Best city for young professionals? Fort Lauderdale, FL

Score

44/100

Rank #119 (top 200 cities)

Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Fort Lauderdale offers a mixed profile for young professionals, with relative strengths in bachelor’s+ rate alongside median household income. Overall, it’s a mid-pack option in this dataset (#119 of 200). The main watch-out is commute 45+ min share.

Methodology · Sources · FL rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Fort Lauderdale ranks here

Median household income: $79,935 (6% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
Bachelor’s+ rate: 40% (15% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
Typical rent (2BR): $1,878/mo (30% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

Commute 45+ min share: 16% (38% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
Below poverty line: 15% (5% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population

183,032

Estimated total population (ACS).

Male vs female

Male 52%Female 48%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)

$1,878/mo

National median: $1,441/mo

Median household income

$79,935

National median: $75,598

Age 25–34 share

15%

National median: 16%

Bachelor’s+ rate

40%

National median: 35%

Work-from-home share

17%

National median: 12%

Commute 45+ min share

16%

National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City

National median (dataset)

Career

Income and workforce proxies that often correlate with opportunity.

42/100

Affordability

Housing costs that affect early-career budgets.

35/100

Young-adult mix

Age 25–34 presence and broad stability signals.

32/100

Comfort

Commute friction as a time/quality proxy.

84/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

10%

Less than HS

50%

HS / Some college

24%

Bachelor’s

16%

Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 25–34 (ACS).

15%

Age 25–34

85%

Other ages

Commute mix

Share of commuters with 45+ min travel time (ACS).

16%

45+ min

84%

Under 45

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City

National median (dataset)

Median household income

National median $75,598

$79,935

Bachelor’s+ rate

National median 35%

40%

Work-from-home share

National median 12%

17%

Broadband subscription

National median 91%

90%

Typical rent (2BR)

National median $1,441/mo

$1,878/mo

Age 25–34 share

National median 16%

15%

Below poverty line

National median 15%

15%

Commute 45+ min share

National median 11%

16%

Similar cities (by score)

#117 Winston-Salem, NC

FAQ

›What is Fort Lauderdale’s young professionals score and rank?

Fort Lauderdale, FL scores C (44/100) and ranks #119 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.

›Is this based on Fort Lauderdale city proper or the metro area?

City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.

›What is the population of Fort Lauderdale, FL?

Population is about 183,032 (ACS 2023, city proper).

›What is the male vs female split in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

About 52% male and 48% female (ACS 2023).

›What is a typical 2BR rent in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

Typical rent (2BR) is $1,878/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).

›What is median household income in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

Median household income is $79,935 (national median: $75,598).

›How large is the 25–34 population in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

Age 25–34 share is 15% (national median: 16%).

›Where does this data come from for Fort Lauderdale, FL?

Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (neighborhoods, taxes, commute, schools, safety, and your support network).