By Claire Reid
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
August 1, 2024
The city you choose to settle in during or right after college can have important impacts on your life.
According to research from Tallo, 61% of college students plan on finding jobs close to their college towns after graduation. Many colleges incentivize students to stay local by tailoring programs to address regional needs and connecting students with community organizations, Forbes explains.
From affordable rent to educational opportunities to entertainment and recreation options, many factors influence where folks in their 20s want to live.
Forbes evaluated America’s largest cities on rent, food, entertainment, transportation and employment metrics, as well as proximity to colleges and universities, to determine its list of the “Best Cities for College Students and Graduates” in 2024. Milwaukee ranked fifth on the list for its low cost of living and unemployment rates and the numerous colleges in the region.
Here’s what makes Milwaukee a great place for young people to call home.
Milwaukee is the fifth-best city for college students and grads
Students make up nearly one-quarter of Milwaukee’s population, and there are 19 colleges within a 10-mile radius of the city, Forbes reported. Milwaukee also has one of the lowest unemployment rates for residents ages 16 to 24 at 8.3%.
At $1,054 per month, median rent prices are some of the highest in Forbes’ study, but Milwaukee also has one of the lowest hourly living wages: $20.11 per hour, the 10th lowest in the report. Milwaukee makes up for its high rent prices with lower food and transportation costs of about $4,300 and $9,400 per year, respectively. Food costs were highest in Arlington, Va. (over $5,600/year), and transportation costs were highest in Nashville, Tenn. (nearly $11,000/year).
Milwaukee’s rental vacancy rate of 5% put it ahead of nearby Chicago (3.8%) and Madison (2.5% ― the lowest rate in the study). Milwaukee boasts the fifth-most fitness establishments per capita in the report: nearly 600 per 100,000 residents. It also has greater-than-average numbers of entertainment and food establishments per resident.
Forbes gave Milwaukee above-average walk and bike scores (61.5 and 57.6, respectively) and a below-average transit score (48.7). All scores were out of 100.
Where to make friends after college in Milwaukee
One of the biggest challenges young adults face when moving to a new city is meeting new people. Unlike in high school, it’s much less common to regularly interact with numerous similarly aged peers, especially if you work or attend classes remotely.
Here are some popular options for those new to Milwaukee:
- Join a running or walking club: Milwaukee is home to numerous running clubs that traverse the city’s various lakefront and riverside trails. The Original Milwaukee Running Group (OMG) hosts at least one run every day at various times and in various locations around the city. The Badgerland Striders, Milwaukee’s oldest running group, offers a marathon training program, local races and other activities throughout the year. The Latino-influenced Buena Tierra Run Club is one of the city’s newest and most popular. Local running specialty store Performance Running Outfitters also hosts regular runs and events. All of these groups offer options for various levels of runners, including walkers and beginners. If running isn’t your thing, Girls Who Walk MKE offers group walks, exercise classes and social events multiple times throughout the week.
- Play a recreational sport: Milwaukee Sports and Social offers year-round recreational sports leagues; its wide selection includes volleyball, kickball, cornhole, tennis, pickleball, soccer, softball and more. You can build your own team or join as an individual. MKE REC also offers leagues in basketball, soccer, flag football, golf, kickball, volleyball and more. Milwaukee Pseudo Sports Club meets on Tuesday evenings to try a new sport each week. Past sports have included beach volleyball, soccer, board games, spikeball and underwater hockey. Every summer, Volley Life hosts popular volleyball leagues for all abilities (from beginners to those playing for prize money) at Bradford Beach and Grant Park.
- Sign up for a book club: Local bookstore Boswell Book Company hosts multiple evening book clubs including sci-fi, romance and in-store lit clubs. The MKE Millenial Book Club meets monthly at locations around the city to discuss a variety of genres. The Milwaukee Public Library offers numerous book clubs, both virtually and at branch locations. Cactus Club’s Cactus Book Club hosts monthly book discussions, often highlighting current events or social justice.
- Take a class: MKE REC offers classes in yoga, cooking, music, foreign languages, art, and more for people of all ages and abilities. The Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design hosts community art classes covering a variety of mediums through its Continuing Education program. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Continuing Education program offers classes and certificates in business, career success, data analysis, digital marketing, foreign languages and much more.
- Browse the Internet: Dozens more Milwaukee social groups and clubs regularly list events on the Meetup and Eventbrite apps. Local event calendars on Facebook, the Milwaukee Reddit page and Visit Milwaukee are also great places to check for things to do.