We’ve all been there. Feeling stuck and wanting to make a fresh start. It can be overwhelming having to think about where to go. Well we’re going to help you out, by letting you know the best places to move to start over. And if you live it New England, you may not have to go to far. Two of those locations are just a drive away.

In order to come up with this top 10 list, FinanceBuzz compiled information from 50 of the largest U.S. cities. They then gave them a score based on peer population, employment, social scene, and cost of living.

Peer Population and the best places to start over

This metric looked at four different aspects:

• The percentage of single people in each city
• The percentage of the population that is between the ages of 19 and 34 in each city
• The percentage of people currently enrolled in college in each city
• The number of colleges and universities per 100,000 people

Employment

Employment took these aspects into consideration:

• Unemployment rate in each city
• Median income for full-time, year-round workers in each city
• Year-over-year change in overall employment in each city

Social Scene

• The number of bars per 100,000 people
• Number of nightlife spots per 100,000 people
• Number of restaurants per 100,000 people
• Number of gyms and fitness centers per 100,000 people
• Number of community centers per 100,000 people
• The number of sport and social clubs per 100,000 people

Cost of Living

• The cost of living in a city
• The average monthly cost for a one-bedroom apartment near city center
• The average monthly cost for a one-bedroom apartment outside of city center

Key findings of the best places to start over

• St Louis, Missouri is the top-rated city in the U.S. for people looking to start over.
• New York City is the most difficult city to move to for a fresh start.
• Hartford, Connecticut has the best social scene score.
• Birmingham, Alabama has the best cost of living score compared to other cities we studied.

So let’s get to the top 10 of the best places to go if you’re looking for a fresh start!

• #1 - St. Louis, MO

  St. Louis, MO is #1 thanks to affordability and social opportunities. It has the lowest monthly rent costs for a downtown apartment at $1,151, and the fourth-lowest overall cost of living. It’s also top 5 for: number of bars, nightlife establishments, gyms/fitness centers, community centers, and sport/social clubs for every 100,000 residents.

• #2 - Buffalo, NY

  Looking for love? Buffalo is the place for you as 56% of the city is single. That’s the third highest in this study. Buffalo is also second in affordable housing.

   

• #3 - Hartford, CT

  If you’re moving for a new social scene, Hartford, CT is the place to be. It has a lot of places to have fun and meet people. The city is in the top three for number of restaurants, nightlife, community centers, sport/social clubs per 100,000.

   

• #4 - Providence, RI

  With a social scene similar to Hartford’s, Providence comes in fourth for great socializing. Another key is it’s top-five status is that just over 30% of the population is currently enrolled in college. That makes it a good city for young people starting over.

• #5 - Orlando, FL

  Want to move for a youthful, vibrant social scene with great education opportunities? Look no further than Orlando, FL. There are 7.7 colleges and universities per 100,000 people, making it the 5th highest in the country.

• #6 - Pittsburgh, PA

  On a budget? Check out Pittsburgh, PA. It has one of the 10 lowest average rent costs, and is generally affordable. The cities cost of living is 8.1% lower than the national average.

• #7 - Cincinnati, OH

  The apartment rent costs in Cincinnati, OH are 13.2% lower than the national average. It’s one of the ten most-affordable cities in the study.

   

• #8 - Minneapolis, MN

  Minneapolis, MN is a great place if you’re looking for a career change. It has the lowest unemployment rate at 1.7%. It also has a top-ten median income for full-time workers at $64,732.

• #9 - Atlanta, GA

  Atlanta, GA is a great option for a fresh start for a few reasons. It’s top 10 for the number of colleges and universities per 100,000 people. Top five for job growth, and first overall for the number of restaurants per 100,000 people.

   

• #10 - Salt Lake City, UT

  We round out the top ten with Salt Lake City. It has the second-highest population of 19 – 34-year olds with 23.1%. It also has a low unemployment rate at 2.1%, the second-lowest in the country.

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