Killeen recently ranked 40th nationally in Millennial Personal Finance’s “Top 150 Cities for Millennials” study. The report is based on the evaluation of more than 500 cities using six metrics to determine the overall score given to each city. The metrics include Unemployment Rate, Percentage of Residents Within the Ages of 25-34, Cost of Living, Future Job Growth, Transportation Costs, and Crime & Safety. Each metric was assigned a score and evaluated on an individual basis. All metric scores were then added together for each respective city, and the final scores determined the overall rankings shown in this study.
While the study is intended to help young adults seeking employment or looking to relocate, this information is useful for anyone considering living or working in the Killeen community. Indeed, it confirms what many in the community already know – that Killeen is an ideal place to live, work and play.
“Low cost of living, low barriers to entry and diversity have always been some of our region’s greatest assets,” explains Jennifer Hetzel, Director of Strategic Communications for the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce. “At the Chamber, we work hard to promote these assets and build on them to entice Soldiers exiting the military to stay in the area, and attract new residents and businesses. Studies like this confirm our work is paying off.”
As the nation shifts from a manufacturing-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, we are seeing a trend develop in how people decide where to live. It is less common for people to move somewhere just for a job; rather, they are deciding where they want to live first, and then finding a job or working remotely. For this reason, it is more important than ever to ensure our community contains the qualities that attract new and existing residents-qualities cited in the Millennial Personal Finance report. This study makes it easier for anyone interested in relocating to assess their options and find the community that is the best match for them.
Greater Killeen Young Professionals President Mandy Shelton was excited to hear the results of the study: “I think Killeen’s emphasis on education is what makes this area attractive to millennials. When you’re just starting out in the workforce, the ability to take classes and continue developing your skills is an important factor in where you choose to live. This community has always helped people transition into second and third careers. Young professionals can appreciate our investment in education, and the employers should not be far behind.”
Indeed, the educational opportunities Shelton references will continue to greatly influence the category of Future Job Growth, which is as dependent on the ability to educate and train future workers as it is on the availability of jobs in the region. Residents of the Greater Killeen area are fortunate to have access to higher education institutions that offer articulation agreements allowing students to obtain Bachelor’s degrees for less than $20,000. Workforce training programs, including CEU’s, certifications and Associate’s degrees, as well as graduate programs are also readily available locally.
For more information about the study results or methodology, visit millennialpersonalfinance.com/best-cities-millennials. For more information about the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce or Greater Killeen Young Professionals, visit killeenchamber.com or call 254-526-9551.