The 10 Best Cities for Gen Z College Graduates to Live in Right Now

After spending four years with their heads in the books, recent college graduates may want a change of scenery once they toss their caps. But in some cases, it might be best to stay put.

Research firm RentCafe analyzed 122 metros with populations over 300,000 and ranked the best metros for Gen Z graduates. Each metro was ranked based on six weighted metrics related to Gen Z population, job growth, and other factors related to livability.

The stereotypical trend of young people moving to big cities to maximize their lifestyles has shifted recently, as young Americans choose affordability and comfort in more rural areas of the country. According to an analysis by Hamilton Lombard, a demographer at the University of Virginia, 63% of rural counties had increases in their population of 25- to 44-year-olds between 2020 and 2023. Between 2010 and 2013, that number was 27%.

“A lot of the top-ranking cities are either college towns or they are close to major universities, meaning there is a steady influx of young people joining their demographics,” RentCafe writer and researcher Mihaela Buzec told Business Insider.

A majority of the cities in the top 10 are considered college towns with at least one university. College towns generally have a fairly steady number of young people filtering in and out of them and offer culture and charm without charging too much for rent. And while some college towns on the list double as fairly large and expensive cities, like Boston and Washington, DC, affordability and familiarity reign supreme.

“We cannot disregard the familiarity factor,” Buzec said. “Fresh graduates who moved to college towns for university likely feel a sense of belonging to the community they called home during the college years, and all those youth-focused amenities are still desirable and desired by college graduates.”

Here are the top 10 best metros to live in for Gen Z graduates, according to RentCafe. Median sales prices are from Realtor.com.