Best Cities to Live in Right Out of Undergrad

What are the current cities that are excellent choices for people right out of college? I'm not talking about T1 cities, but rather the smaller to mid-market ones that are growing quickly and are a great time in their own right: both for professional development and to live your life.

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I travel a lot more after the pandemic now and this is using a broad brush, not focusing on finance or M&A. I have been to all of these cities and thought they are large enough to have fun, but not overwhelmingly huge. Good for all kinds of jobs, not just finance or certain industries.

US
Charlotte, Phoenix, Austin, West Palm Beach.
Honorary mention (not for everyone/every job): Las Vegas
Also liked Charleston, but maybe a little bit too small?

UK
Manchester, Newcastle
 

 
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Spent a couple of years of my teens living in the 203 - maybe a skewed perspective as I was so young, albeit I have plenty of friends who are still local to that area & have made the trip back a couple of times recently. 

Greenwich is not a young people town. It's not really a 'young people' anything... kind of the inverse relationship w/ New York & whatnot. Younger folks usually seem to live in NYC or NJ/LI, anywhere near an MTA stop so they can have a connection with the city. Greenwich is a suburb that attracts many older (and stupid rich) people who want a break from the action and crowdedness of the city. Generally speaking, all of Fairfield Cty is like that - when I lived there, I was Westport, just north of Norwalk. Had a lot of buddies who lived all over that area, be it Stamford, New Canaan, Darien, or wherever. The only young people I saw were those who lived with their parents. 

If you're asking this question, I may guess that you're working for a financial institution with a primary or branch office in CT. They're EVERYWHERE, thank the lord for the U.S. tax system! In all seriousness, however, if that is the case then I recommend flipping the script from the typical adult commuter. Don't live in the burbs and commute to the city, live in the city and commute to the burbs! Seriously, as long as you can afford it in NYC, the fun times, great memories, and cultural impact you will experience by virtue of living there will be unparalleled by any other place in this country. 

Now, I could be totally wrong, and you're just asking. Regardless, I'll hold my point - don't live in Greenwich. It literally may be the only place in that area more expensive than Manhattan, and you're just not reaping the return value. The reverse commute is awesome, too! Still 'rush hour', but you'll feel like offing yourself less. Cheers.

 

1. NYC

2. SoCal

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

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"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee

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