The Wall Street Journal reported last week on Wednesday that San Jose ranked #6 in its list of “The Next Youth-Magnet Cities.” The Wall Street Journal “sought out six of the nation’s leading experts to rank the 10 U.S. cities they see as most likely to emerge as ‘youth magnet’ cities after the recession—popular target destinations among young, college-educated, often single people setting out to start a career, find a mate or both.” While the Journal itself notes that the rankings are not scientific (calling the effort a “parlor game”), expert demographers, economists, geographers, and urban issues authors were among the panelists.
The rankings appear below, as well as the details on why San Jose made the list.
1. Washington D. C. (tie)
2. Seattle (tie)
3. New York City
4. Portland, Ore.
5. Austin, TX
6. San Jose, CA <<<——- GEEKS ARE SEXY!
7. Denver
8. Raleigh Durham, N.C.
9. Dallas
10. Chicago (tie)
10. Boston (tie)
Sixth Place: San Jose, CA
Upside: Silicon Valley’s combination of lively entrepreneurs and smart money will enable it to continue to draw the best and brightest. The region routinely attracts one-third of U.S. venture-capital spending, which should rejuvenate growth in hot fields, including alternative energy and life sciences, one panelist says. A free-fall in housing prices has made the area more affordable. Young adults will continue to flock to San Jose and San Francisco alike for their restaurants and cultural life, access to outdoor activities and “large stock of smart, driven young people who want to make a difference in the world,” one panelist says.
Downside: High unemployment at 13%, and a high overall cost of living, make the region a hard sell for entry-level workers.
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CBS News did a short segment on the Journal’s report. Hear first-hand from the Silicon Valley local geeks and yours truly, SV Bachelorette.
[*Please note below that my voice was dubbed in this segment. My real voice is not deep and low. Trust me, it’s a lot geekier (and sexier) in real life! **If you can't view the video in your reader, click here.]
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