Yahoo Finanzen What Millennials Are Looking for in a City
The millennial generation is a diverse bunch, but there are a few common threads that tie them together. Millennials often value experiences and look at their lives in a different way than previous generations did -- and they're certainly not afraid to shake things up. In fact, according to a recent Rent.com survey of 1,000 U.S. renters ages 18 to 34, nearly half say they moved to a different city than the one they grew up in -- but what are they looking for in those cities, exactly?
Job Options
The majority of this generation is just starting careers, making job availability in a city key. Of those surveyed who moved to a new city, greater job potential was the No. 1 driver. However, a high number of job openings may not be enough. More millennials are entrepreneurs than any other generation, and many don't seek the traditional 9-to-5 positions their parents held. Instead of gravitating toward corporations, many seek jobs in smaller, more progressive companies. Rent.com's, Where Should You Live After College Graduation? quiz, which was taken nearly 30,000 times, found that 65 percent preferred working at a startup versus a large company.
Safety
Millennials were highly protected as children and grew up with increasing safety measures, such as childproof homes, car seats and urban curfews. As they venture out on their own into their first apartments, they may seek to have a sense of security. In fact, when selecting a neighborhood, safety is top of mind for the millennial generation -- about 30 percent of those surveyed said it was the most important factor in their decision.
Access to Restaurants, Arts and Entertainment
Food is very much an art, and it's one this generation sincerely appreciates. The more unique restaurants a city has, the more likely a millennial is to appreciate his or her surroundings. Getting a bite to eat was the No. 1 answer to where millennials could be found on a weeknight in the quiz.
Bars and restaurants are just a couple examples of the venues millennials seek out, with concerts, clubs and craft breweries joining them on the list. The majority of this generation is unmarried, and they prefer to spend their Saturday nights out. Millennials seek places that offer an experience they've never had before, which demands a vibrant environment.
Proximity to Work
This is a generation that considers many of the things once accepted as par for the course to be a waste of time. Long commutes may once have been the norm for baby boomers seeking high-up corporate positions, but millennials seek apartments that are close to work. Many see hourlong train rides as an infringement on their time doing other activities. The less time they spend commuting, the better.
Walkability
Many millennials desire to live within walking distance of restaurants, bars, shops and concert venues; in fact, 18 percent of survey respondents choose their neighborhood based on how close they are to arts and entertainment. It eliminates the middleman, which is frequently a cab or an Uber, and makes last-minute plans easy. Walkability also alleviates the power of FOMO, or the fear of missing out. Social media's pervasiveness in millennial culture means that everyone is more aware of what their friends and families are doing, and they don't want to miss out on a second of it. When a millennial lives right in the middle of the action, he or she feels more connected to the world.
Diversity
Diversity, in the way millennials appreciate it, encompasses much more than race. Millennials seek diversity around them in every way, be it sexuality, personality, interests, hobbies, values, religions, cultures, languages and more. Instead of seeking the familiar, millennials look for the unexpected and occasionally, the uncomfortable, reveling in new experiences and questioning social norms at every turn. Combined with social media culture, this diversity creates an open dialogue about many issues other generations were not able to facilitate. As a result, they value cities with an eclectic mix of people and opportunities.
Niccole Schreck is the rental experience expert for Rent.com, a free rental site that helps you find an affordable apartment and provides tips on how to move.
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