Austin, You're Young and Hot and You Know It

The Wall Street Journal came out with a ranking today of the best cities for twenty-something professionals to be in when the economy picks up again. Austin came in fifth place, trailing behind Washington, D.C. and Seattle (tied for first), New York City, and Portland. Though some of the panelists questioned weren't sure if Austin would emerge strongly from the downturn, the general consensus was that we've become a "gathering place for tech- and arts-conscious young adults." That, coupled with a relative low cost of living and unemployment rate, makes us, as one panelist described it, "a model for a thriving 21st-century knowledge-based community." [WSJ: The Next Hot Youth-Magnet Cities]