Top U.S. Cities for Gen Z Living in 2025 and Beyond

According to a recent Corebridge Financial survey, nearly 80% of Gen Zers — those now between 13 and 28 years old — say they are already serious about their financial planning.

While they may have inherited the title of “most-criticized generation” from Millennials, Gen Zers are proving themselves to be financially astute, community-oriented and cost-conscious. Moreover, their digital-native upbringing makes them uniquely positioned to leverage emerging technologies — particularly artificial intelligence — with unprecedented skill. In short, Generation Z is a potential asset for companies and communities, and their influence will only grow as the remainder of the generation’s members transition from their teenage years and into the workforce.

Our study ranks the large cities that are best equipped to provide Gen Z with their desired affordability and lifestyle amenities, which will also position these urban centers to reap the benefits of drawing in the nation’s newest generation of professionals and taxpayers. We evaluated all U.S. cities with populations exceeding 400,000 across multiple metrics, including:

• Percentage of young residents
• Affordability compared to the national average
• Educational enrollment rate for young adults
• Proportion of entry-level and graduate-friendly jobs
• Availability of entertainment venues and recreational opportunities
• Parks and green spaces per capita
• Green commuting options
• Unemployment rate

Continue reading for our comprehensive national ranking of large cities where Gen Z can thrive, or use these links to explore the top locations in each region:

• Midwest
• South
• West
• Northeast

Minneapolis Is 2025’s #1 Gen Z Destination, Midwest & South Dominate Top 10 List

This year, Minneapolis earned the title of the best city for the up-and-coming Generation Z, swapping places with Atlanta compared to last year’s ranking. In fact, cities in the Midwest and along the Sun Belt generally fared the best in our ranking, thanks (in no small part) to their relative affordability and fun factor.

#1 – Minneapolis, MN

Returning to the top position after previously earning that title in 2022, Minneapolis is 2025’s Gen Z epicenter. That status is earned because the city ticks Gen Z’s most important boxes: It has a sizable community of young people, with more than 9% of its residents being aged between 20 and 24; it offers great educational opportunities with more than half of young adults being enrolled in a form of education; it has the second-lowest unemployment rate in the study at 3.6%; and, most critically for a generation that’s looking to save up or splurge on memorable experiences, it has one of the best affordability indexes in the entire top 10 at 93.6, or 6.4% below the national average.

Of course, the City of Lakes isn’t just about educational institutions and cheap prices. It’s also one of the cultural focal points of the Midwest when it comes to music, the culinary arts and winter festivals. Furthermore, the city’s young population also benefits from a plethora of youth development programs like TechHire Minneapolis and AchieveMpls, which are focused on offering career readiness, training paths and internships, contributing to the market’s tech and innovation scene which is one of the strongest in the region.

#2 – Atlanta, GA

As the runner-up, Atlanta’s offering is also one of a vibrant, young community paired with affordability. Its other advantages include a below-average internet cost — essential for an always-online group such as Zoomers — and good showings in the metrics for school enrollment and jobs for recent graduates. Atlanta also scored top marks for its large concentration of parks (7.3 for every 10,000 residents), which provide valuable third spaces for young people to meet, connect and socialize in.

In particular, areas like the Old Fourth Ward, Midtown and other central neighborhoods in Atlanta have a long history of fostering creativity and attracting young innovators, and the same is still true today. Of course, the city’s many universities — including Georgia Tech, Emory, Morehouse, Georgia State and more — as well as the local music, fashion and tech scenes make Atlanta a quintessential Gen Z city in the South.

#3 – Boston, MA

Turning north, Boston is the third-best city where Gen Z can thrive in 2025, as well as the Northeast’s only entry in the top 10. As in previous years, the city is primarily set apart by the opportunities it presents to young people, boasting the largest share of Gen Zers enrolled in education in the entire study at 61.3%, as well as the highest share of recent graduate-friendly jobs in the top 10 at 32.3%. Additionally, young professionals are more likely to score a job here compared to other similar locations, as evidenced by the city’s unemployment rate, which is the sixth-lowest in the study. And, for environmentally minded Zoomers, the city also offers plenty in terms of green commuting options.

Granted, much of Boston’s rich youth culture is due to its status as an academic and innovation center. Beyond the reputation of Harvard and MIT, which attract some of the brightest young minds from the U.S. and beyond, many other higher learning institutions ensure that the city has the highest concentration of college students out of all large U.S. cities. As such, Boston is one of the most popular destinations for Gen Zers who are looking to maximize their future prospects—and the city’s innovation ecosystem in life sciences, sustainability and even contemporary art stand to benefit from this influx.

#4 – Tampa, FL

The smallest city in the top 10 at 403,000 residents (just above the 400,000 mark necessary to be included in the study) Tampa offers plenty of upsides for sun-seeking Zoomers. Firstly, this Sunshine State entry is relatively affordable with an affordability index almost 2.5% below the national average — and considerably lower than Miami’s. Moreover, Tampa also offers excellent employment opportunities after graduation, with more than 30% of jobs here being entry-level or requiring less than four years of experience. More precisely, health care providers, financial firms and even companies in the city’s budding tech industry all bring employment opportunities to fresh graduates, thereby contributing to its attractiveness for Generation Z.

#5 – Raleigh, NC

Another burgeoning technology hub that’s reliant on the entrepreneurship and innovative spirit of young people, Raleigh scored well in several metrics to earn a fifth-place finish. As is the case in many other Southern entries with fewer than 1 million residents, Raleigh derived most of its score from its high affordability. However, it also scored well in the metric for fresh graduate-friendly jobs (30.3% out of the total) and adult-age Gen Z population (8.8% of the city’s population). Of course, the Research Triangle Park is one of the prime innovation centers of the U.S., and its interdependence with Raleigh’s universities make it a natural choice for Gen Zers targeting a job in a STEM field paired with affordable living costs.

#6 – Omaha, NE

Back in the Midwest, Omaha punches far above its weight when it comes to employment opportunities for Gen Zers. with ample employment opportunities in finance and fintech, engineering and more. Young entrepreneurs and their startups also stand to benefit from a robust incubator and support infrastructure. Most important, all of these opportunities are present in a city that consistently ranks as one of the Midwest’s most affordable, meaning that Generation Zers who land a well-paying job in one of the city’s many high-demand industries will likely have more money to spend or save at the end of the month.

#7 – Columbus, OH

Further east, Columbus’ robust higher education ecosystem has always set it apart from other cities in Ohio and the wider Rust Belt. With a substantial amount of college and university campuses, Columbus is rife with college students ready to make their mark — and many of them choose to settle down in the city after graduation. This also provides fresh talent for the city’s keystone industries such as healthcare, finance and tech, with 29.6% of jobs here being entry-level or requiring little experience. The support ecosystem for startups and disruptors is also strong here, resulting in remarkable diversity among local businesses. And, with good showings in other metrics such as parks per capita, recreational establishments and affordability, Columbus is another strong Midwestern contender for Gen Zers, whether they’re looking for colleges to apply to or places to settle down in after graduation.

#8 – Austin, TX

Texas is the only state to record more than one entry in the top 10, and Austin is at the forefront of the state’s influx of Gen Zers. In fact, Austin has become eponymous with youth culture in Texas and the entire South, contributing to the city’s growing innovation scene and its expanding population. As a matter of fact, Austin now concentrates a high number of startups driven to success by young people, as evidenced by its strong score in the “jobs for graduates” metric. At the same time, Austin also has one of the lowest unemployment rates on the list at 4.3%, below-average internet costs, more than 3,200 places for fun and recreation and a large number of parks per capita, making it a strong all-rounder for Gen Zers looking to relocate.

#9 – Houston, TX

At 2.3 million residents, Houston is, by far, the largest city in the top 10 list of best Gen Z destinations, as no other entry is home to more than 1 million residents. As the only true “big city” on the list, Space City provides several advantages compared to smaller university towns or innovation hubs higher on the list, including a large number of recreational establishments and third places like restaurants, bars, stadiums or museums. Beyond venues for fun, Houston is also home to a large community of young people with 7.6% of residents — nearly 175,000 — being between ages 20 and 24. That being said, these perks are partly offset by a relatively high unemployment rate and a comparatively lower enrollment in education, although this does not take away Houston’s status as a major Gen Z hub.

#10 – Kansas City, MO

Closing out the top 10, Kansas City may not be the first location that comes to mind when imagining Gen Z-friendly cities. Certainly enough, KC hosts around 32,000 residents between ages 20 to 24, making up 6.3% of its population — the lowest share in the top 10. However, its affordability is unparalleled among the same entries with prices here being almost 9% lower compared to the national average. Kansas City also has the second-cheapest internet out of all 45 cities in the analysis, as well as above-average scores in jobs for recent graduates and parks per capita. In addition to that, the cultural transformation that the area is experiencing —with vibrant art walks, growing creative districts and historic jazz clubs — owes much to the city’s young population.

To that end, for Gen Zers looking for alternatives to the high costs of living on the West Coast, inland cities may provide a solution. Of the three best-scoring cities in the Western U.S., Albuquerque, N.M., is the most affordable with living costs around 5% below the national average. That makes it one of only two cities in the region with more than 400,000 residents to record living costs below the national average.

Similarly, Tucson, Ariz.’s affordability index stands at 114.6 (14.6% above the national average), which is still significantly cheaper compared to gateway cities like Los Angeles, Seattle or San Diego. However, Tucson stands out with the highest concentration of young adults in the study at 10.8%, ensuring that Zoomers relocating here have higher chances of connecting with others of similar ages and priorities. And, for environmentally conscious people, Tucson’s “Resilient Together” climate action plan has been hailed as a landmark project for sustainable urban development.

At the same time, other Western entries stood out due to the excellent future prospects they offer to students or young professionals. For example, Denver, Colo. became the third-best Gen Z boomtown regionally thanks to a large density of jobs for recent graduates, while also claiming relatively low internet costs at around $64 per month. To the northwest, Seattle (#4 in the West) has the highest park density in the entire region with close to 500 parks and natural areas covering more than 6,400 acres. The Emerald City also boasts a larger Gen Z population share compared to Denver and great educational attainment, thanks to its robust network of colleges and universities.

Moving down the coast, Portland, Ore., is the fifth-best large Western city for Gen Z with good showings in park density (five for every 10,000 residents) and the cheapest average internet cost in the region ($62.4).

Generally, inland locations like Phoenix (sixth-best Gen Z city in the West); Colorado Springs, Colo. (7^th); and Las Vegas (10^th) feature lower living costs as their main attraction for members of the cohort looking to settle down or relocate, whereas coastal hubs — such as San Diego (8^th regionally), Los Angeles (12^th) and San Francisco (15^th) — trade affordability for more job opportunities, larger Gen Z communities and more things to do.

The Northeast was represented on the podium of best cities for Generation Z by Boston, which ranked third with excellent indicators for education and job opportunities. Certainly, the lack of other entries in the top 10 list is not due to the region being unwelcoming to fresh graduates or young professionals. Rather, it’s because of its demographic fragmentation, as the region only has two other cities with more than 400,000 residents.

Scoring 14^th nationally, Philadelphia is the Northeast’s second-best large city for Generation Z to settle down in. Philly provides relative affordability when compared to its regional contenders, although its 3,700+ venues and recreational establishments are sure to entice young people as well.

Lastly, the largest city by population in the country — New York City — was dragged down in the standings by its high prices and relatively high unemployment rate of 11.7% in 2023. However, for Gen Zers with steady jobs that can afford living here, NYC offers the full package: more than 10,000 recreational establishments (the most nationwide); great educational enrollment and entry-level job opportunities; and above-average park density. Even its relatively low share of young adults aged 20 to 24 at 5.9% still translates into close to 500,000 residents in that age group, which is more than the total population of many entries higher on the list.

Methodology

We ranked the largest U.S. cities with more than 400,000 residents where data was available for all metrics. Metrics were selected based on their potential to provide Gen Zers with career opportunities and quality of life, while the population cutoff was chosen to result in a selection of mid- to large-sized cities with ample opportunities for education, employment and entertainment. Metrics were then assigned a weight-based on their importance in determining the overall attractiveness of a city for Gen Zers. The base categories, underlying metrics and their weights in the final score were as follows: