Ranking Category

Best Cities for Young Professionals

Top destinations for early-career professionals — jobs, salary, and lifestyle.

#1
Huntsville, Alabama
Score: 86.2 Cost Index: 92 Salary: $69K Pop: 225,564
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#2
Madison, Alabama
Score: 91.0 Cost Index: 103 Salary: $90K Pop: 61,000
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#3
Austin, Texas
Score: 78.0 Cost Index: 96 Salary: $74K Pop: 1,011,743
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#4
Sitka, Alaska
Score: 85.0 Cost Index: 117 Pop: 8,368
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#5
Anchorage, Alaska
Score: 84.8 Cost Index: 119 Salary: $84K Pop: 291,247
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#6
Juneau, Alaska
Score: 82.5 Cost Index: 127 Salary: $86K Pop: 32,000
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#7
Dallas, Texas
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 103 Salary: $66K Pop: 1,336,440
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#8
New York City, New York
Score: 65.0 Cost Index: 179 Salary: $74K Pop: 8,478,000
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#9
Alabaster, Alabama
Score: 76.0 Cost Index: 98 Salary: $40K Pop: 33,917
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#10
Des Moines, Iowa
Score: 75.0 Cost Index: 92 Salary: $54K Pop: 214,237
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#11
Houston, Texas
Score: 70.0 Cost Index: 97 Salary: $98K Pop: 2,390,125
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#12
Nashville, Tennessee
Score: 70.0 Cost Index: 96 Salary: $93K Pop: 712,581
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#13
Aberdeen, South Dakota
Score: 78.0 Cost Index: 94 Salary: $58K Pop: 28,189
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#14
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Score: 70.0 Cost Index: 134 Salary: $65K Pop: 69,825
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#15
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
Score: 80.0 Cost Index: 115 Salary: $67K Pop: 40,556
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#16
Los Angeles, California
Score: 78.0 Cost Index: 152 Salary: $75K Pop: 3,869,089
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#17
Homewood, Alabama
Score: 78.0 Cost Index: 105 Salary: $54K Pop: 27,829
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#18
Montgomery, Alabama
Score: 75.1 Cost Index: 87 Salary: $56K Pop: 198,218
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#19
Hoover, Alabama
Score: 75.0 Cost Index: 106 Salary: $68K Pop: 93,013
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#20
Dothan, Alabama
Score: 72.5 Cost Index: 86 Salary: $54K Pop: 71,612
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#21
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 104 Salary: $69K Pop: 200,117
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#22
Prattville, Alabama
Score: 75.0 Cost Index: 91 Salary: $51K Pop: 41,200
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#23
Auburn, Alabama
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 96 Pop: 83,757
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#24
Decatur, Alabama
Score: 70.0 Cost Index: 84 Salary: $43K Pop: 58,291
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#25
Mobile, Alabama
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 89 Salary: $54K Pop: 201,367
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#26
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Score: 67.0 Cost Index: 88 Salary: $54K Pop: 114,288
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#27
Miami, Florida
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 127 Salary: $62K Pop: 487,014
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#28
Tampa, Florida
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 104 Salary: $75K Pop: 401,618
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#29
Opelika, Alabama
Score: 72.0 Salary: $53K Pop: 33,944
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#30
Aiken, South Carolina
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 85 Salary: $46K Pop: 33,306
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#31
Fairbanks, Alaska
Score: 60.0 Cost Index: 123 Salary: $40K Pop: 32,083
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#32
Florence, Alabama
Score: 68.0 Cost Index: 83 Salary: $49K Pop: 42,716
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#33
Phenix City, Alabama
Score: 70.0 Cost Index: 84 Salary: $43K Pop: 38,000
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#34
Alamogordo, New Mexico
Score: 75.0 Cost Index: 86 Salary: $52K Pop: 32,189
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#35
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Score: 68.0 Cost Index: 91 Salary: $77K Pop: 555,119
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#36
Enterprise, Alabama
Score: 68.0 Cost Index: 82 Salary: $47K Pop: 31,698
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#37
Northport, Alabama
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 98 Salary: $44K Pop: 33,797
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#38
Gadsden, Alabama
Score: 65.0 Cost Index: 85 Salary: $44K Pop: 33,374
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#39
Flint, Michigan
Score: 58.0 Cost Index: 90 Salary: $46K Pop: 79,735
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#40
Grand Blanc, Michigan
Score: 81.0 Pop: 7,924
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#41
Nitro, West Virginia
Score: 72.0 Pop: 6,853
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#42
Olympia, Washington
Score: 72.0 Cost Index: 113 Salary: $99K Pop: 55,951
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#43
Birmingham, Alabama
Score: 71.0 Cost Index: 88 Salary: $61K Pop: 196,357
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