Top 10 Cities for Young Adults

Free from ties to kids or a mortgage, young adults can settle virtually anywhere they choose. So which place is best for you when the world is your oyster?

Here are 10 cities in the U.S. that offer exceptional opportunities for those starting out in life. We began our search using the criteria we used to select our overall list of Best Cities for the Next Decade: healthy economies fueling new job growth. We fine-tuned our search using other youth-friendly factors such as large percentages of people under 35, cost of living and rental costs, culture, nightlife, and the time you're likely to spend in traffic.

1) Austin, TX
2) Charlotte, NC
3) Chicago, IL
4) Houston, TX
5) Kansas City, MO
6) Lansing, MI
7) New York, NY
8) Portland, OR
9) Salt Lake City, UT
10) Washington, D.C.

By Caitlin Dewey
Kiplinger.com