I share your dislike of LA and NYC.
But some people actually like Boston. It’s more manageable in size, kind of like Washington, DC, which is also popular.
Atlanta and Dallas have pretty solid job markets for those with degrees and a range of housing options and types. They may lack the cool factor of NYC or LA, but quality of life is likely better. Plus lots of young people around, so plenty of fun to be had. I hear good things about Nashville.
States may be politically conservative, but at least in the case of ATL and Dallas, where young people gather and live, areas are more liberal.
Having kids who live in Columbus (and I do business work there) but living close to Ann Arbor, I can see what you’re saying @intparent but Columbus is different (IMO) in that there is so much more to the town than OSU. Being the state capitol there is a vibrant city life and neighborhoods that are not near or related to campus - totally separate. Cbus was the most popular destination for D1’s graduating friends and most all of them secured professional jobs right off the bat (or nearly) out of school in their field.
Not everyone is there for Buckeye Land!!! 
I would still recommend DC because if they wanted to switch jobs they could still look in Maryland, or Northern VA.
Lots of people from both areas commute by metro because these area rents are cheaper than living in DC.
Another thing to consider is weather. I would not want to move up North where it is colder and you get more snow.
It also really depends what industry they are looking to find a job in. For example if you are in law or medicine you have your state licensing requirements to be able to practice in specific areas.
Agree that DC is a fascinating place and folks CAN live without a car and with room mates to keep things as affordable as possible. There are a lot of opportunities there that are not elsewhere.
I wouldn’t have thought of Columbus, Ohio as being so cool but it’s good to know!
I would live where I found a job. Sounds stupid, but there is a lot of truth in it. The process is somewhat similar to choosing a college. Find a company, decide if you would enjoy working for them, then decide if the area is something you would enjoy. Presto! You just found your new home. This is exactly how I found my first place to live after graduation.
Yes, S was offered 2 jobs in HI and 1 in DC, so he did decide to move to be where his job was and it has worked for him. He did his due diligence and made sure he could afford to live in a decent place with his salary and his employer paid moving expenses.
@DecideSomeHow My concern as a person entering the job market next year is that there are places where I’d love to live but which have extremely limited job markets. I used to live and work in Montana and while I greatly enjoyed the state, it’s not a place I would want to stay in as a recent college grad who might have 2-3 jobs within a 6 year period. In cities like Denver, LA, Dallas, etc there are far more, and far more varied opportunities for a recent graduate.
I know that I gained vastly more potential professional contacts attending Denver Meetups (interned there last summer) than I did when I attended the meetups with the same theme, albeit in Bozeman, MT.
Whenhen, I understand exactly what you are saying, and I was being a little simplistic. Coming out of college, you can do all the job searching in areas you like. My point was really based on watching family members say “I want to live in NY!”, and then force fitting the whole thing into a job they don’t really like. (kinda like the yelp issue).
Pittsburgh is a great city! And believe it or not…so is Cleveland.
I decided to move to SF based on nothing more than an urge to live in CA and a college roommate there. A life defining change. Granted, that was then. I’m not sure I agree with the idea of a force-fit, if you know what you want and will work toward it. I was open to several career lines and ended up in something I never had considered.
As long as my salary matched the cost of living I would be open to anywhere. I was born, raised, and went to college in NYC. My 1st job was in NYC as well. Yes the cost of living is high. But I manage to support myself and a child. I think the problem is lots of these kids coming out of college don’t know the 1st thing about paying bills and budgeting. I guess it was different for me because I was a teen mom and having a child makes you grow up quick.
Praise the Lord that no one has said Austin!
@Youdon’tsay What makes you say that? Give me the skinny.
It’s too damn crowded! The city has changed in ways this old-timer doesn’t like.
Hey, kids, get off my lawn!!! :-w
I don’t think recent college grads a going to stick to one company for 30 years.
They will probably change jobs every few years which would allow them to try out several cities before finally settling down. I don’t think they are thinking to buy a house soon nor are they worried about good schools for their kids at this stage.
In our area not far from DC they are building numerous communities consisting of commercial, residential, parks,and retail space all within walking distance from a metro station. My feeling is the new in thing is living in a condo close to the metro station where work, home, and shops are very close by. My impression is work life balance and convenience is important to them.
My brother who is in his early 30’s lives in Chicago without a car and he lives one block from work. He says he doesn’t need a car because everything he needs is walking distance and for those times when he needs a car there’s Uber. Most of the time he is traveling for his work. It seems convenience, mobility, and the job market of the area are things to look for.
Austin’s population exploded in recent years, thanks largely to a massive influx of recent graduates. Urban infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the rising population, rents are steadily increasing, and some complain that the culture of the city is changing. It’s the same deal in Portland, Denver, and Kansas City.
I think new grads today end up going to the city where they get a job–unless they really want to live in a specific city and are willing to take a temporary job to support themselves or have some other means (parents) of supporting themselves. My kids stayed fairly close to the colleges from which they graduated–one went to Boston and then DC (followed her husband for the second move) and the other stayed in Philadelphia. None of those cities have cheap housing–IMO high cost of living is one of the biggest hurdles for young people who want to go to NY, DC, SF or LA.
My nerdy, vegan, picky DD had an internship in Columbus this summer and was very impressed. Her only concern was the weather, which was cloudy and damp.