With rising paychecks barely keeping pace with the cost of living—to say nothing of student loans—it’s no wonder many millennials are below the federal poverty rate.
However, there are some places where it’s worse. Zippia analyzed data from the most recent American Community Survey and the Department of Education to surface the cities where millennials are struggling much more. And some of them will surprise you.
Data on student loan debt, unemployment rates, homeownership, and percentage of individuals living in poverty were factored in to rank cities across the U.S. The top 10 worst places for millennials are:
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- New York
- Florida
- North Carolina
- California
- South Carolina
- Alabama
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
With the exception of Washington, D.C., (where one in four millennials lives in poverty and the average student loan debt is over $60,000), New York, and California, all of the states are in the South. Student loan debt in these seven states averages upwards of $33,000 per individual and unemployment is more than twice the national average.
The full list of states is here.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
