Find a Job You Really Want In
Ready to start over fresh?
Maybe you’ve lost your job or are drowning in debt. Perhaps you are at a crossroads in your personal life and want to go somewhere no one knows your name. Whatever the reason, you’re ready to pack up and head to new horizons. But where is the grass actually greener? And where is it just dirt?
We analyzed the data to find the most affordable cities that offer good job opportunities and promising social opportunities.
10 Best Cities For A Fresh Start
- New Bedford, Massachusetts
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Paterson, New Jersey
- Brockton, Massachusetts
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- Newport News, Virginia
- South Bend, Indiana
- Newton, Massachusetts
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Fall River, Massachusetts
Keep reading to see why these cities are a great place to start over- and how we determined this.
Methodology
We examined 406 cities with a population over 70,000 to find the best cities to start over from scratch.
We ranked each city on:
- Median rent for a 1 bedroom apartment (The cheaper the better to secure a living situation with less cash)
- Percent of married households (Less married couples, the better opportunities for dating and friend making)
- Unemployment rate (Lower unemployment, the better for landing a gig)
- Median Income (The higher income, the better for establishing yourself)
All of our data came from the 2018 Census’ ACS.
Keep reading to learn more about the top 10, and see the other cities where it’s easiest to start over fresh.
1. New Bedford, Massachusetts
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $620
Average Income: $32,245
Unemployment:3.0
2. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $587
Average Income: $35,130
Unemployment:1.9
3. Paterson, New Jersey
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $980
Average Income: $32,540
Unemployment:1.8
4. Brockton, Massachusetts
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $403
Average Income: $36,658
Unemployment:4.5
5. Worcester, Massachusetts
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $826
Average Income: $34,572
Unemployment:2.6
6. Newport News, Virginia
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $818
Average Income: $31,642
Unemployment:1.9
7. South Bend, Indiana
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $679
Average Income: $27,935
Unemployment:2.2
8. Newton, Massachusetts
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $726
Average Income: $60,049
Unemployment:2.0
9. Little Rock, Arkansas
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $729
Average Income: $33,847
Unemployment:3.1
10. Fall River, Massachusetts
Rent For 1 Bedroom: $578
Average Income: $32,205
Unemployment:3.4
The places where it’s easiest to start from scratch
There you have, the 10 cities where it’s easiest to show up and establish a new life for yourself. Low unemployment means finding a new job will be easier in these cities and judging by the median salary, the jobs are fairly decent. Affordable 1-bedrooms mean the steepest moving cost (first and last month’s rent and a security deposit) are lower than other cities.
Of course, what’s a new city without new friends (and maybe more?). These cities also have more single folks. And isn’t that nice?
None of the 10 cities your style? Don’t worry, we rounded up the top 100 best cities for starting over fresh.
100 Best Cities To Start Over Fresh
Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
