folks are fleeing<\/a>, en masse, due to priciness \u2014 failed to make the grade.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cWashington, D.C. ranks as the best big city in the U.S. for recent college graduates,\u201d revealed researchers for Redfin, a virtual real estate brokerage, and Glassdoor, a job and recruiting hub, per the report.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe nation\u2019s capital tops the list because recent grads earn big paychecks relative to other large cities, there\u2019s a lot of career opportunities, and the city offers great work-life balance.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s got similar goods to Gotham, but with more bang for a Zoomer\u2019s buck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Study authors for Redfin and Glassdoor found Washington, D.C. and Omaha, Nebraska to be the top two best and biggest cities for Gen Zs hoping to land high-paying jobs and purchase affordable starter homes. VictorCanalesStudio \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
To rightfully crown D.C. No. 1, investigators pinpointed the country\u2019s most bustling big cities, and identified 13 unique indicators across housing affordability, career opportunity and urban quality of life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The indicators included \u201cstarter home availability,\u201d \u201cownership cost,\u201d \u201crent-to-income ratio,\u201d \u201cearly career earnings,\u201d \u201ceconomic diversity,\u201d \u201cjob availability,\u201d \u201ccareer satisfaction,\u201d \u201cwork-life balance ratings,\u201d as well as median walk and transit scores.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe nation\u2019s capital ranks as the best big city for recent college grads because it has a robust entry-level job market offering strong salaries, and while housing isn\u2019t exactly cheap, it\u2019s more affordable than many other big coastal cities,\u201d wrote Redfin and Glassdoor authorities. \u201cThe top sector for early-career workers is tech, but D.C. also offers junior jobs aplenty in government and government-adjacent organizations, like think tanks, defense contractors, consultants and law firms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cD.C. has 19 job postings per 100 workers, the most of any big U.S. city,\u201d continued the insiders. \u201cBut it\u2019s not all work, all the time: The U.S. capital is one of the cultural centers of the U.S., offering not only unique landmarks, but a thriving food and drinks scene at places like The Wharf and Union Market.\u201d<\/p>\n
Securing the second place position on the list is none other Omaha, Nebraska.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The experts found that Omaha\u2019s midwestern charm, as well as job and housing markets, offer educated Gen Zers a comfortable life. Andriy Blokhin \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a city best known for steaks that\u2019s truly raised the stakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA starter home in Omaha costs less than $200,000, which is affordable to someone earning the typical entry-level salary of around $59,000,\u201d said the specialists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most popular career path for recent grads in the Nebraska town is healthcare, but it\u2019s also home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Berkshire Hathaway, Union Pacific and Mutual of Omaha,\u201d they added. \u201cNot only do college grads report enjoying their jobs, but they also report strong work-life balance \u2014 especially for those immersed in the city\u2019s thriving music and brewery scene.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The address is all the rage among folks who\u2019ve recently donned a cap and gown, says Justin Gomez, a Redfin Premier agent in Omaha.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople move here from many different parts of the country because there\u2019s a great community for the younger crowd: We have a lot of colleges in the area, and there are so many fun events like the annual college baseball tournament,\u201d Gomez told researchers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t hurt that we have a lot of well-paying jobs, including at the University of Nebraska Med Center and the Offutt Airforce Base,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd with a lot of homes selling for under $300,000, young grads actually have a shot at purchasing a house.\u201d<\/p>\n
Along with ranking the nation\u2019s top 10 best and biggest cities for recent grads, the analysts also spotlit the top 10 midsize and small size metropolises in which Gen Zs are most likely to thrive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Midsize cities, such as Mobile, Alabama, and small cities like Hilton Head, South Carolina ranked in their respective top 10 lists, per the findings. Zoran Zeremski \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
And while NYC didn\u2019t make the cut on any of the three rosters, its neighboring city of Trenton, New Jersey, earned the No. 7 spot on the midsize list thanks to its budget-friendly, worker-friendly offerings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTrenton is more affordable than many other East Coast cities, and it has a strong entry-level job market in industries like education and government,\u201d noted study authors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe New Jersey capital also has easy access to both New York City and Philadelphia,\u201d continued the findings, \u201cand young professionals sticking around Trenton for the weekend can partake in the city\u2019s vibrant art galleries, famous barbecue restaurants and minor league baseball games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Check out Redfin and Glassdoor\u2019s top 10 big, midsize and small cities for recent grads lists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Big cities <\/p>\n
1. Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n
Average annual early-career earnings: $79,857<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $320,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 4 years, 2 months<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 31.6%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 34%<\/p>\n
2. Omaha, Nebraska<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $59,123<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $195,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 3 years, 8 months<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 26%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 28%<\/p>\n
4. Dallas, Texas<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $67,451<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $240,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 4 years, 1 month<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 28%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 26%<\/p>\n
5. Chicago, Illinois<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $72,786<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $202,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 3 years<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 21.9%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 28%<\/p>\n
6. Houston, Texas<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $ 65,369<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $215,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 3 years, 7 months<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 25.9%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 18%<\/p>\n
7. St. Louis, Missouri<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $ 61,834<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $ 150,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 2 years, 7 months<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 19.1%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 23%<\/p>\n
8. San Diego, California<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $ 74,053<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $ 615,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: More than 10 years<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 65.4%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 64%<\/p>\n
9. Miami, Florida<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $ 62,748<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $ 210,000<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 3 years, 11 months<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 26.4%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 33%<\/p>\n
10. Austin, Texas<\/p>\n
Average early-career earnings: $ 72,025<\/p>\n
Price of typical starter home: $ 276,600<\/p>\n
Years to save for down payment: 4 years, 1 months<\/p>\n
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income: 30.3%<\/p>\n
Monthly rent as % of income: 35%<\/p>\n
Midsize cities<\/p>\n
New Orleans, Louisiana<\/p>\n
Palm Bay, Florida<\/p>\n
Wichita, Kansas<\/p>\n
Mobile, Alabama<\/p>\n
Anchorage, Arkansas<\/p>\n
Lincoln, Nebraska<\/p>\n
Trenton, New Jersey<\/p>\n
Bridgeport, Connecticut<\/p>\n
Waco, Texas<\/p>\n
Lexington, Kentucky <\/p>\n
Small cities<\/p>\n
Springfield, Illinois<\/p>\n
Santa Fe, New Mexico<\/p>\n
Panama City, Florida<\/p>\n
Hilton Head, South Carolina<\/p>\n
Macon, Georgia <\/p>\n
Champaign, Illinois <\/p>\n
Greenville, North Carolina<\/p>\n
Columbia, Missouri<\/p>\n
Bend, Oregon<\/p>\n
Rochester, Minnesota <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Z\u00a0ya later to NYC!\u00a0 Times Square\u2019s twinkle and the bright lights of Broadway may fascinate googly-eyed Gen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":211038,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[235,83433,5013,3415,232,1016,237,9,24,56,63,65,64,38553,9864],"class_list":{"0":"post-211037","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-gen-z","9":"tag-graduates","10":"tag-homeowners","11":"tag-jobs","12":"tag-lifestyle","13":"tag-los-angeles","14":"tag-money","15":"tag-new-york","16":"tag-new-york-city","17":"tag-ny","18":"tag-nyc","19":"tag-nyc-headlines","20":"tag-nyc-news","21":"tag-work","22":"tag-workers"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211037"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211037\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/211038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}