BestCityFor

Best city for young professionals? Raleigh, NC

A
Score
68/100
Rank #14 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For young professionals, Raleigh is a top-ranked pick when you’re optimizing for bachelor’s+ rate alongside typical rent (2br). Overall, it’s one of the stronger performers in this set (#14 of 200). The main watch-out is below poverty line.

Methodology · Sources · NC 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 Raleigh ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,462/mo (1% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 53% (53% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Median household income: $82,424 (9% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Below poverty line: 11% (21% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 10% (15% lower than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
470,763
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 49%Female 51%

Key metrics

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

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,462/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Median household income
$82,424
National median: $75,598
Age 25–34 share
19%
National median: 16%
Bachelor’s+ rate
53%
National median: 35%
Work-from-home share
23%
National median: 12%
Commute 45+ min share
10%
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.
48/100
Affordability
Housing costs that affect early-career budgets.
65/100
Young-adult mix
Age 25–34 presence and broad stability signals.
36/100
Comfort
Commute friction as a time/quality proxy.
90/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

8%
Less than HS
40%
HS / Some college
33%
Bachelor’s
20%
Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 25–34 (ACS).

19%
Age 25–34
81%
Other ages

Commute mix

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

10%
45+ min
90%
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
$82,424
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
53%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
23%
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
94%
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,462/mo
Age 25–34 share
National median 16%
19%
Below poverty line
National median 15%
11%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
10%

Similar cities (by score)

#12 Denver, CO
68/100
#13 Minneapolis, MN
68/100
#15 Atlanta, GA
68/100
#16 Naperville, IL
67/100

FAQ

›What is Raleigh’s young professionals score and rank?
Raleigh, NC scores A (68/100) and ranks #14 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Raleigh 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 Raleigh, NC?
Population is about 470,763 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Raleigh, NC?
About 49% male and 51% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical 2BR rent in Raleigh, NC?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,462/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What is median household income in Raleigh, NC?
Median household income is $82,424 (national median: $75,598).
›How large is the 25–34 population in Raleigh, NC?
Age 25–34 share is 19% (national median: 16%).
›Where does this data come from for Raleigh, NC?
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).