The job market is hard for latest faculty grads, however cities like Austin, Texas and Raleigh, N.C., nonetheless provide a promising mixture of affordability and alternative, a brand new report reveals.

Realtor.com analyzed greater than 300 cities and cities to search out essentially the most “grad-friendly” rental markets in 2025, weighing components like housing affordability, rental availability and job alternatives.

Austin topped the listing for the second 12 months in a row because of its low rent-to-income ratio (18.9 p.c) and excessive share of jobs (29.4 p.c) that require a bachelor’s diploma however no prior expertise.

Raleigh and Overland Park, Kan., ranked second and third, adopted by Minneapolis and St. Louis.

“These markets aren’t just affordable areas with relatively more abundant rental options, they’re full of energy, opportunity, and a sense of community, everything a recent grad could want,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, mentioned in a press release.

On common, graduates within the prime 10 markets spend simply 21.5 p.c of their earnings on hire, properly beneath the generally accepted 30 p.c affordability benchmark. This 12 months’s prime cities even have a decrease common unemployment fee (3.8 p.c) in comparison with the 50 largest metros (4.1 p.c).

Value of residing and job alternatives will probably be prime priorities for the Class of 2025, which is getting into the rockiest job market since 2021.

This is Realtor.com’s prime 10 listing for 2025 together with a number of the key metrics the report thought of.

1 – Austin, Texas

Ambiance throughout weekend one, day one of many 2024 Austin Metropolis Limits Music Pageant at Zilker Park on Oct. 4, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photograph by Rick Kern/Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,504

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 18.9 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 8.2 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 29.4 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 3.6 p.c

2 – Raleigh, N.C.

Raleigh’s downtown skyline is seen from The Dillion’s ninth ground foyer terrace open to the general public January 02, 2019 in Raleigh, NC. The conference heart’s Shimmer Wall is seen on the far proper. (Photograph by Katherine Frey/The Washington Submit by way of Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,524

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 20.0 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 9.0 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 30.4 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 3.3 p.c

3 – Overland Park, Kan.

Kansas, Overland Park, Museum at Prairiefire. (Photograph by: Bernard P. Friel/Common Photos Group by way of Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,351

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 20.6 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 9.2 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 25.5 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 4.2 p.c

4 – Minneapolis

Minneapolis skyline exhibiting the Mississippi river and U.S. Financial institution Stadium within the fall. (Photograph by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Common Photos Group by way of Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,528

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 19.7 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 5.2 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 27.3 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 3.7 p.c

5 – St. Louis

A normal view of the St Louis Gateway Arch, skyline and the Budweiser signal through the fifth inning between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium on July 18, 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photograph by Brandon Sloter/Picture Of Sport/Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,335

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 20.8 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 8.0 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 25.1 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 4.0 p.c

6 – Richmond, Va.

Sundown view on James River of historic southern Richmond, Virginia. (Photograph by: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UCG/Common Photos Group by way of Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,502

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 23.2 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 8.2 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 25.3 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 3.3 p.c

7 – Pittsburgh

The skyline of Pittsburgh is framed by couple strolling by way of a park on the Northside on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. (AP Photograph/Gene J. Puskar)

Median Lease: $1,461

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 22.3 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 8.7 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 24.3 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 4.1 p.c

8 – Scottsdale, Ariz.

Folks journey electrical scooters by way of the previous city space on Tuesday November 19, 2024, in Scottsdale, Ariz.. Maricopa County continues to be one of many quickest rising areas within the nation. (Photograph by Matt McClain/The Washington Submit by way of Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,530

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 22.5 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 7.9 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 23.0 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 3.7 p.c

9 – Richardson, Texas

The College of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, Texas (Credit score: College of Texas at Dallas)

Median Lease: $1,472

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 22.4 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 8.9 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 24.4 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 4.0 p.c

10 – Atlanta

View of Atlanta Skyline (Getty Photos)

Median Lease: $1,604

Lease-to-Revenue Ratio: 24.1 p.c

Rental Emptiness Charge: 9.3 p.c

Faculty Grad Pleasant Occupations: 24.7 p.c

Forecasted unemployment fee: 4.1 p.c

For extra on Realtor.com’s methodology, learn right here.