Survey says New Hampshire is second-worst state for Millennials

High college costs, shortage of rental housing among the unfavorable factors

New Hampshire’s struggles at keeping and attracting young people is well known, but it turns out it’s the second-worst state for Millennials. At least that’s the result of a survey released Thursday by Moneyrates.com.

The survey, which compared all of the states and the District of Columbia, looked at eight different factors in arriving at its rankings: the job market for young adults; the young adult proportion of the population; college tuition affordability; residential rental availability and affordability; access to high-speed broadband; and concentration of bars and fitness facilities relative to the young adult population.

Not surprisingly, New Hampshire’s high average four-year public college costs (at $15,650, the highest in the country, according to Moneytrates.com and its tight rental housing market (among the 10 worst) did not work in the state’s favor. In addition, the state was dinged for its access to high-speed broadband (also in the bottom 10) and its concentration of bars (second-lowest in the country).

The state does have one attractive feature when it comes to young adults, according to Moneyrate.com: The unemployment rate for people aged 20 to 24 is 4.2 percent, the lowest in the nation.

Topping the survey as the best place for Millennials was North Dakota. At the bottom was Arizona. New Hampshire was tied for second-worst with Virginia.