Washington finds it easier to lure millennials than to keep them

Washington

RYAN Ferguson rode into Washington with other millennials who arrived en masse after the Great Recession.

The city's burgeoning tech scene was a draw for him, and young workers infused the city with a vibrancy that transformed neighbourhoods like Columbia Heights, Petworth and the NE corridor. It seemed to be the start of a new era for the city and its inner suburbs. But as it turns out, it was easier to lure millennials than to keep them.

Many are now packing off for job prospects - buoyed by a stronger economy - and a higher quality of life in lower-priced cities across the United States. Some, like Mr Ferguson, are simply moving home.

When it came time to get married and buy a house, there was no question that he would leave Washington. Today Mr Ferguson, 28, lives with his wife, Aly, in a Boston suburb, and he's applying the lessons he learned as the general manager of tech b…