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35 Best U.S. cities for young professionals to live and work

A study indicates that 14 to 23 million Americans are planning to move as a result of remote work.

By Monster Staff

If remote work is here to stay—and that’s looking likely—then you might be considering a change of scenery. Not sure where to look? Rankings and review site Niche published its Best Cities for Young Professionals to help you out, and we gathered the list to link to jobs available in these hot areas just in case a change of employer is also in order.

You’re not alone in your desire to pack your bags. The Remote Workers on the Move study by Upwork indicated that 14 to 23 million Americans are planning to move as a result of remote work, and 54.7% of people are moving over two hours away or more from their current location. So cast a wide net when fielding your options.

Some of the best places to move in the U.S. are plenty familiar—New York City, San Francisco, Chicago—while others are more of a surprise—what’s up Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Plano, Texas? Niche made their choices based on the number of millennial residents, job opportunities, plus access to nightlife and affordable housing. Their ranking was based on data from the U.S. Census, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and other sources.

Best Cities for Young Professionals

  1. Cambridge, Massachusetts
  2. San Francisco
  3. Seattle
  4. Washington DC
  5. Arlington, Virginia
  6. Boston
  7. Berkeley, California
  8. Minneapolis
  9. New York City
  10. Alexandria, Virginia
  11. Pittsburgh
  12. Denver
  13. Bellevue, Washington
  14. Santa Clara, California
  15. Sunnyvale, California
  16. Portland, Oregon
  17. Jersey City, New Jersey
  18. Atlanta
  19. Austin, Texas
  20. Chicago
  21. Sandy Springs, Georgia
  22. Ann Arbor, Michigan
  23. Plano, Texas
  24. Irvine, California
  25. Richardson, Texas
  26. Oakland, California
  27. Madison, Wisconsin
  28. Pasadena, California
  29. St. Paul, Minnesota
  30. Philadelphia
  31. Charleston, South Carolina
  32. Orlando
  33. Metairie, Louisiana
  34. St. Louis, Missouri
  35. Costa Mesa, California

Get a Move On

Whether you're itching to move to one of these best cities for young professionals or you have your sights set on another part of the country, opportunity is knocking. Need some help answering the call? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your resume—each tailored to the types of jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you can get job alerts sent directly to your inbox to cut down on time spent looking through ads.