Remember when you were in high school, watching Sex and the City re-runs and wishing you could just graduate already, move on to college, and eventually land that dream job in New York City? With a few pairs of Manolos in tow, of course. Well, here you are now with diploma in hand. You’re young, and ready to take on the world. This, while living in New York – New York – of all places! M’dear, you have lucked out.
That is, until you realize that your first month’s rent and utilities exceeds your monthly paycheck. And then you realize that you’re paying this absurd amount despite the fact that your studio apartment is the size of a large walk-in closet. And you get to musing– just how is Carrie Bradshaw able to afford all of those meals out with the foursome and still manage to buy $40,000 worth of designer shoes?
Welcome to the Big Apple, mecca of young’uns just like you hoping for their big break in this city. Question is, is this mecca really for you? Neighborhood expert Ann Baldinucci likens the housing search to a process where “you’re leaving your tight-knit group of friends, acquaintances, and mentors in college and joining both a workforce culture and a neighborhood environment where you’ll have to survive and find meaningful connections.” That means finding the right place for affordability, safety, and easy access to public transportation as well as finding the right people who will respect your values and lifestyle choices. Her Campus wanted to make that task a little easier with this list of 5 great cities for young professionals:
Atlanta, GA
Southern grits, anyone? While Atlanta may not be first city you associate with the words “cosmopolitan” and “business hub,” this south-of-the-Mason-Dixon-line charmer is actually one of the fastest-developing areas in the country. The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T, Delta Air Lines, and a slew of other Fortune 100 franchises all station their headquarters in this city, making it a magnet for elite talent in the business arena.
The tip of the toast? Easy-on-the-wallet rental costs. According to Apartments.com, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $723 a month. And the best neighborhoods to track down on Craigslist when it comes to housing? Atlanta resident Jordan Rowell recommends Inman Park, Candler Park, and Cabbagetown for a healthy combination of safety and crowds of like-minded 20’s professionals who work hard and play hard. “However, a lot of younger hipster types choose Reynoldstown and East Atlanta because the areas are cheaper and arguably almost as convenient to [get] to downtown.”
In addition, if you’d like to get trendy with a price tag, Midtown, Virginia Highlands, and Druid Hills all feature a variety of trendy shopping centers, clubs, and restaurants for the well-heeled yuppie. Midtown, according to University of Maryland student David Olson, just developed a brand new series of high rise buildings and is reputedly Atlanta’s “It” spot of the moment.
And be sure to check out Atlanta’s neighborhood mapping tool using Creative Loafing, an easy-to-navigate site that allows you to view user comments for each neighborhood within a map setting!
San Francisco, CA
A city not only for the Cali girls out there. Boasting one of the highest initial salaries for young graduates across America, San Francisco is sometimes labeled the “Wall Street of the West” as its financial district is a nexus of west coast business activity (Wells Fargo is headquartered here). And arguably, if you’re the tech-y type or interested at all in working in a start-up company, there’s no better place to be than here in San Fran. The city itself, as well as nearby Silicon Valley and Palo Alto, have spawned and nurtured the likes of Craigslist, Twitter, Facebook, and Wikipedia. No wonder this city and its surrounding wine valleys and world-class beaches also attract a chunk of the country’s best and brightest graduates.
But before you write up weekend plans to hit the sand with a few Pinot Noirs in tow and maybe a pair of sneaks to snag some beach running while you’re on the west coast, be sure to check the price label of this move first. The average for a one-bedroom flat runs between $1,765 and $2,489 per month – not including the high costs of groceries and nightlife for the average dweller. But don’t despair – different neighborhoods definitely allow you to live under different budget circumstances.
According to Nabewise’s NabeFinder, a tool that allows you to search for the areas in the city that best fit your preferences, the top five neighborhoods that might fit the bill for a cost-conscious grad who seeks safe environs, convenient transportation routes, and a trendy lifestyle with lots of singles nearby are the Mission District, Polk Gulch, and Lower Haight.
Boston, MA
Home of the Red Sox and Land of the Tom Brady. But Boston is not only famous for its world-class sports teams and gorgeous spousal imports (Welcome to Beantown, Giselle!) – it also has one of the highest concentrations of college and graduate students in the world and a job market that attracts hundreds of locally-schooled college kids. Biotechnology, medical research, and anything that carries with it a remote flavor of human biology probably was founded here in Boston or at least owns a regional branch in the city.
If you’re working in the city but want to save on rent and living costs, consider moving to a town or suburb outside of Boston. Certain neighborhoods in Cambridge, Somerville, Brighton, and Allston allow you to save on rent but also don’t require an hour-long train or subway commute to reach the city. Plus, you can easily find a room to sublet in these areas for anywhere from $600 to $850 – something that’s virtually impossible in the Back Bay or Copley Square territories.
Washington D.C.
D.C.’s not only for those headed towards a career in public policy or international affairs, although it doesn’t hurt to get your footing here in D.C. if those are your interests. The city, also known for its high percentage of the young, single, and ready to mingle (20% according to the 2008 Forbes survey), hires most heavily in the politics and academia arena. And while rent may be expensive (sixth most expensive rental city according to the Center for Housing Policy Study), a generous average starting salary ($43,000 a year, as listed by Forbes) compensates well enough for the incurred cost of that Dupont Circle dig.
But if you’d like an alternative to the stereotypical I’ve-just-graduated-from-college studio apartment at Dupont, shift your lenses to Columbia Heights. David Olson gushes about this neighborhood, as well as its flora and fauna. “It’s right near a lot of brand new shopping and restaurants, and it’s still relatively cheap to live there. Neighborhood favorites include The Wonderland Ballroom (Voted Best Neighborhood Bar in DC 2 years in a row) and Sticky Fingers vegan bakery.” And while I may not be a vegan, the bakery bit definitely sounds like a dealmaker.
New York, NY
Alright so maybe I’m eating my words a bit. But New York, despite its expenses and an army of absentee landlords, is a city brimming with opportunity for the new graduate. Considered the global mecca of the fashion world, the make-it-or-break-it center of the financial industry, and the hub of media’s elite, no wonder everyone from Carrie Bradshaw to John Mack got their start right here. The privilege of living within proximity to some of the most highly regarded franchises and personalities in the world does yield a limited number of golden tickets to establish yourself as the next So-and-So.
But in the meantime, you do have to eat and board here. The common misconception with New York is that Manhattan is an exclusively expensive borough and that if you’re a newbie, you’d better find housing way uptown or in Brooklyn. And while you may not be able to find a room in a Blair Waldorf-style Upper East penthouse, there’s no need to think that a Jenny Humphrey-style Williamsburg shared loft is your only option. Check out Craigslist and Nakedapartments.com for listings within your ideal monthly rental range, and you’ll be surprised by the places that actually do pop up. It’s possible to find a flat share on the Upper West, Hell’s Kitchen, and Murray Hill for under $1000 a month – and those numbers can dip even lower in East Harlem or the Lower East Side (both of which are quickly gentrifying and surprisingly safe). Transportation really isn’t a huge issue here since the underground subway system and bus routes connect the city in a dense, web-like manner. And if you’re looking for great nightlife, trendy shopping, and single locals, be sure to check out the West Village, the Meatpacking District, Soho, and Tribeca.
Don’t forget too that Manhattan is not the be all and end all of New York. It’s a little-known secret that if you live in certain areas of Weehawken or Hoboken (both in Jersey!), your morning commute to Midtown might be under 20 minutes. This, of course, comes with noticeably reduced rental rates across the board and the ability come back home for some quiet downtime when you just need to relax after a day of walking the famed 12-minute New Yorker miles.
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Remember, wherever you end up, do some research and soul-searching first and ask yourself – is this city or neighborhood suitable to my lifestyle, my budget, and my career prospects? Your answers will bring you one step closer to finding a community and a sense of place wherever you choose to settle after bursting the university bubble.
Sources
ApartmentRatings.com
NHC
Forbes
Creative Loafing
Nabwise
Sydney Ribot
Simone Stone
Patricia de Lucio
Jordan Rowell
David Olson
Ann Baldinucci, CEO of Nabewise.com
Photo Credits
WordPress
Icee-nca
UnitedFamiliesInternational
MostlyMedia
CalgaryPublicLibrary
Farectification