Looking for cities that have a lot going on, for young couples.
25M in cybersecurity/AI + girlfriend in sports marketing trying to find the best city for our next chapter
My girlfriend and I are planning our move for late 2026 after she graduates, and we’re trying to figure out the best city to build our lives/careers in.
A little about us:
I’m 25, work remotely in cybersecurity right now, and I’m currently in the online MCS program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign focusing more toward AI/ML, or possibly cloud engineering long term.
I currently make around mid-60s but should be closer to 75k+ within the next year, and I’m hoping to pivot into higher-paying engineering/security roles after building more coding/projects experience.
My girlfriend works in marketing/social media and wants to work in sports marketing eventually. She has experience with minor league sports teams, photography, social media management, etc.
Combined income right now would probably be around 130k–140k depending on where we move.
What we care about:
Good career opportunities for BOTH of us
Ability to rent a house/townhome with a yard (we have a Great Pyrenees)
Walkability or at least areas with good lifestyle/vibes
Sports culture is a huge plus (NBA/NHL/MLB/NFL nearby)
We’d prefer somewhere that feels like an “upgrade” from Kansas socially and professionally
We don’t necessarily need to buy a house right away
Would prefer not to spend our entire income on rent
I prefer remote-friendly tech/cyber markets
She’d probably need decent in-person job opportunities
We’re trying to balance opportunity + affordability + quality of life
Cities we’ve looked into:
Chicago
Las Vegas
Tampa/St. Pete
Denver
Possibly somewhere in California, but cost scares us a bit
Things we DON’T want:
Super tiny job markets
Brutal commutes/traffic everywhere
Extremely isolated suburbs
Cities where 130k–140k combined still feels broke
Places that are miserable for dogs/outdoor life
For people who have made a similar move in their mid-20s:
Where would you go if you were us? What cities should we seriously consider that maybe we’re overlooking