PITTSBURGH, PA - Niche, one of the nation's leading content providers on places, K-12 schools and colleges, announced the 25 best U.S. cities and neighborhoods for millennials. The groundbreaking ranking reveals a hyper-local look at the top neighborhoods within the best cities for young people to live.
"Niche has a long-standing relationship with millennials," says Luke Skurman, Founder and CEO of Niche. "Since 2002, we've helped millions of young people choose their college and now we're uniquely positioned to help them find a place to live with Niche Local, our new guide to cities, towns and neighborhoods. This new ranking showcases the cutting-edge capability of Niche Local, to provide in-depth insight and analysis down to a neighborhood level."
Top spots on the list boast well-known qualities such as a high percentage of 25 to 34 year olds, high income, diversity, and education levels, and low rates of unemployment and crime. In addition to well-known qualifiers, the list incorporates factors from Niche's proprietary college rankings including cities with top-notch cultural attractions and thriving nightlife.
The top five cities and neighborhoods include:
1. New York City, NY
Best Neighborhood: Greenpoint (Brooklyn)
It's no surprise "The City That Never Sleeps" tops the list. Whether 20- and 30-somethings are hankering for late-night eats from Brooklyn Bowl or bar-hopping into the wee hours, there's always a sign flipped "Open" on a door somewhere in the city.
2. Austin, TX
Best Neighborhood: South River City
Known as a mecca for creative entrepreneurs, the Texas state capital is consistently touted for its growing job market, affordable housing, unique "local first" vibe, and impressive music scene.
3. Washington, D.C.
Best Neighborhood: Clarendon (Arlington)
The political epicenter of the United States draws young hopefuls with the promise of ambition and idealism and keeps them there with a solid job market and diverse cultural attractions.
4. Chicago, IL
Best Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Chi-Town is a millennial's playground. Whether it's attending museums or music festivals, taking in a night of sketch comedy, or partaking in Big Star's tacos, there's always something exciting to do.
5. San Francisco, CA
Best Neighborhood: Cow Hollow
In addition to its reputation as a burgeoning tech hub, the City by the Bay also enjoys a variety of "green," be it access to the great outdoors or an environmentally conscious community.
See Niche's Top 25 Best Places for Millennials ranking by clicking here.
Methodology: The Top Cities for Millennials ranks the top metro areas in the United States using more than a dozen factors. Factors incorporate data from the U.S. Census, FBI crime rates, and proprietary Niche rankings based on surveys of nearly 500,000 college students and recent grads over the last four years. Within each metro, the best neighborhood is again determined using the same factors from U.S. census data. View the full methodology here.