We determined the best cities for college grads by comparing the 541 cities in our database across 6 categories. Each category is evaluated over a range of metrics with each metric being judged on a different point scale, as indicated below. Cities that receive the maximum points for each metric are determined to be the most desireable and appear higher in the list.
Early 20s - Total Points: 26
- Proportion of population 20- to 24-years old - Points: 18
- Population that is unmarried - Points: 8
Recreational Activities - Total Points: 21
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- Bars per household - Points: 9
- Restaurants per household - Points: 9
- Music venues - Points: 3
Outdoor Activities - Total Points: 17
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- Beaches - Points: 9
- Parks - Points: 8
Strong Economy - Total Points: 14
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- Employment rate - Points: 9
- Employment rate (full-time) - Points: 4
Local Transportation - Total Points: 14
- Walkability score - Points: 4
- Bikeability score - Points: 4
- Commute via public transit - Points: 3
- Transit score - Points: 3
Low Taxes - Total Points: 9
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- Income tax for median earners - Points: 9
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Points doubled for fun calculation
**
Points doubled for value calculation
