Over a million young professionals cross state lines each year, seeking out the best location in which to settle down. Recent research has shown that rather than being motivated solely by a fat paycheck, young professionals are seeking out a combination of different factors when it comes to finding a city to live in. From strong public transportation links to reasonable rent costs to ethnic diversity, these are the cities that have a fantastic balance of these features and are therefore attracting the country’s brightest young professionals.

Washington, DC
In recent years, Washington has experienced a 75% increase in the number of young adults that choose to live there, and is, without a doubt, the highest ranked city amongst young professionals. In addition to a downtown area that is positively packed with culture and entertainment, as well as a number of social opportunities, Washington is home to an abundance of potential jobs, from government to technical, promising a bright future for the young professionals that move to the city.

San Francisco, California
While San Francisco may have some of the highest average rent rates in the whole country, this is not too much of an issue for the young professionals that move here, as they are likely to earn figures that are also much higher than average. San Francisco’s technology industry is thriving, and for any young professionals who want to develop a career in technology, this is the ideal city in which to live.

Boston, Massachusetts
Being home to Harvard, MIT and Tufts, among many other well-known names in education, it is no surprise that Boston attracts some of the country’s most intelligent young professionals. One of Boston’s biggest draws is the fact that not only is there so much to do in the city, but it is also easy to travel around without a car, significantly reducing the cost of living. Around 20% of commuters in Boston do not depend on a car, and this is something that strongly appeals to the young professionals of today.

New York City, New York
Just like with Boston, one of New York’s main attractions is that a car is not needed, and almost 40% of commuters in the city do not depend on a car. New York is also home to one of the most diverse populations when compared to other American cities, and has a fantastic range of social, entertainment and cultural activities. While rent costs may be high in New York, this is once again offset by higher than average earnings, making it well worthwhile for young professionals to choose to live in one of the world’s most popular cities.

By offering a mix of diversity, culture and excitement, these cities are some of the most popular among young professionals. This brings about a variety of advantages for each city, from a decrease in crime to a boost in the economy to an improvement in public schools, and while some fear that young professionals are only moving to these locations on a temporary basis, experts predict that a large number of them will stay, significantly contributing to the overall development of each city.