Harrisburg, Lancaster named two of the best cities for young professionals to succeed financially

Central Pennsylvania snagged two spots on Money Under 30’s The Best Cities In America For Young Adults To Get Rich list.

With a metro population of 395,988, and those with a bachelor’s degree of higher earning a median income $50,057, Lancaster landed in eighth place on the list.

Nearly half (47 percent) of young persons residing in the area make more than $35,000. The rent is also affordable, with the median landing at $892.

“R.R. Donnelly and Sons printing and Turkey Hill Dairy call the town home, and with the Pennsylvania Turnpike close by — the road also connects to the New Jersey Turnpike — you’ll find opportunities in the trucking industry. Health care is also strong here, and the abundance of farmland makes it a haven for agricultural workers,” Money Under 30 reported.

With a bachelor’s degree or higher, the unemployment rate is only 2.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Harrisburg landed in sixth place on the list. With a slightly higher metro population of 441,902, the median income for those with a bachelor’s or higher is $47,211. Forty-nine percent of young people are making more than $35,000 a year. The unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher is only 2.1 percent.

“Local job hunters can expect plenty of luck, and rents in the suburban areas skew especially low. As the state capital, Harrisburg is awash in government jobs, along with opportunities in health care, technology and education. Forbes also ranks Harrisburg as number 150 in its list of Best Places for Business and Careers. And if you’re dying for an authentic cheesesteak, you can put pedal to the metal and make it to Philly in 2 hours,” said Money Under 30.

The site also noted that Forbes ranked Harrisburg the second best place to raise a family in 2010.

According to Money Under 30, they studied cities across the United States to find the ideal combination of modest expenses and decent salaries.