Story at a glance

• Payroll provider ADP looked at data on more than four million people aged 20 to 29 at more than 27,000 U.S. employers from Jan. 2019 to April 2024.

• The analysis compared 55 U.S. metros with at least one million residents across three characteristics: annual wages, hiring rates and affordability.

• Raleigh, North Carolina came in first. Other southern cities — like Austin, Texas, Atlanta and Charlotte — also made the top five.

(NewsNation) — Recent college graduates looking for a job, decent salary and affordable living should consider moving to the South, according to a new study.

Research from payroll provider ADP ranked Raleigh, North Carolina, the top metro for new grads thanks to its best-in-the-nation hiring rate and above-average wages. Other southern cities........

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