Phoenix Business Journal - Ilana Lowery | September 14, 2015
Niche.com, which tracks millennial behaviors and decision-making, has namedthe best cities for young professionals— and Tempe just made the ranking, coming in at No. 25.
Niche evaluated 232 U.S, cities with a population of 100,000 residents or more for which a sufficient amount of data, taken largely from the U.S. Census, was available. The final 100 cities were identified by considering factors of concern to millennials such as ease of commuting, the percentage of residents age 25 to 34, the percentage of millennials that moved to the city in the past year, crime, median rent, ethnic diversity, and unemployment. The ranking also values quality of life considerations, such as proximity to bars, coffee shops and restaurants.
Hayden Ferry Lakeside in Tempe.
A high ranking indicates that a city attracts millennials with an affordable, diverse community and lots of things to do.
"Tempe has average home values, average rent costs and average unemployment levels. Its citizens generally have high education levels and average income levels," according to Niche.
The city of Tempe, with a population of 164,742, received an overall A grade on the Best Cities for Millennials ranking. Top grades were awarded for easy commutes and access to bars and restaurants, but the city received a crime and safety grade of C-minus.
Here are a few stats for the city of Tempe:
- Percent of population age 25-34: 19%
- Millennial newcomers: 2.7%
- Unemployment rate: 6.2%
The top 10 cities for millennials were:
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Manhattan, New York
- Alexandria, Virginia
- San Francisco
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Seattle
- Washington
- Berkeley, California
- Boston
- New York City
One of the residents interviewed for the survey had this to say about Tempe: "I have lived in Tempe my whole life and would not choose to grow up anywhere else. It's kept clean, and the people who live here could not get better. I have gone to school in Tempe and have received a quality education over the years. I see myself continuing to live in the area for quite some time. I enjoy how it is set up and everything that is around the area."
