(
NewsNation
) — The
job market is tough
For recent college graduates, cities such as Austin and Raleigh continue to provide an appealing blend of cost-effectiveness and prospects, according to a new report.
Realtor.com examined over 300 cities and towns to identify the top ones
most “grad-friendly” rental markets
In 2025, considering aspects such as the cost of housing, the availability of rentals, and employment prospects.
Austin, Texas, led the rankings at the top of the list for the
for the second consecutive year
Thanks to its affordable rental costs relative to income (18.9%) and a significant number of job opportunities (29.4%) that necessitate only a bachelor’s degree without previous work experience.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, and Overland Park, Kansas, which took the second and third spots respectively, they were closely trailed by Minneapolis, Minnesota, and St. Louis, Missouri.
“These markets aren’t merely budget-friendly regions offering an abundance of rental choices; they’re vibrant hubs brimming with energy, opportunities, and a strong sense of community—exactly what a new graduate might desire,” says Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com.
said in a statement
.
Typically, graduates living in the leading 10 markets dedicate only about 21.5% of their earnings toward rent, which is notably under the widely recognized threshold of 30%. Additionally, these premier urban areas boast a reduced mean joblessness rate at 3.8%, contrasting with an average of 4.1% for the country’s 50 most populous metropolitan regions.
The cost of living and job prospects will probably be key concerns for the Class of 2025 as they enter into their careers.
rockiest job market
since 2021.
Here’s Realtor.com’s top 10 ranking for 2025, including several key metrics from their report.
1 – Austin, TX
Median Rent:
$1,504
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 18.9%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 8.2%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 29.4%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
3.6%
2 – Raleigh, NC
Median Rent:
$1,524
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 20.0%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 9.0%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 30.4%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
3.3%
3 – Overland Park, Kansas
Median Rent:
$1,351
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 20.6%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 9.2%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 25.5%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
4.2%
4 – Minneapolis, MN
Median Rent:
$1,528
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 19.7%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 5.2%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 27.3%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
3.7%
5 – Saint Louis, Missouri
Median Rent:
$1,335
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 20.8%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 8.0%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 25.1%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
4.0%
6 – Richmond, VA
Median Rent:
$1,502
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 23.2%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 8.2%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 25.3%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
3.3%
7 – Pittsburgh, PA
Median Rent:
$1,461
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 22.3%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 8.7%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 24.3%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
4.1%
8 – Scottsdale, AZ
Median Rent:
$1,530
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 22.5%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 7.9%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 23.0%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
3.7%
9 – Richardson, TX
Median Rent:
$1,472
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 22.4%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 8.9%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 24.4%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
4.0%
10 – Atlanta, GA
Median Rent:
$1,604
Rent-to-Income Ratio
: 24.1%
Rental Vacancy Rate
: 9.3%
College Grad Friendly Occupations
: 24.7%
Forecasted unemployment rate:
4.1%
To learn more about Realtor.com’s approach,
read here
.
As a fresh batch of graduates gets ready to join the workforce, recent consumer confidence figures have shown some improvement following five consecutive months of decreases.
The Conference Board reported on Tuesday that their consumer confidence index increased by 12.3 points in May, reaching a level of 98, which is an improvement from April’s figure of 85.7—their lowest point since May 2020.
A gauge of Americans’ near-future outlook regarding their earnings, business environments, and employment prospects surged by 17.4 points to reach 72.8, though this figure still stayed under 80—a level often seen as an indicator of a potential upcoming recession.
The Labor Department reported at the beginning of this month that U.S. employers
included an unexpected 177,000 jobs
In April, the unemployment rate stayed at a remarkably low 4.2%.
The write-in responses revealed that tariffs remain the top worry for consumers. While inflation continues to bother them, several respondents indicated that both inflation and gas prices appear to be stabilizing somewhat.
The Associated Press provided contributions to this report.
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