If you’re recently hitched, you and your partner might want a little newlywed advice about where to start your life together. Sure, you’ve got your love to tide you over no matter where you live–but being in a city with low living costs, a high percentage of married households, lots of rental inventory and plenty of stroller-pushers couldn’t hurt. Check out the 10 best cities for newlyweds:
Houston
Houston has shown other Texas cities who’s who lately, in a big way. With a burgeoning population and fantastic entertainment, employment and leisure options, Houston is a great place to set up house. Given a liveability score of 79 by AreaVibes, Houston’s best attributes are its amenities and cost of living, which is significantly less than most major American cities. One of the best-known areas for young families is Houston Heights, which is often referred to as “The Heights” by locals. This area is loaded with charm, peppered with playgrounds and lush with mature trees.
Seattle
Rain or shine, Seattle has many other big cities beat in terms of beauty, charm, cool factor, and–well–coffee consumption. Seattle’s unique vibe makes it a great place to rent a little bungalow and start building your nest. Why is Seattle so great for lovebirds? Maybe it’s the town’s relatively low crime, pretty waterfront location or family-oriented neighborhoods.
Dallas
The second Texas city to make our list, Dallas is known for its larger-than-life vibe. The area is also notoriously family-oriented. Bonus: You’ll probably never have to push a stroller around in the snow. AreaVibes gave Dallas a liveability score of 78 for its abundance of amenities, low cost of living, high employment rates, affordable housing and great weather. About 49 percent of the city’s residents are married, so you’ll have no trouble meeting like-minded couples, whether you’re planning on starting a family or staying an adults-only duo.
Raleigh
The Research Triangle of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill is one of the fastest-growing metros in the country. Why? Because so many young families are moving there! In 2000, the area’s population was about 800,000; by 2009, that figure had climbed to 1.2 million. That’s a growth of nearly 40 percent! Young, educated professionals have moved to Raleigh to take advantage of a great employment outlook, making this a top locale for career-minded power couples who enjoy North Carolina’s family-friendly way of life. A recent Rent. survey showed that about 38 percent of newly married couples choose where to live based on opportunities for employment, making Raleigh a great location to call home.
Washington, D.C.
Washington is a great place to live for anyone, but young newlyweds will have their own reasons to love this truly American city. Whether you’re politically minded or just love cool architecture, D.C. will offer you a unique perspective on urban living. Numerous publications have called D.C. a top city for people in their 20s and 30s, as the area boasts one of the country’s largest percentages of educated young professionals.
San Jose
One of just two Golden State cities to make our list, San Jose is one of the best cities for newlyweds. AreaVibes gave San Jose a liveability score of 79 for its great rental market, plethora of amenities and fabulous weather. Although Cali is known for its high living costs, San Jose stands out from the pack because of its comparatively low crime rates, stable high school graduation rates and high median household income.
Minneapolis
Minneapolis has a ton to offer newlyweds. The area is so incredibly family-friendly that you certainly don’t need to live in the ‘burbs to find a kid-oriented neighborhood–but if you do want to head outside of the city limits, you have plenty of picturesque towns from which to choose. Linden Hills is famous for its abundance of families, charm and tree-lined streets, but there are many great neighborhoods to choose from. Young professional and hip couples will want to set their sights on the trendy Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis.
San Diego
San Diego’s buzz has really picked up in recent years. Whether you’re here for the beach, the entertainment or the job prospects, you’ll find that San Diego has a lot to offer young couples. AreaVibes gave the city a liveability score of 78 based on its comparatively low crime rate, good education options, great weather and abundance of amenities.
Charlotte
With a population of about 730,000, Charlotte is truly a perfectly sized city. Charlotte offers the best of both worlds: A wealth of urban amenities without the hefty price tag of a large metro. With average temperatures running the gamut from 47 to 76 degrees, the weather here is ideal for taking the kids to the park or walking the dog. AreaVibes gave Charlotte a ranking of “Exceptionally Livable,” to boot.
Tulsa
If you haven’t considered the Midwest, you’re missing out. Young couples will love Tulsa’s small-town vibe (its population is less than 400,000) and high percentage of married couples. Whether you’re here to cash in on the area’s low living costs or to enjoy Oklahoma’s quiet lifestyle, Tulsa is one of the best cities for newlyweds to put down roots.
No matter where you decide to live, our best newlywed advice is just to enjoy to married life with your new spouse!
Top 10 List Methodology: Rent. developed this list in 2013. Metropolitan markets were ranked based on availability of rental inventory, cost of living, annual mean wages, percentage of married couples and percentage of children under the age of six. Based on the top 25 markets by rental availability, we ranked performance against the national average for cost of living and annual mean wages, in addition, we factored in the percentage of married households, giving that double weighting and factored in the percentage of children under six in married couple households. Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Rent..
