Best Cities for Recent Grads

Population: 360,355
Percent of population between age 22-24: 6.4 percent
Cost of Living Index: 95.3
Percent of housing units for rental: 44 percent
Unemployment rate: 9.1
Average per-capita personal income: $40,045

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Population: 849,491
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.1 percent
Cost of Living Index: 88.2
Percent of housing units for rental: 33 percent
Unemployment rate: 5.1
Average per-capita personal income: $42,982

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---oklahoma-city_ey4lzc

Population: 1,227,278
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.8 percent
Cost of Living Index: 92.6
Percent of housing units for rental: 35 percent
Unemployment rate: 5.2
Average per-capita personal income: $38,742

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---houston_geyq8s

Population: 5,865,086
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.1 percent
Cost of Living Index: 91.9
Percent of housing units for rental: 38 percent
Unemployment rate: 8.3
Average per-capita personal income: $46,570

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Population: 470,849
Percent of population between age 22-24: 5.8 percent
Cost of Living Index: 95.4
Percent of housing units for rental: 41 percent
Unemployment rate: 8.4
Average per-capita personal income: $35,715

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/cities-college-grads---durham_ylv7ln

Population: 501,228
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.5 percent
Cost of Living Index: 96.3
Percent of housing units for rental: 38 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.1
Average per-capita personal income: $41,008

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---dallas_d8gjn1

Population: 6,447,228
Percent of population between age 22-24: 3.9 percent
Cost of Living Index: 91.9
Percent of housing units for rental: 38 percent
Unemployment rate: 8.1
Average per-capita personal income: $41,764

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Population: 930,246
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.1 percent
Cost of Living Index: 88.0
Percent of housing units for rental: 33 percent
Unemployment rate: 6.5
Average per-capita personal income: $40,402

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---little-rock_quujhf

Population: 686,212
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.2 percent
Cost of Living Index: 96.1
Percent of housing units for rental: 36 percent
Unemployment rate: 6.8
Average per-capita personal income: $39,431

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---savannah_wnhm4a

Population: 343,092
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.9 percent
Cost of Living Index: 93.1
Percent of housing units for rental: 37 percent
Unemployment rate: 8.6
Average per-capita personal income: $38,348

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/state-budgets---washington-dc_yne2it

Population: 5,476,241
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.1 percent
Cost of Living Index: 139.7
Percent of housing units for rental: 34 percent
Unemployment rate: 5.8
Average per-capita personal income: $56,984

Charles Dharapak

galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/pot-smoking-cities---boston_d4awcf

Population: 4,588,680
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.1 percent
Cost of Living Index: 131.1
Percent of housing units for rental: 37 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.1
Average per-capita personal income: $53,553

galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---corpus-christi_gpthre

Population: 416,095
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.3 percent
Cost of Living Index: 91.3
Percent of housing units for rental: 37 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.9
Average per-capita personal income: $36,558

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Population: 786,947
Percent of population between age 22-24: 6.0 percent
Cost of Living Index: 96.4
Percent of housing units for rental: 32 percent
Unemployment rate: 8.2
Average per-capita personal income: $38,107

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---new-orleans_o2pbod

Population: 1,189,981
Percent of population between age 22-24: 3.8 percent
Cost of Living Index: 95.8
Percent of housing units for rental: 34 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.9
Average per-capita personal income: $42,705

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Population: 562,993
Percent of population between age 22-24: 3.7 percent
Cost of Living Index: 91.2
Percent of housing units for rental: 29 percent
Unemployment rate: 6.6
Average per-capita personal income: $42,012

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Population: 1,801,848
Percent of population between age 22-24: 3.6 percent
Cost of Living Index: 92.8
Percent of housing units for rental: 37 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.6
Average per-capita personal income: $37,999

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Population: 901,208
Percent of population between age 22-24: 3.3 percent
Cost of Living Index: 146.5
Percent of housing units for rental: 30 percent
Unemployment rate: 8.7
Average per-capita personal income: $74,767

Kathleen O'Rourke

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Population: 391,516
Percent of population between age 22-24: 3.9 percent
Cost of Living Index: 96.1
Percent of housing units for rental: 35 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.2
Average per-capita personal income: $38,358

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/cities-start-over---seattle_zawlsd

Population: 3,407,848
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.1 percent
Cost of Living Index: 120.2
Percent of housing units for rental: 38 percent
Unemployment rate: 9.2
Average per-capita personal income: $50,378

galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---albany_ad3xx1

Population: 857,592
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.6 percent
Cost of Living Index: 107.7
Percent of housing units for rental: 33 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.2
Average per-capita personal income: $42,206

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Population: 2,073,092
Percent of population between age 22-24: 4.3 percent
Cost of Living Index: 96.2
Percent of housing units for rental: 35 percent
Unemployment rate: 7.3
Average per-capita personal income: $36,285

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galleries/2011/05/31/best-cities-for-recent-grads/best-cities-for-grads-2011---kalamazoo_iq39ii

Population: 326,634
Percent of population between age 22-24: 6.5 percent
Cost of Living Index: 90.8
Percent of housing units for rental: 33 percent
Unemployment rate: 9.5
Average per-capita personal income: $33,075

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Best Cities for Recent Grads

As millions ponder where to unpack their bags after four years at college, The Daily Beast sorts through the stats for its second annual ranking of which cities offer the brightest future.