The Ultimate List of the Best Cities for Young Professionals – the 2020 Edition

As a young professional, you have many uphill challenges to face, and one of the major ones is finding the right place to live. So, you’re probably wondering what the best cities for young professionals are. Finding the right place for you can be a long process, especially since you have many to choose from. Here are some of the best places to live for young professionals to help you get a kickstart on your first long-distance relocation.

What are the Best Cities for Young Adults

For many millennials, moving away for the first time is a big deal. It’s a brand new start, and it should be celebrated, but before throwing that sweet moving away party, finding the right place to live is essential. There are many factors in choosing the proper location, and some of the best places to live in the United States might not be for everyone. One of the best tips for moving out of state is to match your needs and terms with a location. Unless you’re moving for school and you’re more worried about a college packing list, you’re going to have to ask yourself these questions:

• How much does it cost to live in this area?
• What are the job opportunities like?
• Is there affordable housing?
• How safe is it?
• What is there to do in this area?

These are just a few examples of things you should consider before moving, and those that offer good answers are truly worthy of taking into account. Beyond that, you’ll be pleased to know that many of the US cities have great opportunities for millennials to live and thrive. They offer outstanding housing options, a decent climate, easily accessible amenities, reliable public transportation, and plenty of job opportunities. Unless you’re making a military move and being transferred, the possibilities are seemingly endless.

Starting New in Washington

If you’re looking for fun and unique experiences, lots of outdoor and nature activities, and you’re a massive fan of coffee shops and apples, then the Evergreen State is for you. Within the last decade, Washington has become extremely popular for young people and has some of the best cities to live in for millennials. Staying in Washington makes for an effortless transition and offers a lot for the residents of its cities – you won’t feel too bad about moving away from friends once you get settled in.

Seattle: A Hub for Millenials

If you’re wondering “where is the best place to live in your 20’s,” the Emerald City is undoubtedly among the best around. Seattle, Washington, is a beautiful place for millennials with all kinds of unique and quirky areas and experiences. People from all over come to visit and stay in this great location for a multitude of reasons. It’s very eco-friendly, has excellent attractions, bars, clubs, art, unique music, and more. It’s also a very laid-back and welcoming area, so if you’re worried about making friends in a new city, it won’t be hard here at all.

The overall cost of living in Seattle can be a bit pricey as it is 73% higher than the national average. According to data gathered by Niche, the median home value in Seattle is $605,200, and the rent value is $1,500. Though housing can be a bit much, there are plenty of great job opportunities, mostly in biotechnology, healthcare, and maritime industries (mainly fishing and shipping,) according to the US News and World Report. There are plenty of other markets to get into as well, where you can make a decent amount of money as the average single income is $50,000 per year.

Great Jobs and Opportunities in Bellevue

If you’re wondering how to get a job in a new city, you’ll have ample opportunity to do so in Bellevue. Only a short distance away from Seattle, it offers much of the same great amenities and options for millennials. According to data on Niche, it’s one of the best places to live in Washington and, overall, one of the top cities for millennials in the US. It has many great job and career opportunities, so, depending on where in the country you live, you may want to take advantage as Bellevue has many answers for how to get a job in another state before moving there. Here are some of Bellevue’s top job industries with excellent entry-level positions:

• Computer, IT, and mobile technology – Bellevue has many different technology companies, including T-Mobile, Microsoft, Amazon, and Expedia Group.
• Business and financial services – There are many companies with open positions in this field, such as Puget Sound Energy, Paccar, Esterline, and Eddie Bauer.
• Retail and Customer Service – There are always readily available jobs at Bellevue’s major shopping areas and tourist attractions such as the Crossroads Bellevue, Bellevue Collection, the Bravern, and the Mall at Factoria.

The overall cost of living in Bellevue is considerably higher than both the national and state average. However, you can still find decent priced housing with the $55,000 per year salary you’re likely to receive. Bellevue’s median house value is $734,000, and the median rent is $2,000, so make sure you put together a good and reliable moving budget before you move here.

Life of Excitement in New York City

Who doesn’t want to live in the Big Apple? Though it’s the most densely populated location of the list, it’s a very desirable place to live for many. It has many different and unique neighborhoods in all five boroughs. You can find different types of food, cultures, music, arts, and so much more in this great location. It’s also a very commuter-friendly metropolis as it has many forms of reliable public transportation, so you can probably save money on an auto shipping service and do your moving expenses checklist some good.

Life in Manhattan

Manhattan is the most densely populated borough in NYC, with a total population of over 1,600,000 people. Though it’s got such a high population, it’s still regarded as one of the best places to live in the United States with the most diverse group of people economically, culturally, and ethnically. You can easily find yourself in some of the ritziest neighborhoods or find yourself in some of the strangest parts of the metropolis.

Because of how diverse it is, Manhattan is an excellent location for millennials and offers convenient amenities, reliable public transportation, and food from all around the world. Overall, it’s a fascinating metropolis to be in, and because of the climate, the best time of the year to move would be summer. The main drawback of Manhattan is that it can be costly, depending on which part you move to. You’ll need to research neighborhoods and how much do movers cost in NYC – you can always contact long distance movers for that information. The cost in Manhattan is much higher than both the national and state average, with the median house value falling at $945,000 and the rent value at $1,700

Experience Brooklyn

If you’re going to live anywhere in NYC, Brooklyn should be among the choices of places to live. It has many affordable housing and apartment options, as well as charming homes in suburban-like neighborhoods. Still, with Brooklyn as with any other place, one of the biggest tips for moving out for the first time is to visit the place you’re moving to beforehand.

Once you visit Brooklyn, you might as well be moving for love because it truly is a beautiful experience. It gives the residents a dense urban feel, but there is such a strong sense of community in Brooklyn that it’s hard to want to live anywhere else. It’s a place where millennials can genuinely fit in, and once you get settled, you’ll never have to ask yourself, “should I move back home?” There are great clubs, bars, and restaurants, but nothing beats the block parties in Brooklyn. People from all over the borough come and enjoy fun games, great food, good music, and an unforgettable experience.

The overall cost of living in Brooklyn is higher than the national average, but there are still excellent and affordable housing and apartment options available throughout the borough. The median house value is $667,000, and the rent value is $1,400.

Best Cities in Virginia

If you’re looking for an excellent southern lifestyle, Virginia is a great place to explore. Like many other southern states, Virginia moves at a comfortable pace with welcoming and open cities, towns, and neighborhoods, so that you won’t have nearly as much moving stress. It’s one of the most affordable states to live in and offers excellent opportunities for people of all ages to settle in. If you’re wondering where’s a good place to move to start over, then Virginia is the place to be.

You’ll Want to Buy a Home in Richmond

Richmond is a great place to move if you’re ready to get settled in for a long time. It has a great housing market and plenty of available options at affordable prices, so you’ll want to be quick. It also has rental options as well if you’re looking for a more urban experience. It does offer a bus system for commuters, but it’s much better if you have a car to get around, so you should shop around for the cheapest way to ship a vehicle.

Richmond’s total population is 230,000 people who happily live a mix of urban and suburban life with plenty of things to do and see. Perhaps the biggest draw to Richmond is that the cost of living index is not much higher than the national average yet still offers much of the same amenities and opportunities you would find in any other major metropolis. The median house value in Richmond is $221,000, and the rent value is $1,000. Look up the best house hunting tips; that way, you can land yourself a right home in Richmond.

Arlington: A Great Place for Young Professionals

According to data and some reviews, Arlington is not only the best city for millennials, but it’s the best city to live in the US. It has a bit of everything for everyone, especially for younger folk. It has excellent job listings in technology and IT, customer service and tourism, healthcare, retail, and more, along with a great nightlife with plenty of clubs, bars, restaurants, and lots of outdoor activities and experiences. Above all else, Arlington is one of the safest cities in the US. It’s also very close to Washington DC, if you’re interested in visiting the nation capital.

The cost of living can be a bit pricey for everything that this metropolis offers, but it’s still relatively affordable.  We would encourage you to find the cheapest way to move out of state or opt for really reliable moving services from interstate movers if you’re considering moving here. The average house value in Arlington is $670,000, and the rent value is $2,000.

The Best California Cities for Young Professionals

If you’re looking for endless sunshine, sandy white beaches, and possibly to meet your favorite celebrity, then you’ll want to make your destination in the Golden State. With around 40 million happy-go-lucky residents, Cali is an excellent location for millennials looking to advance their careers in real estate, digital marketing, entertainment, finance, and other industries. Whether you’re staying in the Bay Area or one of SoCal’s many cities, there is much for millennials to do, see, and experience.

Life in San Francisco

San Francisco is a lovely location for millennials and offers many different tourist attractions and plenty of quaint and sometimes really quirky neighborhoods that can be quite charming. It has a convenient public transportation system and other amenities. There is a great nightlife, with plenty of bars, clubs, lounges, and restaurants. It’s also a very pet-friendly metropolis, if you’re considering moving with pets. Although it’s usually a bright area, it can get surprisingly cold during winter months, and that sometimes rivals even Minneapolis weather, so you might want to pack some cold weather clothes as a part of your moving to-do list.

The overall cost of living in San Francisco is well over the national average, and the median house value is $1,010,000. The average rent value in SF is $1,805, so you’ll have to make some adjustments to your budget and secure a decent paying job before moving here.

Other Cities to Consider

While we named quite a few great cities for millennials, there are still a few honorable mentions. Here are a few other cities that are worth checking out:

• Chicago, Illinois – The Windy City is the third-largest metropolis in the country and the biggest in the midwest. It’s truly an excellent place for millennials looking to get into digital software and technology, and business and finance fields. It has a lot of great neighborhoods with affordable housing and is well worth staying in.
• New Orleans, Louisiana – This metropolis is not only a great tourist area, but it’s an excellent location for millennials offering career opportunities in housing development, commercial shipping, and manufacturing – not to mention all of the fantastic creole food.
• Austin, Texas – Austin is truly a one of a kind southern metropolis unique in its quirky and open nature. It has plenty of great neighborhoods, and overall it’s an enjoyable area to live in and is becoming a trendy destination for millennials.

Now that you’ve gotten to know some of the great cities all around the country for millennials, you can decide where to move. There are still many more cities to explore, of course, but before you make a final decision, be sure to visit all of these great cities first!