Dabl at Home
This Is Where The Graduating Class Of 2022 Wants To Live
A recent survey found that these are the 15 most desirable cities for recent college graduates. We took a look at what each city has to offer the class of 2022.
Thanks to remote work, many homeowners have been able to relocate to new cities and states that were previously off-limits. But it’s not just seasoned homeowners who are taking part in this mass migration. As we near the end of college graduation season, recent grads are moving around the country to start their adult lives. Thanks to a survey conducted by Axios, we have an idea of where recent grads may be going.
Axios polled over 2,000 college students nationwide between November 18, 2021, and February 14, 2022, to find out what they would be doing after graduation. The majority of students said they were planning to pursue jobs in healthcare (29%), followed by education (15%), research (15%), and technology (12%). But they don’t plan to launch their careers at home. More than half of the participating students said they planned to live outside of their home states after they graduated. Only 20% said they would move back to their hometowns, even if they settled down in the same state. With that said, where do recent grads want to live? According to Axios, these are the 15 most desirable cities for the class of 2022.
1. Seattle
Median Home Price: $829,000
Average Rent Price: $2,190
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $75,304
What It’s Known For: Seattle is famous for its coffee culture, grunge music scene, the Seahawks football team, the Space Needle, and Pike Place Market.
2. New York City
Median Home Price: $745,000
Average Rent Price: $2,200 to $4,200 depending on location
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $58,974
What It’s Known For: The Big Apple is known for big attractions like Broadway, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, good food, and lots of shopping. It’s also the home of Wall Street.
3. Los Angeles
Median Home Price: $998,000
Average Rent Price: $2,661
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $35,343
What It’s Known For: Graduates who move to Los Angeles can embrace all that the entertainment capital of the world has to offer: the glam of Hollywood, beautiful beaches, world-famous theme parks, and more!
4. Denver
Median Home Price: $745,000
Average Rent Price: $1,879
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $29,934
What It’s Known For: Known as The Mile High City, Denver combines urban sophistication with outdoor adventure. The Rocky Mountain city offers art, culture, food, music, and sports.
5. Boston
Median Home Price: $775,000
Average Rent Price: $3,634
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $51,543
What It’s Known For: Boston is a foodie town (try the baked beans!) filled with history. The coastal city is famous for attractions like Fenway Park, The Boston Marathon, and being the site of the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
6. Chicago
Median Home Price: $299,000
Average Rent Price: $2,080
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $34,481
What It’s Known For: Recent grads who move to Chicago can enjoy jazz music, unique architecture, a vibrant music scene, and lots of amazing food, including the famous deep-dish pizza.
7. Washington, D.C.
Median Home Price: $705,000
Average Rent Price: $2,261
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $47,902
What It’s Known For: As the center of the U.S. Government and all things politics, Washington D.C. is mainly famous for its history. Tourists come to D.C. to visit the White House, the monuments, the U.S. Capitol, and famous museums like the Smithsonian Institution.
8. Phoenix
Median Home Price: $461,000
Average Rent Price: $1,547
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $35,694
What It’s Known For: Known as the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix is famous for its warm, sunny weather. Residents can enjoy desert botanical gardens, hiking, museums, and other outdoor activities all year long.
9. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Median Home Price: $448,300
Average Rent Price: $1,465
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $31,808
What It’s Known For: Located at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs is famous for natural wonders like the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. It’s also home to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.
10. Austin, Texas
Median Home Price: $639,900
Average Rent Price: $1,735
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $28,807
What It’s Known For: Historically, Austin was known as a trading center for ranchers and farmers. Today, it’s the music capital of the world and home to the famous Continental Club.
11. Portland, Oregon
Median Home Price: $565,000
Average Rent Price: $1,680
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $34,890
What It’s Known For: As the largest city in Oregon, Portland balances out city life with huge expanses of green space, from parks and forests to stunning mountaintops.
12. San Francisco
Median Home Price: $1.6 Million
Average Rent Price: $3,230
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $37,025
What It’s Known For: San Francisco has been made famous by landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, the former Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Chinatown district.
13. Minneapolis
Median Home Price: $337,000
Average Rent Price: $1,621
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $34,279
What It’s Known For: Minneapolis is one of Minnesota’s Twin Cities, and is known for attractions like the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Regional Park, and the Midtown Global Market.
14. Dallas
Median Home Price: $437,500
Average Rent Price: $1,474
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $29,736
What It’s Known For: Dallas is famous for its cotton and oil production, as well as for being the location of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. On a more positive note, Dallas is a hub for transport, finance, and telecommunications companies, and is the home of the Dallas Cowboys football team.
15. Atlanta
Median Home Price: $375,000
Average Rent Price: $1,812
Average Entry-level Job Salary: $35,627
What It’s Known For: Georgia’s state capital has plenty to do for active young adults, with downtown Atlanta serving as the location for CNN, The World of Coca-Cola, Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, and the National Center for Civil & Human Rights.
Learn more tips and tricks for buying or selling homes at the Dabl Real Estate Hub!
Get more great inspiration and ideas for your home on Dabl! Check our Dabl TV schedule and find out where to watch Dabl TV.