5 Great Cities for New Graduates

Melissa Nguyen Knows What Makes a City Appealing to Recent Graduates

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Boston, Massachusetts

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Pros:

A compact city packed with everything you could imagine! There are colleges, historic buildings, parks and let’s not forget it’s where Dunkin’ Donuts was founded!

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Cons:

The winter is devastatingly cold and the cost of living is pretty high.

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Those winters can be rough… but remember that Ben Affleck is from there.

I’m worth those cold winters, aren’t I?

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Now the important stuff!

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Average Cost of a Domestic Beer:$5.00

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Average Cost of a 1 Bedroom Apartment

$1,400 - $2,000

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Public Transit Score:

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BUT it does stop running at 12:30 a.m. so be careful!

Excellent.

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Why it’s Great for College Graduates:

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• Big city vibe while still a “walkable” size.• Lots of bars, people, music, and culture.• A networking city with a youthful energy.• Oh, and a LOT of craft beers.

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Alexandria, Virginia

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Pros:

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Close to all the action in Washington, DC: politics, culture, and a fab bar scene.

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And we mean, like, really close.

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Overall cost of living is pretty high.Cons:

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Now the Important Stuff!

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Average Cost of a Domestic Beer:

$5.50

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Average Cost of a 1 Bedroom Apartment:

$1,200 - $1,600

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Public Transit Score:

Buses and trolleys are available but their reach is not widespread.

Fair.

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• Easy for young professionals to network since there are so many “transplants” looking for new acquaintances.

• A great variety of food and outdoor activities available.

Why it’s a good city for recent graduates:

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Chicago, Illinois:

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Pros:

Fast-paced city with museums galore, baseball games, and skyscrapers.

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Cons:

Winters are COLD. Summers are HOT. A crowded city – 3rd most populated in the U.S.

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It’s hard to feel cool in those hot summers, but what’s cooler than Chicago being home to The Second City Improvisation club where Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, and Stephen Colbert all got their starts?

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Now the Important Stuff!

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Average cost of a domestic beer:

$5.00

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Average cost of a 1 bedroom apartment:

$1,000 - $1,500

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Public transit score:

Excellent.

Most residents take the train, bus, or cabs if necessary.

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Why it’s a good city for recent graduates:

• Home to alumni of some fantastic universities.

• Fairly clean city.• Great combination of

urban and suburban lifestyle.

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Austin, Texas

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Pros:

• Great place for “outdoorsy folks.” You can rock climb, hike, ride bikes, or play pickup soccer.

• Great restaurants. • Inexpensive.

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Cons:

• Blistering summer heat.• Lack of public transportation.• Habitat to carnivorous mosquitos

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Now the Important Stuff!

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Average cost of a domestic beer:

$3.00

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Average cost of a 1 bedroom apartment: $900 -

$1,300

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Public Transit Score:

Poor.

Downtown Austin has bus lines. But to get downtown commuters must take a train.

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• A green haven for artists, creative folks, and intellectuals.• Home to the South’s tech boom.• Great for young professionals. Dell, IBM, Intel and more call this city home.

Why it’s a good city for recent graduates:

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Houston, Texas

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Pros:

• There’s something for everyone – museums, sports, music.

• A large city with a little bit of country for those who need a break from the fast-paced lifestyle.

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Cons:

It’s difficult to escape the scorching heat of the summer.

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Now the Important Stuff!

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Average cost of a domestic beer:

$2.75

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Average cost of a 1 bedroom apartment:

$800 – $1,200

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Public transit score:

Poor.

There’s a light rail that runs through limited sections of the city and buses downtown. BUT it’s mainly a car city.

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• One of the largest and most ethnically diverse cities.• Business Insider named Houston “Best City in America.”• Strong, steadily growing job market.• Affordable!

Why it’s a good city for recent graduates:

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Want more?Read Melissa’s full article at blog.aftercollege.com:

5 Great Cities for New Graduates

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Pics:Boston, Massachusetts

“Boston á l’huere bleue” Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Huybrechts http://www.flickr.com/photos/ensh/ “Bill Carrigan, Boston, AL (Baseball)” 1913. Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/ “The Charles from the new office” Photo courtesy of Andreas Matern http://www.flickr.com/photos/amatern/ “Ben Affleck” Photo courtesy of Elen Nivrae http://www.flickr.com/photos/nivrae/with/10675218276/ “New Donuts” Photo courtesy of Q Family http://www.flickr.com/photos/dasqfamily/ “Boston Beer Works” Photo Collage: Photo courtesy of “.sanden.” http://www.flickr.com/photos/daphid/ “Anthony Bruno and Daughter and Daughter Sandra Outside of Their Home 39 Neptune Road Near Logan Airport “ Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/

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Pics:“Community Leader and High School Teacher Anthony Bruno” Photo courtesy of the U.S.

National Archives and Records Administration http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/ Boston, MA Public Transit Slide Photo courtesy of “Eric E Johnson” http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericejohnson/ “Young Adults” Photos courtesy of Weekly Dig http://www.flickr.com/photos/weeklydig/ “Weird Beard Five O’Clock Shadow” Photo courtesy of Bernt Rostad http://www.flickr.com/photos/brostad/

Alexandria Virginia“Alexandria Virginia” Photo courtesy of Zaimoku_Woodpile http://www.flickr.com/photos/11250735@N07/ “Alexandria city seal wayfinder” Photo courtesy William F. Yurasko http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfyurasko/

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Pics:http://www.flickr.com/photos/perspective/

“?! These are not projects!?” Photo courtesy of Omar Bárcena http://www.flickr.com/photos/omaromar/ “It was doggie Halloween in Old Town, Alexandria.” Photo courtesy of Jessica Spengler http://www.flickr.com/photos/wordridden/ Photo of couple outside shop. Photo courtesy of Metro Max http://www.flickr.com/photos/mymetrostop/ “Rustico” Photo courtesy of Daniel Lobo http://www.flickr.com/photos/daquellamanera/ Cost of 1 bedroom apartment: “Alexandria Virginia” Photo courtesy of Zaimoku_Woodpile http://www.flickr.com/photos/11250735@N07/ Public Transit: “DASH Orion V” Photo courtesy of Jason Lawrence http://www.flickr.com/photos/27665395@N05/

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Pics:Chicago, Illinois

“Chicago Skyline @ Night” Photo courtesy of Rhys A. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhysasplundh/ “Wrigley Field” Photo courtesy of Ed Schipul http://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/ “Chicago-Museum-of-Science-and-Industry 030” Photo courtesy of Brent Payne http://www.flickr.com/photos/brentdpayne/ “Chicago Title Building 02” Photo courtesy of Chicago Architecture Today http://www.flickr.com/photos/chicagoarchitecturetoday/ “NAy Pier Crowds - Chicago, IL” Photo courtesy of Dustin Gaffke http://www.flickr.com/photos/onepointfour/ “Chicago Winter” Photo courtesy of Brad Hagan http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradhoc/ “Winter on My Street” Photo courtesy of BluEyedA73 http://www.flickr.com/photos/blueyeda73/ “A group of us went to see a comedy act called "The Red Scare" at Second City.” Photo courtesy of Sean Benham http://www.flickr.com/photos/spablab/

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Pics:“Tina Fey & Jeff Richmond” Photo courtesy of Nick Step

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickstep/ “Steve Carrell, Get Smart” Photo courtesy of TV Squad Julia http://www.flickr.com/photos/tvsquadjulia/ “Stephen Colbert brought his T.V. Show” Photo courtesy of Expert Infantry http://www.flickr.com/photos/expertinfantry/ “Goose Island Beer - Baconfest 2013” Photo courtesy of Anne Petersen http://www.flickr.com/photos/opacity/ “My Chicago Apartment” Photos courtesy of Dan Fornal http://www.flickr.com/photos/dfornal/ “Chicago ‘L’” Photo courtesy of Rene Schwietzke http://www.flickr.com/photos/rene-germany/ “Bar Friends” Photo courtesy of Glenn Harper http://www.flickr.com/photos/glennharper/ “Chicago (ILL) Downtown : N Michigan Ave ‘The Magnificient Mile ‘“ Photo courtesy of Vincent Desjardins http://www.flickr.com/photos/endymion120/

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Pics:

Austin Texas“Austin Texas Lake Front” Photo courtesy of Stuart Seeger http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuseeger/ “Austin_Picnic” Photo courtesy of Ken Mayer http://www.flickr.com/photos/ken_mayer/ “Urban Assault climb on Barton Creek” Photo courtesy of Bruce Turner http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiskeytango/ “The play’s at second” Photo courtesy of Jenn Deering Davis http://www.flickr.com/photos/hayesandjenn/ “Goddamn it” Photo courtesy of Chelsea Gomez (Oakes) http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyxopotamus/ “Bhkm” Photo courtesy of Hans Gotun http://www.flickr.com/photos/hansgotun/ “512(18)” Photo courtesy of Jen W http://www.flickr.com/photos/atxjen/ “beer” Photo courtesy of Aaron Vazquez http://www.flickr.com/photos/cavalierhorn/ “Lofty Goals” Photo courtesy of Matthew Rutledge http://www.flickr.com/photos/rutlo/ “East Austin in Unifix Cubes” Photo courtesy of Matthew Rutledge http://www.flickr.com/photos/rutlo/

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Pics:

“Austin Metrorail” Photo courtesy of Denis Bocquet http://www.flickr.com/photos/66944824@N05/ “GDC Online 2011_Monday_Special Event_Mixer” Photo courtesy of Official GDC http://www.flickr.com/photos/officialgdc/ “6th and red river” Photo courtesy of Davidlohr Bueso http://www.flickr.com/photos/daverugby83/

Houston, Texas“Morning View from Hotel Derek - Houston - Texas” Photo courtesy of Thomas Munter http://www.flickr.com/photos/romtomtom/ “Update: Houston Skyline, from Old MKT Railroad Trestle over White Oak” Photo courtesy of Patrick Feller http://www.flickr.com/photos/nakrnsm/ “Tug Nita E, Heading Upstream Past Lockwood Bridge, Houston Texas” Photo courtesy of Patrick Feller http://www.flickr.com/photos/nakrnsm/ “Train Crossing Buffalo Bayou, Downstream from US Hwy 59, Houston, Texas” Photo courtesy of Patrick Feller http://www.flickr.com/photos/nakrnsm/

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Pics:

“Fountain at Discovery Green” Photo courtesy of Adam Baker http://www.flickr.com/photos/atbaker/ “me want beer” photo courtesy of D.C. Atty http://www.flickr.com/photos/figgenhoffer/“Saint Arnold’s Brewery” Photo courtesy of Beau http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaub/“Houston - Kingfisher Beer at Yatra” Photo courtesy of Josh Hallet http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyku/ “Sage Hollow Apartments” Photo courtesy of Milestone Management http://www.flickr.com/photos/milestonemanagement/ “Public Transportation” Photo courtesy of jjsala http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjsala/“Summer Fest Houston - 1373” Photo courtesy of Joe Van http://www.flickr.com/photos/glowjangles/ “Houston Skills Event” Photo courtesy of DIBP images http://www.flickr.com/photos/diacimages/ “beadles” photo courtesy of Raymond Bucko, SJ http://www.flickr.com/photos/kishka_king/ “Shrine” photo courtesy of Raymond Bucko, SJ http://www.flickr.com/photos/kishka_king/