Cedar Rapids is a Millennial’s Paradise

When you think millennial, what comes to mind? Beards? hipster glasses? Casual attire? All the above? Well, perhaps. I'm now 39 and right in that odd Gen-X/mellenial range. Not to go off on a tangent, but the always accurate Wikipedia defines a millennial as a person born between 1981 and 1996. I was born in '82 so, that's why I'm a fringer. Anyways, I have no long beard nor hipster glasses, but I am of the mindset that the state of Iowa is the perfect place for a millennial to live.

I didn't come without research, I have some evidence of this.

Iowa ticks ALL the millennial boxes

What are millennials into? Affordability. And what is Iowa if not very affordable? In fact, the money-crunching website WalletHub says as much in a new study, finding Iowa the 7th in affordability out of 51 (D.C. is counted as a state in their study). The only midwest state that is ahead of Iowa in this category is North Dakota and Illinois. So affordability, check.

What else? millennials are fans of good education and affordable healthcare. Iowa ticks those boxes with numerous colleges and universities, including three State schools. Iowa also ranks 12th in the WalletHub study of most insured millennials. Minnesota is the only Midwestern state with more insured millennials.

Iowa has the highest homeownership rate among millennials

Here's where the state really shines: quality, affordable housing. Iowa ranks first in the highest homeownership rate among millennials. On the same subject, Iowa has the lowest housing cost for millennials as well. If you can find a house in Cedar Rapids right now, sure you'll likely pay a pretty penny for it, but compared to what the same house would cost in another city or state, and you're saving big bucks.

While I cannot pull a 'coffee shops and/or craft breweries per capita' stat for you, I'd wager Iowa does pretty well here too. No word on 'beard trimmers per capita', however.