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Best Cities for College Grads

Unemployment rate: 7.8%
Cost of living index: 98.2
Mean annual income: $45,220
Top industries: banking and financial services, high tech and biotech research, manufacturing, shipping, grocery distribution

Raleigh is one third of the Research Triangle metropolitan region, along with Durham and Chapel Hill. There are several research universities in the area: North Carolina State, Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill. “People of all ages move to Raleigh for affordable housing and temperate weather, Aragon says. “ With an economy based on three local universities, post-grads looking for jobs in industries like biotech or computers will thrive in these North Carolina cities.”