In terms of affordability, Laredo and Lubbock, Texas finished first and second overall, coming in 13% and 8.7% under the national average. The best car-free cities were Jersey City, New Jersey; Newark, New Jersey; and Pittsburgh.

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The entire Commercial Cafe study can be found here.

Affordability, a good job market and clean, livable cities are major factors in where Gen Z is choosing to put down roots. As millions of Gen Z Americans continue to seek out cities that best meet those needs, a new study found that Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the best Mid-Sized City in the U.S. for Gen Z.

The study, published this week by Commercial Cafe, compared cities across the U.S. with populations between 250,000 and 400,000 residents. The cities were scored in nine different categories:https://b11fa9812015177984e12cdcec7357db.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-45/html/container.html?n=0

  • Affordability
  • Jobs for recent graduates
  • Unemployment rate for those between 20 and 24 years old
  • Share of Gen Z residents
  • Gen Z educational enrollment
  • Internet cost
  • Things to do
  • Green commuting
  • Parks per 10,000 residents

The scores were compiled using U.S. Census data, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other sources. Gen Z is considered to be anyone born between 1997 and 2012.

Pittsburgh topped the list with a score of 69.4 despite not finishing first in any category. Instead, the Steel City earned its top ranking through consistently high scores across multiple categories. Pittsburgh finished in the top half of all nine categories.

Pittsburgh finished second in Gen Z educational enrollment, third in green commuting and fourth in the number of Gen Z residents. Pittsburgh’s youth unemployment rate of 4.5% and third-place finish in things to do also contributed to its top ranking.

Right behind was Madison, Wisconsin, which finished with 68.4 points. Madison finished tops in both number of Gen Z residents and youth unemployment. The study also found that 31.5% of jobs in Madison are well suited for recent graduates.

The top 10 Best Mid-Sized Cities for Gen Z in 2026 are:

  1. Pittsburgh, PA
  2. Madison, WI
  3. Lincoln, NE
  4. Cincinnati, OH
  5. Lubbock, TX
  6. Buffalo, NY
  7. St. Louis, MO
  8. Lexington-Fayette, KY
  9. Durham, NC
  10. Greensboro, NC

In terms of affordability, Laredo and Lubbock, Texas finished first and second overall, coming in 13% and 8.7% under the national average. The best car-free cities were Jersey City, New Jersey; Newark, New Jersey; and Pittsburgh.

The entire Commercial Cafe study can be found here.

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