Huntsville area No. 4 among ‘Best Metros for Millennials to Live and Work’

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Spurred by the “fastest Millennial population growth,” the Huntsville Metro area is ranked No. 4 in the Best Metros for Millennials to Live and Work Ranking for 2025 by CommercialCafe, a real estate and marketing blog.

The metro area, which includes Limestone and Madison counties, trails Austin, Texas; San Jose, Calif.; and Raleigh, N.C.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Millennials now hold more wealth than Gen X or Baby Boomers did at the same age — a shift that’s giving them more freedom to choose where and how they want to build stable, rewarding lives.

“And, the cities they choose stand to benefit,” CommercialCafe said.

Huntsville moves up a spot this year to land at No. 4 due to its standout momentum, CommercialCafe said. Specifically, it posted the fastest Millennial population growth, rising 17.8% between 2019 and 2023.

Although the overall share is still smaller than it is in larger metros, the pace of change signals a shift — and a growing appeal to younger workers looking for practical options.

“Affordability is also part of the draw,” CommercialCafe said. “With a cost of living 5.6% below the national average, Huntsville gives Millennials room to breathe financially, which is a bigger deal in an uncertain economy. The job market doesn’t hurt, either.

“Long anchored by aerospace and defense, the metro is diversifying, and its 2.7% unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the study.”

The study also cited the area’s education.

“Nearly half of Huntsville Millennials now have a bachelor’s degree or higher (up from 41.2% in last year’s data),” the report said. “Granted, average household income still trails the pack at $107,700 — the lowest among our top 20 — but, for many, the lower costs and strong job prospects help close that gap.”

To determine which metros are best-positioned to attract and support this generation, CommercialCafe said it analyzed 103 U.S. metropolitan areas with populations of more than 500,000.

“Our ranking highlights where Millennials are finding the best balance of opportunity and affordability by using data on their population trends, income, cost of living, employment, health coverage and educational attainment,” CommercialCafe said.