Though it’s famously expensive to rent in, London is the city most young people want to move to.
Manchester is the second most popular city among 18 to 30 year olds – Gen Z and younger millennials – followed by Edinburgh, Brighton and Hove and Liverpool.
This is based on a poll conducted by Reebok and MTV, which found that around half of young people are looking to relocate. Nearly a third said they don’t feel they can reach their goals in life by remaining where they are now.
Meanwhile, a quarter said they feel their hometown is stifling their creativity in some way: a feeling that will be familiar to anyone who grew up somewhere sleepy, then moved away to a big city.
Check out the top 10 cities among young people below.
1. London
2. Manchester
3. Edinburgh
4. Brighton and Hove
5. Liverpool
6. Bristol
7. Glasgow
8. York
9. Leeds
10. Oxford
Josephine Walters, Reebok’s senior director, said in response to the results: “Where we live can have substantial impact to how we are as a person.
“The inspiration we draw from the city or place we live in is almost subconscious and an essential part of our choices – there may come a time where we might outgrow somewhere and it is time to find something new in order for us to grow as a person, and we feel the results show just this.”
The biggest obstacle for anyone eyeing a move to London is obviously expense. The average room rent in the capital has risen 13% year-on-year, and the city becomes even more affordable if you’re single and/or a woman thanks to the widening gender rent gap.
However, there are a number of London postcodes where rents are still cheaper than before the pandemic, meaning it is possible – just about – to be close to the city’s brunch spots and buzzy rooftop bars without breaking the bank.
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