The common property rite of passage for graduates and career-focused first jobbers has changed over the past decade. Many careers used to start in London, and an early house-share would be followed by a first flat purchase, then a move to somewhere bigger.However, the heavy burden of housing costs in the capital is making would-be first-time buyers stop and evaluate whether – even with London weighting on some wages – it is possible to get on the ladder there.Some surveys have indicated that the average deposit being put down on a first home in Greater London has reached about £130,000 even as rents continue to rise. So it is little wonder that people are looking beyond London.“For the past decade we have seen a subtle shift in housing and migration patterns, with graduates increasingly weighing up housing costs alongside career prospects, and some choosing to remain in university towns or move to regional cities where housing costs are lower,” says Frances McDonald, the director of research at the estate agents Savills.This shift is decades in the making, with demand outpacing the availability of homes in the capital. “London’s population was 9 million after the second world war but fell below 7 million by the 1970s. It has filled up since then and housebuilding has not kept pace, meaning it has become progressively more difficult for people to move to and then stay in the capital,” says Maurice Lange, a senior analyst at the Centre for Cities thinktank.Lange and McDonald are quick to emphasise London’s dominance, describing this pattern as a slight “weakening” of the pull of London rather than a reversal.The strength of a local economy (measured by growing GDP and population size) and the presence of a particular employment sector, along with lifestyle and housing cost and availability, all play a part in decision-making for young people, Lange says.Research by Savills, shared exclusively with Guardian Money, reveals the best cities for young workers who want to rent, save for a deposit and get on the housing ladder.These are the top 10 cities where you can tap into a dynamic jobs market and enjoy vibrant neighbourhoods. These cities scored well on property affordability, the ratio between rent on apartments and income, and the ratio between the sales price of an apartment and income, as well as showing population growth as people actively relocate there. Our number one is the city with the best flat price to income ratio.Stoke-on-TrentAverage flat price: £88,448