Top 10 Markets for Millennials

Of all the people grateful that the economy has been in recovery mode, you might see long-suffering parents right near the top of the list. And you’ll likely see their Millennial offspring right up there with them.

With the economy tanked, a lot of kids have been staying home well into adulthood. Almost one-third of Millenials lived with their parents in 2010. (Millennials, for those of us too old to be one or too young to care, are loosely defined as those people born between 1980 and 1995.)

Finally, though, parents are getting their homes to themselves. The number of won’t-leave-
home kids is projected to fall by 2017 as the economy continues to recover.

That mending economy is creating more opportunity for cities vying for these young adults who now find themselves with the means — or the ultimatums — to leave home.

Nielsen Consumer Newswire listed the Top 10 markets for Millennials, based on their concentration in the cities’ population.

1. Austin, Texas
2. Salt Lake City, Utah
3. San Diego, Calif.
4. Los Angeles, Calif.
5. Denver, Colo.
6. Washington
7. Houston, Texas
8. Las Vegas, Nev.
9. San Francisco, Calif.
10. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas

Many Millennials prefer to live in urban centers or in neighborhoods that are made to look like cities, with walkable core neighborhoods, active nightlife scenes and alternate forms of transportation, such as bikes and buses. Two-thirds of Millennials are renters and are more likely to live with roommates and family members.