Educated 20- and 30-somethings are flocking to live downtown in the USA's largest cities — even urban centers that are losing population.
In more than two-thirds of the nation's 51 largest cities, the young, college-educated population in the past decade grew twice as fast within 3 miles of the urban center as in the rest of the metropolitan area — up an average 26% compared with 13% in other parts.
Even in Detroit, where the population shrank by 25% since 2000, downtown added 2,000 young and educated residents during that time, up 59% , according to analysis of Census data by Impresa Inc., an economic consulting firm.
"This is a real glimmer of hope," says Carol Coletta, head of CEOs for Cities, a non-profit consortium of city leaders that commissioned the research. "Clearly, the next generation of Americans is looking for different kinds of lifestyles — walkable, art, culture, entertainment."
In Cleveland, which lost 17% of its population, downtown added 1,300 college-educated people ages 25 to 34, up 49%.
"It tells us we've been on the right track," says David Egner, president and CEO of Detroit's Hudson-Webber Foundation. Three anchor institutions —Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit Medical Center — recently launched "15 by 15," a campaign to bring 15,000 young, educated people to the downtown area by 2015.
Among the lures are cash incentives: a $25,000 forgivable loan to buy (need to stay at least five years) downtown or $3,500 on a two-year lease.
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COLORADO: Urban areas outpace rural spots
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REBUILDING: Parks take over downtown freeways
CENSUS 2010: Population, trends from your area
Preference for urban living among young adults — especially the well-educated — has increased sharply, data show:
•In 2000, young adults with a four-year degree were about 61% more likely to live in close-in urban neighborhoods than their less-educated counterparts. Now, they are about 94% more likely.
•In five metropolitan areas — Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Washington — about two-thirds of young adults who live in the city center have at least a four-year college degree. Less than a third of the nation's 25- to 34-year-olds do.
"This is no longer anecdotal," Coletta says. "Every metro area has good suburbs, but if you don't have a strong downtown and close-in neighborhoods, then you're not offering a choice that many of them are seeking. Offering that choice is a real competitive advantage for cities."
Young populations
Gain from 2000 to 2009 in 25- to 34-year-olds who have a four-year degree or higher and live within 3 miles of a metro area's central business district:
| (Columbus, Ohio | 4,032.9 | 45%) |
| Atlanta | 9,722.2 | 61% |
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| Austin | 3,725.6 | 24% |
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| Baltimore | 8,625.0 | 66% |
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| Birmingham, Ala. | -601.0 | -12% |
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| Boston | 20,558.0 | 40% |
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| Buffalo | 1,101.1 | 27% |
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| Charlotte | 2,180.1 | 34% |
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| Chicago | 15,886.6 | 33% |
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| Cincinnati | 2,000.9 | 28% |
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| Cleveland | 1,301.7 | 49% |
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| Columbus, Ohio | 4,032.9 | 45% |
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| Dallas | 5,080.6 | 56% |
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| Denver | 5,236.9 | 25% |
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| Detroit | 1,967.6 | 59% |
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| Hartford, Conn. | 426.6 | 8% |
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| Houston | 6,518.9 | 62% |
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| Indianapolis | 2,669.6 | 83% |
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| Jacksonville | 610.8 | 41% |
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| Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. | 1,300.3 | 50% |
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| Las Vegas | 304.4 | 19% |
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| Los Angeles | 5,695.2 | 55% |
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| Louisville | 443.8 | 10% |
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| Memphis | 964.5 | 26% |
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| Miami | 4,378.2 | 68% |
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| Milwaukee | 3,655.7 | 38% |
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| Minneapolis | 4,268.8 | 23% |
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| Nashville | 1,936.7 | 41% |
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| New Orleans | -2,220.8 | -24% |
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| New York | 26,125.9 | 13% |
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| Oklahoma City | 106.2 | 5% |
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| Orlando | 1,692.5 | 28% |
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| Philadelphia | 16,032.2 | 57% |
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| Phoenix | 306.5 | 14% |
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| Pittsburgh | 3,154.9 | 40% |
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| Portland, Ore. | 4,083.3 | 22% |
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| Providence | 3,484.3 | 38% |
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| Raleigh, N.C. | 1,670.8 | 28% |
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| Richmond, Va. | 1,058.5 | 16% |
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| Riverside, Calif. | 1,572.8 | 65% |
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| Rochester, N.Y. | 809.8 | 8% |
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| Sacramento | 2,053.6 | 28% |
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| St. Louis | 2,699.6 | 87% |
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| Salt Lake City | 1,903.0 | 21% |
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| San Antonio | 146.7 | 7% |
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| San Diego | 5,638.4 | 54% |
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| San Francisco | 3,809.3 | 5% |
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| San Jose | 1,201.4 | 10% |
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| Seattle | 5,696.4 | 24% |
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| Tampa | 974.2 | 21% |
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| Virginia Beach | 566.7 | 15% |
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| Washington | 13,610.2 | 31% |
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Source: Analysis of data from 2000 Census and 2005-2009 American Community Survey by Impresa for CEOs for Cities
