Chapel Hill have been on the forefront of America’s tech business, leading to spectacular inhabitants development. Raleigh is now the third-fastest-growing large metropolis within the nation, and it is first for high quality of life on the East Coast in accordance with U.S. Information., which additionally ranked it sixth total in its annual report on the most effective cities to dwell in America. Whereas the area can also be in style with retirees, Raleigh’s median age is 35, and over 40 p.c of its inhabitants is between 20 and 44 years previous. 

“In comparison with different tech hubs like Austin and San Francisco, Raleigh and Durham provide extra reasonably priced housing,” Jenny Barber, a gross sales agent at Allen Tate Firm/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated. “It continues to be a good time to put money into these markets, and this space continues to be one of many high areas for relocation.” The median residence worth in Raleigh is $435,00, and in Durham, it is $397,000, in accordance with Zillow.

Barber stated that city condos and lofts are ultimate for many who prefer to stroll in all places, whereas townhomes in city and suburban communities with shared facilities are “fascinating for these preferring much less maintenance than a single-family residence with outside house, however not a big yard.”

Nashville, Tennessee

Previous warehouses in Nashville.

Jon Hicks/Getty Photographs


Music Metropolis could also be your go-to place for a women getaway or for a weekend of brewery and distillery hopping, however Nashville additionally has loads to supply these seeking to make it their everlasting residence. Town was named the third-best vacation spot for younger professionals, with over a fifth of town’s inhabitants now aged between 20 and 34. Its rising job market, top-notch leisure scene, and limitless record of issues to do in Nashville make for a pure draw with younger adults.

“Younger grownup consumers in Nashville are gravitating towards vibrant neighborhoods like East Nashville, Germantown, The Nations, and Wedgewood-Houston. These areas provide a mixture of historic attraction, stylish native companies, and proximity to nightlife and eating,” Chris Fumia, a gross sales agent at Crye-Leike Actual Property Providers/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated.

Zillow reviews that the present median residence worth is $427,00, whereas the price of dwelling is simply barely increased than the nationwide common, in accordance with Chase.

Houston, Texas

Market Sq. in Houston, Texas.

P A Thompson/Getty Photographs


Houston’s booming economic system, which spans industries like power, healthcare, expertise, and aerospace, is making it a sexy vacation spot for younger professionals. As well as, residents have entry to a variety of cultural and leisure choices, such because the Museum District, efficiency arts, {and professional} sports activities venues. Lately, 5 of town’s eating places had been awarded Michelin stars, demonstrating the standard of town’s rising eating scene.

“Houston additionally boasts a decrease price of dwelling in comparison with different main cities like New York or Los Angeles, which is a big draw for younger consumers seeking to maximize their budgets with out sacrificing way of life,” Nancy Almodovar, CEO and dealer at Nan and Firm Properties/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated. “Costs are beginning to degree out, with some areas seeing small worth reductions, making this a extra favorable time for consumers who had been beforehand priced out.”

Almodovar added that younger adults gravitate towards areas with a superb mixture of walkability, nightlife, and accessibility to main employers. Neighborhoods just like the Heights, Midtown, Montrose, and EaDo (East Downtown) are among the most sought-after areas.

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