As University of Wisconsin students return to campus and freshmen explore their new home, a recent Kiplinger study has ranked Madison as the number-one city for young adults.
According to a City of Madison statement, the Kiplinger study cited the Dane County Farmer’s Market, Badger games at Camp Randall and boating and fishing in the area’s four major lakes as a few reasons why Madison topped the list.
Kiplinger also noted Madison’s tech-savvy residents, start-up firms, brewpubs, a low unemployment rate and affordable housing, the statement said.
Madison’s areas of entertainment, including new bars, restaurants and boutiques, make the city a special place for young adults, according to Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8.
“A lot of start-ups come out of the city,” Resnick said. “Students working on projects stay in Madison and have success.”
The statement said Kiplinger based its decision on rated areas such as living costs, employment growth and education.
Mayor Paul Soglin said he was satisfied with the results and said unlike other studies and surveys, Kiplinger sent an individual to Madison to look around the city.
“We’ve developed a whole network that’s responsive to young people, including cultural facilities and programming,” Soglin said.
He added that Madison is a convenient spot for young people to be far away yet close enough to home.
A number of years ago, the city made a commitment to make Madison a safe and healthy place for raising families and to work and play, Soglin said.
“Every time we make a decision, we keep that in mind,” he added.
With contradictory results from Forbes Magazine’s Best Places for Business and Careers that ranked Madison 89th, Resnick said he will make an effort to see what is working and what needs work in the city.
Recently, Madison’s Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development announced several strategies aimed to make its development review process run smoother.
This process is more transparent and will have a gradual impact, Resnick said.
Developers are happy and have expressed interest in the new process, according to Soglin.
According to the statement, Kiplinger’s recent series on “Best Cities for Every Life Stage” also highlighted communities for Mid-Career Professionals, Families and Retirees. The runner-up for Young Adults went to Austin, Texas, according to the city’s statement.
