Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston

By Andre Smith

Being a career girl isn’t as easy as TV shows make it look. It requires confidence, grit, passion, and the freedom and desire to move around a lot. If you want to work for a tech startup, then those qualities become even more vital as you’re going to come up against a lot of competition. What can you do to stay ahead of the crowd and ensure you move to the city that is best able to accommodate your job and lifestyle?

Since leaving college I’ve lived in multiple different cities, including Boston and Portland, and each of them has had a different kind of energy. I know that moving around a lot isn’t going to be the ideal lifestyle for everyone, but it made my career path so much more exciting. I’d like to share the financial benefits of five of my favorite cities with you.

Dallas

Over the years, Dallas has turned into a thriving hub of business and tech startups, a place where you’re likely to be paid well but charged little for rent. Sound good? Dallas has been the birthplace of many a startup, including SoftLayer, which ended up being worth billions. And gradually, the city is becoming more and more vibrant and innovative, growing to become a worthy rival to its big brother Austin.

Perhaps most importantly for a lot of people, there’s a sense of community there too. Websites keep tech professionals in the area connected, offices that once stood empty are now overflowing with people, and the downtown area is thriving. You can live a very desirable lifestyle in Dallas, and all without spending too much money in your day-to-day life.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is doing very, very well at the moment. Companies such as Apple, Facebook, Uber and Google all have offices there, the popular language program DuoLingo was born there, and it has a high employment rate and low house prices. What could be better? People are calling it the “next Brooklyn”.

There are a few downsides, though. Ideally, you should be able to drive if you want to live in Pittsburgh, because public transport isn’t great. And generally, it’s slower, sleepier and colder than New York is. But, if a slightly quieter life is what you’re after, it’s a great place to settle down and look for work.

Chicago

Currently, according to 2016 data, Chicago is the best city in America when it comes to generating returns for venture capitalists. But that’s not all that’s good about it: housing there is inexpensive, tech startups are plentiful and well invested in, and the city itself is full of spirit and culture. Business Insider recently called it “America’s most underrated city” and pointed out its clean streets, affordable amenities, low taxes and short commutes to recommend it. Essentially, in Chicago, you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Denver

The ever-growing city of Denver has become a bit of a haven for tech startups over the years. Its jobs pay well, higher than the national average, and it’s the second-best city in America outside Silicon Valley in terms of salary-to-rent-cost ratio. Who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that? It’s also got a lot of interesting things to do – theme parks, zoos, themed restaurants, lots of wide open spaces for walking – and it’s noted for its commitment to health as well as to technology.

In fact, the US News and World Report recently named it the best city to live in America. That’s a high accolade indeed.

Boston

Unfortunately, it’s getting more and more pricey to live in Boston. The cost of living there is 39.7% above the US average, the population is growing, the condo prices are rising. There’s no doubt: it’s expensive.

But, Boston is high on world livability rankings, it’s considered one of the top cities in the world for invention and environmentalism, and it’s a very ethnically diverse place with all the cultural benefits which come from that. Those secure in their finances could do far, far worse than to consider Boston as a place to live. Even if your living situation takes a minor hit, the energy and culture of the city could certainly make up for it.

This article was shared with us by CollegeWeekLive.

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