From higher starting salaries to affordable starter homes, the companies identify U.S. cities that give young people a serious leg up
Washington, D.C. ranks as the best big city in the U.S. for recent college graduates, according to new joint analysis from Redfin, the real estate brokerage powered by Rocket, and Glassdoor, the worldwide leader for worklife conversations and career insights.
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A coast-to-coast snapshot of the best U.S. cities for new college grads—highlighting big, midsize, and small markets where early-career opportunities and livability intersect.
The nation’s capital tops the list because recent grads earn big paychecks relative to other large cities, there’s a lot of career opportunities, and the city offers great work-life balance. Early-career professionals in D.C. benefit from a strong job market alongside housing options that, while competitive, remain more attainable than in many other major coastal metros.
“Where you land after college can shape your finances—and your future,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “Recent grads aren’t just chasing jobs; they’re chasing cities where their paycheck goes further and life feels exciting. The best places offer strong early-career pay, manageable housing costs and plenty to do on and off the clock, so young people can build their careers and enjoy where they live.”
New Orleans comes in first for mid-sized cities, largely because starter homes are affordable and early-career wages are growing at a faster clip than rent. Springfield, IL leads among small cities, with recent college grads attracted to its high starting salaries, strong job-growth potential and transit friendliness.
This is according to a Redfin-Glassdoor ranking of the best U.S. metro areas for recent college graduates, broken into three categories: Big, medium-sized and small. For its report, Redfin and Glassdoor refer to metro areas as “cities” and ranked places based on factors related to housing, jobs and quality of life using several different metrics.
The analysis pairs Redfin housing data with Glassdoor salary insights, employer ratings and community sentiment to reflect how early-career workers evaluate their quality of life and how far an entry-level paycheck can realistically go. The approach reflects what young professionals say matters most early in their careers: in a Glassdoor Community poll, 43% of respondents said career growth opportunities have the biggest impact on their quality of life, followed closely by pay and housing affordability.
“Landing a job is not the only thing early-career workers need to consider when they’re starting their careers,” said Chris Martin, senior economist at Glassdoor. “They’re evaluating which cities offer the right mix of lifestyle, career growth and ability to achieve their long-term financial goals. Nearly nine in ten professionals aged 20 to 29 say they’d relocate for a job if the pay supported their ideal lifestyle, and 43% say growth opportunities matter most to their quality of life early on. Cities that support these priorities give new grads a chance to enjoy a rich social life while starting their careers off on the right foot.”
Big Cities
Rank |
City |
Average annual early-career earnings |
Price of typical starter home |
Years to save for down payment |
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income |
Monthly rent as % of income |
1 |
Washington, D.C |
$79,857 |
$320,000 |
4 years, 2 months |
31.6% |
34% |
2 |
Omaha, NE |
$59,123 |
$195,000 |
3 years, 8 months |
26% |
28% |
3 |
Boston, MA |
$80,026 |
$460,000 |
6 years, 8 months |
45.3% |
53% |
4 |
Dallas, TX |
$67,451 |
$240,000 |
4 years, 1 month |
28% |
26% |
5 |
Chicago, IL |
$72,786 |
$202,000 |
3 years |
21.9% |
28% |
6 |
Houston, TX |
$65,369 |
$215,000 |
3 years, 7 months |
25.9% |
18% |
7 |
St. Louis, MO |
$61,834 |
$150,000 |
2 years, 7 months |
19.1% |
23% |
8 |
San Diego, CA |
$74,053 |
$615,000 |
More than 10 years |
65.4% |
64% |
9 |
Miami, FL |
$62,748 |
$210,000 |
3 years, 11 months |
26.4% |
33% |
10 |
Austin, TX |
$72,025 |
$276,600 |
4 years, 1 month |
30.3% |
35% |
Mid-Sized Cities
Rank |
City |
Average annual early-career earnings |
Price of typical starter home |
Years to save for down payment |
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income |
Monthly rent as % of income |
1 |
New Orleans, LA |
$57,414 |
$175,000 |
3 years, 1 month |
24% |
32% |
2 |
Palm Bay, FL |
$65,010 |
$210,000 |
3 years, 9 months |
25.4% |
25% |
3 |
Wichita, KS |
$55,285 |
$144,535 |
3 years, 1 month |
20.6% |
17% |
4 |
Mobile, AL |
$53,030 |
$169,900 |
3 years, 5 months |
25.2% |
23% |
5 |
Anchorage, AK |
$65,864 |
$240,000 |
3 years, 11 months |
28.7% |
31% |
6 |
Lincoln, NE |
$53,871 |
$212,000 |
4 years, 7 months |
31% |
23% |
7 |
Trenton, NJ |
$74,570 |
$220,000 |
4 years, 9 months |
23.2% |
33% |
8 |
Bridgeport, CT |
$72,503 |
$330,000 |
5 years, 11 months |
35.9% |
38% |
9 |
Waco, TX |
$50,430 |
$180,000 |
4 years, 9 months |
28.1% |
31% |
10 |
Lexington, KY |
$52,648 |
$211,000 |
5 years |
31.6% |
34% |
Small Cities
Rank |
City |
Average annual early-career earnings |
Price of typical starter home |
Years to save for down payment |
Monthly mortgage payment as % of income |
Monthly rent as % of income |
1 |
Springfield, IL |
$59,925 |
$128,000 |
2 years, 3 months |
16.8% |
16% |
2 |
Santa FE, NM |
$81,848 |
$359,950 |
5 years, 7 months |
34.6% |
39% |
3 |
Panama City, FL |
$61,160 |
$230,000 |
4 years, 8 months |
29.6% |
46% |
4 |
Hilton Head Island, SC |
$51,887 |
$317,500 |
More than 10 years |
48.2% |
60% |
5 |
Macon, GA |
$55,037 |
$139,000 |
3 years, 1 months |
19.9% |
25% |
6 |
Champaign, IL |
$57,356 |
$157,000 |
3 years |
21.6% |
24% |
7 |
Greenville, NC |
$52,195 |
$187,000 |
5 years, 3 months |
28.2% |
26% |
8 |
Columbia, MO |
$51,379 |
$199,900 |
4 years, 6 months |
30.7% |
28% |
9 |
Bend, OR |
$65,866 |
$359,999 |
8 years, 2 months |
43.1% |
56% |
10 |
Rochester, MN |
$68,496 |
$215,000 |
3 years, 5 months |
24.7% |
19% |
To view the full report, including a map, more details on each city and a detailed methodology, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/news/best-cities-recent-grads-2026
About Redfin
Redfin is a technology-driven real estate company with the country's most-visited real estate brokerage website. As part of Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT), Redfin is creating an integrated homeownership platform from search to close to make the dream of homeownership more affordable and accessible for everyone. Redfin’s clients can see homes first with on-demand tours, easily apply for a home loan with Rocket Mortgage, and save thousands in fees while working with a top local agent.
You can find more information about Redfin and get the latest housing market data and research at https://www.redfin.com/news. For more information about Rocket Companies, visit https://www.rocketcompanies.com.
About Glassdoor
Glassdoor is revolutionizing how people everywhere find jobs and companies they love by providing deeper workplace transparency. Professionals turn to Glassdoor to research ratings, reviews, salaries and more at millions of employers, and to join communities to engage in candid workplace conversations. Companies use Glassdoor to post jobs and attract talent through employer branding and employee insights products. Glassdoor is part of Indeed, a subsidiary of Recruit Holdings, a global leader in HR technology and business solutions that is simplifying hiring and transforming the world of work. For more information, visit www.glassdoor.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260414102596/en/
Contacts
Contact Redfin Journalist Services:
Kenneth Applewhaite
press@redfin.com
Contact Glassdoor Journalist Services:
Sang Lee
pr@glassdoor.com
