USA Today: Urban centers draw more young, educated adults

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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.

• COLORADO: Urban areas outpace rural spots

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• 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%
Austin	3,725.6	24%
Baltimore	8,625.0	66%
Birmingham, Ala.	-601.0	-12%
Boston	20,558.0	40%
Buffalo	1,101.1	27%
Charlotte	2,180.1	34%
Chicago	15,886.6	33%
Cincinnati	2,000.9	28%
Cleveland	1,301.7	49%
Columbus, Ohio	4,032.9	45%
Dallas	5,080.6	56%
Denver	5,236.9	25%
Detroit	1,967.6	59%
Hartford, Conn.	426.6	8%
Houston	6,518.9	62%
Indianapolis	2,669.6	83%
Jacksonville	610.8	41%
Kansas City, Mo.-Kan.	1,300.3	50%
Las Vegas	304.4	19%
Los Angeles	5,695.2	55%
Louisville	443.8	10%
Memphis	964.5	26%
Miami	4,378.2	68%
Milwaukee	3,655.7	38%
Minneapolis	4,268.8	23%
Nashville	1,936.7	41%
New Orleans	-2,220.8	-24%
New York	26,125.9	13%
Oklahoma City	106.2	5%
Orlando	1,692.5	28%
Philadelphia	16,032.2	57%
Phoenix	306.5	14%
Pittsburgh	3,154.9	40%
Portland, Ore.	4,083.3	22%
Providence	3,484.3	38%
Raleigh, N.C.	1,670.8	28%
Richmond, Va.	1,058.5	16%
Riverside, Calif.	1,572.8	65%
Rochester, N.Y.	809.8	8%
Sacramento	2,053.6	28%
St. Louis	2,699.6	87%
Salt Lake City	1,903.0	21%
San Antonio	146.7	7%
San Diego	5,638.4	54%
San Francisco	3,809.3	5%
San Jose	1,201.4	10%
Seattle	5,696.4	24%
Tampa	974.2	21%
Virginia Beach	566.7	15%
Washington	13,610.2	31%

Source: Analysis of data from 2000 Census and 2005-2009 American Community Survey by Impresa for CEOs for Cities