Raleigh ranked sixth most desirable residential place for recent graduates

One of the most desirable places for recent Duke graduate’s to live may only be a few miles down the road, according to a recent ranking.

Apartments.com’s annual list of Top 10 Best Cities for Recent Graduates ranks Raleigh as the No. 6 best place for college graduates. Those compiling the list looked at the affordability and lifestyle of the area, and found Raleigh to outperform similar college towns in both categories.

“In 2012, Raleigh didn’t make our top 10 list for new graduates, so it’s most definitely trending upwards,” wrote Tammy Kotula, public relations and promotions manager of apartments.com, in an email Thursday.

Cities that ranked higher include Phoenix, Ariz., Orlando, Fla. and San Antonio, Texas, which took the first three sports in the list.

Raleigh has an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent, nearly two percent lower than the national average of 7.7 percent. Coupled with the fact that the average rent for a single bedroom apartment is $788, Raleigh offers recent graduates affordability.

Overall, Raleigh ranks among the country’s “largest and most successful research parks,” Kotuna said. She added there are many entry level jobs available to students interested in highly technical and biotechnical fields.

Kotula noted that the list also analyzed percentage of male and female only households, a factor that correlates with a single, youthful culture. Raleigh outperformed other cities in this category.

“I’m definitely planning on staying in the area, considering the social and professional options,” said Robert Cochran, Pratt '12. "It's a vibrant city full of music and art."