Sunday, June 20, 2010

Yuppies and "Houstonites"

Houston comes in at first place in Forbes' latest ranking, "America's Best Cities for Young Professionals." It lists the "best cities for young professionals—places where ambitious college grads can get a strong start on a high-powered career."

"These metros boast affordability, good job prospects and larger-than-average incomes. And they're already home to some of the country's biggest companies and alumni from the prestigious schools—a recipe that offers well-educated graduates a best shot at upward mobility."

CultureMap notes:
« Forbes believes Houston "shines" thanks to high average incomes and grads from elite colleges—not just from local Rice University, but from across the country. (The study takes into consideration how many Rice, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern, Princeton and Stanford university graduates are located in a city, arguing that their presence points to both a concentration of talent and a strong network of career-minded young people.)

Fellow Lone Star State cities, Dallas and Austin, also snag a spot on the Top 10. Forbes recognizes Houston for having a "business-friendly environment and abundance of oil money," as it is home to 14 of the country's largest companies. Only New York City has more big employers.

Thanks for the upward-mobility recognition, Forbes. We'll let the term "Houstonites" slide. »