After your dreamy destination wedding and/or honeymoon, perhaps the first major decision you’ll make as man and wife is where to put down roots, where to buy your first home and start your new life together. To help you narrow down your choices in the good ol’ U.S. of A, Rent.com has compiled a list of the 10 Best Cities for Newlyweds. The list is based on the number of married couples, families with children under six (since most newlyweds are planning for a future family), mean annual income, cost of living and rental availability in each city. The following list is in no particular order.

–          Houston, TX: The countries fourth largest city, Houston offers lots of neighborhood options just outside the city – perfect for finding the community which fits you best. There’s also a thriving bar and brunch scene downtown which is perfect for making friends in your new hometown.

–          Seattle, WA: This trendy city has an above-average mean income and the highest percentage of any city on this list with children under six. Seattle also recently legalized same-sex marriage, mean it’s open to all types of newlyweds.

–          Raleigh, NC: For an unhurried, Southern-type lifestyle, this city is growing and has lots of young families. Here more than 25% of children are under the age of six and there are lots of local attractions to keep those cute babies happy.

–          Washington, DC: Our nation’s capital has a high mean annual income, which is good because you’re going to have plenty to do. Explore the bustling food scene or take a walk down memory lane at the endless museums and historical landmarks.

–          Dallas, TX: With a surprisingly small cost of living, Dallas is a great place to start your newlywed life together. It’s also known for being a very friendly place – perfect for getting out and about and making new friends.

–          San Jose, CA: The largest city in Silicon Valley, San Jose has the highest annual mean income across this list at $69K/year. It also has the highest percentage of married households with almost 55% of households being led by married couples. It’s the perfect place to set up shop for family and career.

–          Minneapolis, MN: This City of Lakes has an above-average mean income rate and infamous weather. Enjoy the welcome summers with romantic views off Lake Harriet or at one of the many warm weather festivals.

–          Charlotte, NC: This beautiful historical city is actually the second largest financial center in the U.S. after New York City thanks to the Bank of America headquarters and East Coast headquarters of Wells Fargo. Despite the thriving business opportunities and growing population, the cost of living is surprisingly low.

–          San Diego, CA: While the cost of living is steep, you get a lot of bang for your buck in California’s second largest city. Good thing there’s amazing weather because you’ll stay busy between the many family attractions and beautiful beaches.

–          Tulsa, OK: With the lowest cost of living of any other city on our list, Tulsa is a great place to gain your footing as man and wife. It’s also the cultural capital of the state, giving you plenty to do in this friendly, Southern town.

Rent.com also conducted a national survey of 1,000 renters and found these surprising results about newlyweds:

–          Nearly 40% of renters say they would rather live in a different city than their families when starting their newlywed lives together. Of 18-24 year-olds, 43% said they would rather live in a different city than their familes.

–          Of renters, 38% say when they were/are newlyweds, job opportunities dictated the city they ended up settling down in.

–          Of 35-44 year-olds, 35% made cost of living their priority when deciding where to live, with job opportunities coming in second at 28%

For those of you soon-to-be-newlyweds looking to transplant your young family yonder, happy hunting!