A leading financial magazine recently put together a list of U.S. cities where one can find still find relatively cheap rents, but that are enjoyable to live in.
While many young college graduates aim to launch their careers in huge metropolitan areas like San Francisco or Los Angeles, many may find satisfaction (and save a lot of money) by looking beyond the major metropolises. The five cites listed below all have a growing "under-30" population and solid job markets:
Athens
The University of Georgia is situated in this college town and is responsible for its unique appeal to young graduates and its subsequent growth. The city offers free wireless Internet downtown, and the university and two regional hospitals help keep the city's unemployment rate impressively low.
Where: Downtown, West side, Five Points Cost: 650-750 dollars a month for a one-bedroom apt., or 750-850 dollars for a 2-bedroom apt.
Atlanta
Atlanta is the state hub and Georgia's most densely populated city, as well as being the center of the ninth biggest metropolitan area in the United States. It is #4 among American cities for wireless Internet, and ranks third in the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in its metropolitan area, just a bit less than New York City and Houston.
Where: Midtown, Virginia Highlands, East Atlanta Cost: 600-900 dollars a month for a 1-bedroom unit, 800-1,350 dollars for a 2-bedroom
Austin
The capital of Texas, Austin is the state's fourth most-populous city and the 16th largest in the U.S.A. The city was ranked as the #2 Best Big City in "Best Places to Live" according to Money magazine in 2006. Many graduates each year from the engineering and computer science programs at The University of Texas at Austin provide a steady source of young, talented, and driven employees that help to fuel the city's technology and defense industries.
Where: Downtown, S. Austin Cost: 500-800 dollars a month for a 1-bedroom apt., 700-1,200 dollars for a 2-bedroom
Denver
The Denver Metropolitan Area has more federal workers than any other metropolitan area except for Washington, D.C. Among Denver's attractions are a good light-rail system and a top-20 ranking for free wi-fi.
Where: W. Highland, LoDo, Highland Cost: 700-800 dollars a month for a 1-bedroom apartment, 900-1,200 dollars for a 2-bedroom
Minneapolis
The biggest city in Minnesota, Minneapolis sits next to Saint Paul, the state's capital. Availability of wi-fi, ease of transportation, medical trials, expenditures on university research, advanced degrees held by the work force, and general conservation of energy are so far above the national average that in 2005, Popular Science named Minneapolis the "Top Tech City" in the U.S.
Where: Uptown, Northeast, North Loop Cost: 600-700 dollars per month for a one-bedroom unit, 800-1,100 dollars for a two-bedroom
