Fort Wayne Among 10 Best U.S. Cities for Recent Grads to Start Career
Making your dream American career come true entails not only finding fulfilling and meaningful work, but settling down in an environment that will help you flourish, as well.
As fresh graduates around the nation, and the globe start their careers and build a life for themselves, many might be drawn to big and famous places like Los Angeles or New York City, but a recent report shows that the best places to jumpstart a career—any career—may be found more inland.
Insurify, a site for comparing low-cost home insurance policies, analyzed publicly available data and released a list of the top 10 best cities for new graduates last August. Midwest cities dominated the list with 7 out of the top 10 located in the region, including the top 3.
St. Louis, Missouri landed on the top spot; Minneapolis, Minnesota is top 2; Rapid City, South Dakota ranked 3; Lincoln, Nebraska garnered top 5; Rochester, Minnesota ranked 7; Fargo, North Dakota is top 8; and Fort Wayne came at the top for the state of Indiana, and at 9th place nationally. Its overall appeal score is 73.7 out of 100 – that’s 23% greater than the state average.
The Insurify team crunched the numbers and came up with an overall appeal score based on several factors: unemployment rate, cost of living, one-bedroom rental costs, alternative transit, and the number of arts and entertainment venues.
Fort Wayne, Indiana’s second-largest city has always been known for its affordability. Numerous job opportunities paired with low-cost housing and plenty of natural and urban venues for after-work socializing make it attractive. It definitely gives the perks of large coastal metros but at a more affordable cost.
Many Fort Wayne locals like families and retirees own homes, and fresh grads have a great deal to choose from whether they want to start buying or renting. Niche lists Fort Wayne’s average rent at $777. That’s significantly lower compared to the national average of over $1000. Additionally, the city offers a hometown suburban feel that is safe and secure.
Once settled in, exploring the heart of the city is a great first step to knowing Fort Wayne. A revitalized downtown features parks, and promenades connecting the three rivers of the city. Restaurants, cafes, and breweries are easy to find for socializing and networking. Historical districts and a top genealogy center are also one-of-a-kind spots that are distinctly Fort Wayne’s.
The Summit City is an affordable and accommodating place to build a career and reap its benefits. There’s no doubt this city, and the rest of the Midwest will see an influx of young professionals settling in.
