Which Metros Changed the Most this Decade?

While the 2000s ended with one of the worst financial crises in modern history, the 2010s were characterized by the longest economic expansion on record. This was also a decade in which the Millennial generation came of age, entering and transforming the labor and housing markets. While change was widespread this decade, it manifested differently in different parts of the country. In order to quantify this change, Apartment List compiled data on a variety of metrics that characterize the housing markets and demographics of the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas and ranked the top 10 metros that have experienced the most change over the past decade.

As the core city of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, Raleigh has one of the nation’s most highly educated workforces but remains relatively affordable in terms of housing costs. This increasingly rare combination has made Raleigh a magnet for college-educated workers looking beyond the pricey coastal hubs and came in at No. 9 on the list.