City in Eastern Iowa Named Best in the Nation for College Graduates

A new report ranks U.S. cities for their attractiveness to college graduates based on job opportunities and several quality-of-life items. Factoring those items, one Eastern Iowa city ranks tops on the list.

The American Institute for Economic Research looked at not only those job opportunities, but also things like restaurants, how easy it is to bike to work, and the number of well-priced apartments. Taking all of those things and more into account, Iowa City was chosen as the best in the nation.

A total of 75 metro areas were chosen and reviewed based on racial diversity, unemployment rates, and average salaries of 22-35-year-olds that had at least a bachelor's degree. There are many college towns on the list, partially because college campuses make them ethnically diverse according to Rosalind Greenstein, the director of research and education for AIER.The list confirms that's definitely the case with three other Big 10 cities listed among the Top 10:

1. Iowa City, Iowa
2. Ithaca, New York
3. Ann Arbor, Michigan
4. Washington, DC
5. San Francisco, CA
6. New York City
7. Lawrence, KS
8. Boston, MA
9. Champaign-Urbana, Illinois 
10. Bloomington, IN

Greenstein credits the entire area for Iowa City coming out at number one on the list saying, "A growing technology corridor has improved economic opportunity in Iowa City, and low rents, more restaurants and bars, as well as a diverse population, also attract young people."

This is one list that Iowa City is thrilled to be at the top of and other area cities should pat themselves on the back as well.

[via Huffington Post]