Best Cities for Young Professionals
Cities with strong job markets, educated populations, and vibrant economies for career starters. · 100 cities ranked · Updated 2026-04-05
Finding the best cities for young professionals requires looking beyond just one metric. Our ranking uses a data-driven scoring formula that weighs multiple factors from the US Census Bureau including median household income, housing affordability, education levels, employment rates, and poverty rates. Only cities with a population above 50,000 are considered.
In 2026, Hoboken, NJ takes the #1 spot, followed by Cambridge, MA and Brookhaven, GA. Each city below links to a full profile with detailed demographics, housing data, and cost of living comparisons. You can also compare any two cities side by side or explore our national rankings by specific metrics like income, rent, and education.
Full Ranking — Top 100
| Rank | City | State | Income | Home Value | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hoboken | NJ | $176,943 | $872,100 | $2,819/mo |
| #2 | Cambridge | MA | $126,469 | $1,040,500 | $2,742/mo |
| #3 | Brookhaven | GA | $117,448 | $660,300 | $1,789/mo |
| #4 | Somerville | MA | $127,056 | $899,400 | $2,468/mo |
| #5 | Ann Arbor | MI | $81,089 | $435,100 | $1,552/mo |
| #6 | Chapel Hill | NC | $85,825 | $576,500 | $1,483/mo |
| #7 | Berkeley | CA | $108,558 | $1,351,100 | $2,127/mo |
| #8 | Towson | MD | $100,481 | $445,100 | $1,784/mo |
| #9 | Brookline | MA | $140,631 | $1,233,100 | $2,804/mo |
| #10 | Irvine | CA | $129,647 | $1,115,400 | $2,893/mo |
| #11 | Santa Clara | CA | $173,670 | $1,527,900 | $2,985/mo |
| #12 | Ankeny | IA | $106,603 | $311,300 | $1,279/mo |
| #13 | Draper | UT | $130,680 | $726,000 | $1,812/mo |
| #14 | Bentonville | AR | $108,465 | $370,700 | $1,238/mo |
| #15 | Davis | CA | $87,421 | $829,000 | $2,043/mo |
| #16 | Sammamish | WA | $227,273 | $1,240,300 | $2,728/mo |
| #17 | Boulder | CO | $85,364 | $982,600 | $1,924/mo |
| #18 | Dunwoody | GA | $109,116 | $579,400 | $1,806/mo |
| #19 | Bozeman | MT | $79,903 | $614,900 | $1,611/mo |
| #20 | Arlington | VA | $140,160 | $864,800 | $2,275/mo |
| #21 | Mountain View | CA | $179,917 | $1,927,400 | $2,975/mo |
| #22 | Madison | WI | $76,983 | $346,900 | $1,364/mo |
| #23 | Austin | TX | $91,461 | $512,700 | $1,655/mo |
| #24 | Redmond | WA | $162,099 | $1,091,700 | $2,343/mo |
| #25 | Richardson | TX | $96,257 | $405,600 | $1,825/mo |
| #26 | Lehi | UT | $125,860 | $567,100 | $1,798/mo |
| #27 | Madison | AL | $131,436 | $367,900 | $1,375/mo |
| #28 | Cary | NC | $129,399 | $525,200 | $1,621/mo |
| #29 | Franklin | TN | $115,000 | $646,300 | $1,861/mo |
| #30 | Fishers | IN | $128,141 | $370,200 | $1,491/mo |
| #31 | Dublin | CA | $205,046 | $1,224,100 | $3,174/mo |
| #32 | Bellevue | WA | $161,300 | $1,203,100 | $2,505/mo |
| #33 | Sandy Springs | GA | $101,593 | $583,900 | $1,789/mo |
| #34 | Santa Cruz | CA | $111,427 | $1,180,100 | $2,302/mo |
| #35 | McLean | VA | $250,001 | $1,304,900 | $3,376/mo |
| #36 | Westfield | IN | $119,598 | $391,900 | $1,526/mo |
| #37 | Sunnyvale | CA | $181,862 | $1,816,600 | $3,065/mo |
| #38 | Alexandria | VA | $113,638 | $696,800 | $2,031/mo |
| #39 | Fort Collins | CO | $83,598 | $548,400 | $1,661/mo |
| #40 | Layton | UT | $99,188 | $437,400 | $1,455/mo |
| #41 | Apex | NC | $138,442 | $514,800 | $1,784/mo |
| #42 | Bethesda | MD | $191,348 | $1,129,700 | $2,437/mo |
| #43 | Seattle | WA | $121,984 | $912,100 | $1,998/mo |
| #44 | Wheaton | IL | $119,566 | $447,700 | $1,731/mo |
| #45 | Durham | NC | $79,234 | $355,300 | $1,412/mo |
| #46 | Rockville | MD | $122,384 | $658,300 | $2,244/mo |
| #47 | Overland Park | KS | $103,838 | $384,400 | $1,455/mo |
| #48 | Woodbury | MN | $126,222 | $434,900 | $1,827/mo |
| #49 | Herriman | UT | $118,446 | $554,900 | $1,870/mo |
| #50 | Boston | MA | $94,755 | $710,400 | $2,093/mo |
| #51 | Jersey City | NJ | $94,813 | $534,500 | $1,902/mo |
| #52 | Wylie | TX | $113,661 | $350,100 | $1,985/mo |
| #53 | Frisco | TX | $146,158 | $595,400 | $1,902/mo |
| #54 | Collierville | TN | $134,319 | $458,300 | $1,574/mo |
| #55 | Royal Oak | MI | $95,182 | $305,900 | $1,335/mo |
| #56 | Raleigh | NC | $82,424 | $377,800 | $1,468/mo |
| #57 | Hillsboro | OR | $103,207 | $483,400 | $1,896/mo |
| #58 | Lenexa | KS | $102,344 | $368,800 | $1,429/mo |
| #59 | Horizon West | FL | $123,586 | $498,700 | $2,236/mo |
| #60 | Atlanta | GA | $81,938 | $420,600 | $1,617/mo |
| #61 | Novi | MI | $110,938 | $399,100 | $1,696/mo |
| #62 | Cupertino | CA | $231,139 | $2,000,001 | $3,501/mo |
| #63 | Broomfield | CO | $121,025 | $631,600 | $2,074/mo |
| #64 | Kirkland | WA | $143,533 | $1,022,500 | $2,342/mo |
| #65 | Auburn | AL | $56,123 | $342,400 | $1,034/mo |
| #66 | Fremont | CA | $176,350 | $1,289,400 | $2,905/mo |
| #67 | Columbia | MD | $129,173 | $480,300 | $1,998/mo |
| #68 | Salt Lake City | UT | $74,925 | $495,700 | $1,343/mo |
| #69 | Hoover | AL | $107,822 | $391,300 | $1,404/mo |
| #70 | Greenville | SC | $68,460 | $453,300 | $1,248/mo |
| #71 | Newton | MA | $184,989 | $1,202,500 | $2,388/mo |
| #72 | Palo Alto | CA | $220,408 | $2,000,001 | $3,328/mo |
| #73 | Columbia | MO | $64,488 | $268,300 | $1,067/mo |
| #74 | Huntersville | NC | $119,951 | $439,300 | $1,742/mo |
| #75 | Lakeville | MN | $138,119 | $425,200 | $1,727/mo |
| #76 | Waltham | MA | $116,560 | $705,700 | $2,232/mo |
| #77 | Plano | TX | $108,649 | $440,600 | $1,792/mo |
| #78 | Aliso Viejo | CA | $137,970 | $863,800 | $2,774/mo |
| #79 | Minneapolis | MN | $80,269 | $345,600 | $1,329/mo |
| #80 | Parker | CO | $129,342 | $613,200 | $1,973/mo |
| #81 | Spring Hill | TN | $106,658 | $452,400 | $1,738/mo |
| #82 | Iowa City | IA | $57,533 | $273,600 | $1,094/mo |
| #83 | Milpitas | CA | $176,822 | $1,180,000 | $3,112/mo |
| #84 | Centreville | VA | $143,704 | $565,900 | $2,238/mo |
| #85 | Kyle | TX | $89,645 | $302,200 | $1,661/mo |
| #86 | Anchorage | AK | $98,152 | $375,900 | $1,453/mo |
| #87 | Smyrna | GA | $96,780 | $409,000 | $1,682/mo |
| #88 | Edmond | OK | $102,032 | $324,900 | $1,313/mo |
| #89 | Carmel | IN | $134,602 | $455,500 | $1,607/mo |
| #90 | Shawnee | KS | $106,312 | $332,900 | $1,233/mo |
| #91 | Evanston | IL | $95,766 | $472,300 | $1,698/mo |
| #92 | Charlotte | NC | $78,438 | $351,500 | $1,504/mo |
| #93 | Orem | UT | $81,292 | $439,000 | $1,405/mo |
| #94 | San Mateo | CA | $152,669 | $1,563,200 | $3,079/mo |
| #95 | Leander | TX | $140,180 | $470,700 | $1,865/mo |
| #96 | Lewisville | TX | $85,002 | $350,200 | $1,572/mo |
| #97 | Redwood City | CA | $150,840 | $1,838,800 | $2,959/mo |
| #98 | Medford | MA | $118,089 | $715,500 | $2,477/mo |
| #99 | Wake Forest | NC | $120,777 | $435,000 | $1,458/mo |
| #100 | Normal | IL | $66,350 | $199,900 | $974/mo |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the #1 cities for young professionals in America?
Hoboken, NJ ranks #1 with a median income of $176,943 and home values at $872,100.
What are the top 3 cities for young professionals?
The top 3 are: 1) Hoboken, NJ, 2) Cambridge, MA, and 3) Brookhaven, GA.
How are the best cities for young professionals determined?
Cities are scored using a data-driven formula based on Census Bureau data including income, housing costs, employment, education, and demographics. Only cities with population over 50,000 are included.