Across the ages: These four metros have strong hiring rates for every generation

This edition of Workforce Insights is written and reported by Taylor Borden.

Millennial Elle Beecher had never visited Austin, Texas, before moving there following her graduation from the University of Florida in 2017 to work for Meta.

She says she didn’t know much about the city at the time, “except that it was listed as one of ‘the best places to live in the U.S.,’ according to an article that my mom texted me right after I got my job offer.”

It pops up on such lists due to its rise as a tech hub, lower cost-of-living when compared to other major cities, access to the outdoors and more.?

Today, Beecher can speak to all those pros — and also points to the network she’s built in the area. She hosts group walks along Lady Bird Lake and still works at Meta.

What’s working for Beecher turns out to be a winning formula for other workers her age. A new analysis by LinkedIn’s Economic Graph team found that the Texas capital is the top metro for millennial job hunters (those born between 1981 and 1996). What’s more? It’s also one of four metro areas in the country with especially strong hiring rates across generations.

As the map below shows, mid-size cities whose local economies got a boost following the rise of remote work are particularly welcoming to workers of all ages.

These days, job seekers don’t need to be targeting particularly expensive cities like New York or San Francisco, regardless of age, Raquel Cid, a career coach explains: “Cities like Austin or Nashville have become more cost-effective alternatives that offer a plethora of job opportunities, but also vibrant cultures and outdoor activities that appeal to professionals in the post-pandemic era.” From the thriving music scenes in Austin and Nashville to the unparalleled access to nature in Raleigh and Denver, the quality of life in these cities is drawing in newcomers, which translates to more robust economies.

Some of these metros also catch some uplift from strong college presences. Consider the cluster of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill which boasts Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State. The area is referred to as the Research Triangle — and such an academic slant benefits both younger college graduates (Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012) and older job candidates (baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964), with many roles requiring expertise built over long careers. Austin has similar dynamics.?

Other college towns hiring large shares of Gen Zers include Boston, Madison, Wis. and Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, metros that are uniquely welcoming to baby boomers include Cape Coral and North Port-Sarasota, both of which are hot spots on the Florida Gulf Coast with large retirement communities. Unique hiring hubs for millennials include Seattle and San Francisco, while spots for Gen Xers (those born between 1965-1980) include San Antonio and Tampa Bay, Fla.

For the first time, the U.S. workforce is made up of five generations. And that’s primed to continue. Consulting giant Bain & Company estimates that there will be 150 million more workers over age 55 worldwide by the end of the decade. That means the share of older workers in the U.S. is expected to reach 25%; in 2011, it was 20%.?

That’s not necessarily surprising — we’re living longer and the cost of living keeps climbing, pushing retirement out of reach for many. The social aspect of work keeps many on the job, too. Boredom on a budget isn’t anyone’s idea of life post work. One positive? A more age-diverse team at work can create a better professional and personal experience for all.?

Research featured in Harvard Business Review shows that teams that span generations have differing but complementary abilities and skills that can lead to more productive collaboration and stronger overall performance. “This is only if team members are willing to share and learn from their differences,” researcher Megan Gerhardt explained.?

Beecher’s team certainly is. She says her favorite part about living in Austin is how friendly everyone is and how much it feels like a community.

Methodology:

Economic Graph researchers identified U.S. metros with the largest shares of LinkedIn members in each generation who added an employer to their profile in the same month as a new job began between July 2022 and July 2023. Each metro’s number of hires by generation was divided by its respective population by generation. Metros were ranked according to their local population share of generation hires. Metros with below-average generation hires as well as those with a 12-month average number of LinkedIn members below the bottom quintile of the sample distribution were not ranked.

LinkedIn data scientist Danielle Kavanagh-Smith contributed to this article.