Columbus ranked the 2nd best city in the U.S. for new college grads – and another Ohio city is No. 1
Columbus again is one of the best cities in the country for new college graduates, but there’s another city in Ohio that is better.
Finance site SmartAsset.com has published its third annual rankings that factor in jobs, affordability and entertainment and dining options for those leaving their college days behind them. Columbus is No. 2 on the list, right behind Cincinnati.
When the rankings made their debut in 2015, Austin, Texas was the best place for grads; Cincinnati was No. 5 and Columbus No. 6.
Cincinnati vaulted to No. 1 on the 2016 list and Columbus was No. 3.
Cost of living is a big reason the Ohio cities hold the top two spots this year. And as we reported earlier this month, Ohio is one of the best places in the U.S. to avoid student loan debt.
Here’s what SmartAsset said about Columbus in its new report:
- By jumping up one spot from last year, Columbus clinches the top two spots for the state of Ohio. (Columbus) was able to make its way up largely because of its beneficial job market. The unemployment rate among people with bachelor’s degrees decreased by 0.5 percent, although the overall unemployment rate has gone up slightly. But luckily, those with degrees are making more than last year on average.
- Columbus residents also have the 12th-best cost of living number overall, landing at 2 percent below the national average. With money to spare, you can hit up a number of entertainment and dining spots in the “Indie Art City.” Plus, about 20 percent of Columbus’ population is in their 20s so you’ll have friends to mingle with and meet.
SmartAsset looked at data for 108 large cities across the country.