Millennial Reign

Here's why Austin is the absolute best city for millennials

A combination of economic growth and entertainment opportunities puts Austin at the top of this list from Money.

Kumar Appaiah/Flickr

A booming economy, growing job market, and high quality of life make Austin a sought-after city for all ages. And right now, we're particularly hot for millennials.

According to a new report from Money, Austin is the best city in the U.S. for adults ages 20 to 34. The financial publication assessed the country's large metro areas based on job growth, affordability, and availability of amenities and recreational opportunities. The results were narrowed down to one city per state, and the top five were ranked based on their millennial populations, putting Austin at No. 1.

Money says it comes as no surprise that Austin, with its top-notch economy and entertainment options, leads the list. "In addition to great quality of life and job opportunities, the metro is home to a 26.2 percent millennial population. And despite an ultra-reasonable rating of 101 on the cost of living index, Austin is chock full of fun activities, food, drink, and conveniences."

The publication also points to the insane job growth expected in Austin in the coming years. "The cherry on top is that projected job growth through 2019 is a robust 13.3 percent — thanks in part to big tech and telecom employers like Dell, IBM, and AT&T."

According to a recent report from Thumbtack, Austin is a hot spot for millennial entrepreneurs too. The Capital City ranks No. 8 in the nation.

Other top cities for millennials include Atlanta, Georgia (No. 2); Columbus, Ohio (No. 3); Tucson, Arizona (No. 4); and Seattle, Washington (No. 5).

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keep austin healthy

Austin is the 2nd 'healthiest' city in America, Forbes says

Photo by Max Bender on Unsplash

There are plenty of places for Austinites of varying abilities to be active.

The city's abundance of yoga studios, health-conscious restaurants, and run clubs is paying off: Austin was just named the second healthiest city in the nation in a new study by Forbes Advisor.

The report, "Cities With The Least Healthy (And Healthiest) Populations, Ranked" examined 2021 health data from the City Health Dashboard for 46 of the most populated cities in America. Eight metrics were analyzed for each city, such as the number of heart disease or opioid overdose deaths per 100,000 residents, the percentage of adults with diabetes or high blood pressure, among others.

The study focuses exclusively on physical health, and leans on broad risk factors more than the actual occurrence of specific diseases or conditions.

Austin ranked second to San Jose, California, which was dubbed the No. 1 healthiest city in America.

Forbes found that Austin has the lowest percentage of adult high blood pressure out of all 46 cities in the report, at just 22.5 percent. Only 7.4 percent of Austin residents have diabetes, which is the fourth-lowest rate nationwide. The city also boasts the fifth-lowest percentage of adults who smoke (11.3 percent).

Here's how the report ranked four other metrics for Austin:

Eighth-lowest number of heart disease deaths per 100,000 residents (175.5)
Eighth-lowest number of opioid overdose deaths per 100,000 residents (9.6)
10th-lowest percentage of adults who report having obesity (28.2 percent)
10th-lowest percentage of adults who report being physically inactive (18.5)

Austin has a reputation for being an accommodating city, whether it's through restaurants expanding their culinary offerings for vegans and vegetarians, or through local organizations adding exercise equipment to outdoor trails. And you can't forget about all the new gyms and country clubs opening around the city.

At the opposite end of the study, Detroit, Michigan landed as the most unhealthy city in the country.

Elsewhere in Texas
Though Austin is one of the healthiest cities in the U.S., and the healthiest in the state, several other Texas cities fell far behind. Houston appeared as the No. 12 most unhealthy American city on the list, and unhealthiest in Texas. The report attributes this to a high percentage of adults who report binge drinking (18.2 percent), smoking (17.2 percent), and more.

"Houston has the seventh-highest percentage of adults who report having obesity (37.7 percent) and the eighth-highest percentage of adults with diabetes (12 percent)," the report said.

San Antonio ranked as the 15th unhealthiest U.S. city, followed by Dallas (No. 18), El Paso (No. 22) and Fort Worth (No. 25). Arlington appeared as No. 30, technically making it the No. 18 healthiest city in the U.S.

The top 10 cities with the most healthy populations are:

No. 1 – San Jose, California
No. 2 – Austin, Texas
No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
No. 4 – San Diego, California
No. 5 – Denver, Colorado
No. 6 – San Francisco, California
No. 7 – Boston, Massachusetts
No. 8 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 9 – Colorado Springs, Colorado
No. 10 – Minneapolis

The full report can be found on forbes.com.

austin healthy reports rankings