We've found the 15 hottest US cities for 2015, all of which will be booming next year thanks to new jobs, growing industries, burgeoning art and food scenes, and affordable real estate.
Rising prices in San Francisco will continue to push young hipsters out to Oakland. Queens will become the hot borough in New York City because of its affordable real estate and rich culinary scene. And Colorado's legalization of marijuana will bring a wave of tourism to Denver.
To compile this list we looked at job growth, population growth, affordability, livability, and the health and well-being of the residents. We also considered how innovative and "cool" the city is — an important factor in attracting the young, creative types who will make each city hot.
Atlanta, Georgia, is undergoing a revitalization that will lure in young professionals.
In the past, young professionals clustered in the smaller satellite cities outside Atlanta, but recent gentrification and construction projects have lured them back to downtown Atlanta.
Similar to New York's High Line, the Atlanta BeltLine is a redevelopment project that's transforming an old railway track into a recreational path for cyclists and pedestrians. Piedmont Park has been revitalized as new constructions crop up around it.
Dozens of exciting restaurants opened in 2014 with even more expected for 2015.
Austin, Texas, has a booming economy and strong tech industry that will bring in tons of young and talented workers.
Austin was named the best-performing city in the US this year by the Milken Institute.
The city came in second for future job growth, largely because of its burgeoning tech scene. Companies like Dell, National Instruments, and Flextronics are based here, and several startups have been coming out of the University of Texas.
All this has led to an influx of young professionals and recent college grads, which in turn has led to a boom in construction.
Burlington, Vermont, will lead the future of food.
Burlington has always been known for its crunchy-granola vibe, but lately the city has been stepping up its game in leading the rest of the country in sustainability. The local food movement has been taking off here, with new culinary businesses that preach locally grown and made.
The city hosted its first local food festival in September, Eat by Northeast, where food justice nonprofits, farmers, food entrepreneurs, and foodies come together to feast and talk about all stages of local food, from farm to table. It's one of many steps the city is taking to continue to advance the local food movement.
Burlington is also leading the rest of Vermont in sustainable energy. The state plans to have renewable resources provide 90% of the energy for the state by 2050.
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