SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – As the housing boom continues throughout the Beehive State, homebuyers, especially millennial ones, seem to be flocking to Utah.

A new study by LendingTree shows Salt Lake City is the sixth most popular choice for young homebuyers today.

“Millennials make up the largest group of homebuyers in the US, ahead of older (and richer) Gen Xers and baby boomers,” the report found. “And while the COVID-19 pandemic has doubtlessly put some millennials’ homebuying plans on the back burner, plenty are still actively engaging in the housing market.”

Millennials are defined as people born between 1981 through 1996, according to the Pew Research Center.

To determine the most popular cities, the study analyzed around 480,000 mortgage offers presented to millennial borrowers across the country’s 50 largest metropolitan areas. The data tracked numbers from Jan. 2021 to Dec. 2021

UTAH SAFETY: This Utah town is the safest small town in the state, study finds

The most popular cities this past year are Denver, Seattle, and Boston with each seeing over 60% of mortgages being offered to millennials.

Salt Lake City saw 58.8% of new mortgages being offered to millennials, with an average buyer age of 31.72 years old. The average credit score was 729 and the average down payment was $57,120.

The cities millennials are flocking to the least? Florida.
Miami, Jacksonville, Fla., and Tampa, Fla. all reported the lowest percentages of millennial mortgages. Famously known as a retired destination, this may explain the lackluster appeal to younger buyers.

The oldest millennial homebuyers were located in San Francisco, New York, and San Jose, Calif. hitting an average age of 33.51 years old. These areas are more expensive, which may explain the older age range.

CLOSER LOOK: Most expensive and most affordable zip codes on the Wasatch Front

Buyers with the highest average credit scores chose San Francisco, San Jose, Calif., and San Diego. The average credit score among these buyers is 733. Millennials reporting the lowest credit scores chose towns such as Memphis, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., and Virginia Beach, Va. with an average 702.

Areas such as San Jose, Calif., San Francisco and Seattle required the largest average down payments for buyers — around $104,896.

To check out the full homebuying study for millennials, click here

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It has been a blessing to be able to breastfeed my child. I am not naive about the fact that not everyone can or will walk this path, but for me I am proud that I can. It was an amazing way to connect.

I knew it was going to be a commitment, a real commitment. I still watch my caffeine consumption and don’t feel like I can enjoy this glass of wine all the time. But it was hard to imagine the true dedication it would take before I was in it.

Even more than pregnancy, breastfeeding is a full-time job. And this job comes with a demanding schedule. It’s one of the things that surprised me the most about breastfeeding.

Because nobody prepared me for how I would live my life in 3-hour steps.

My days and nights are on a three-hour marmot-day-like cycle. Somehow days turn into nights and days again, almost without my noticing. With a child who breastfeeds 8 to 10 times a day, life feels a little messy right now.

Leaving the house alone is a real chore. One that is almost too daunting. But in order not to go crazy, I’ve learned to be smart on my escapes into the world: Preparation is key.

I plan my errands in a breastfeeding friendly place.

When I have a lot to do and have to be out of the house for a long time, I plan my center point so that I know that I can breastfeed without any problems. The car is a great backup in a pinch, but definitely not ideal. Buy Buy Baby with her beautiful nursing and changing room is my focus. (It’s also next to my favorite grocery store, which is a bonus.)

So my day often goes like this:

Feed my baby at home. Until I breastfeed my son, burp and change the diaper and then hold him upright for 10 to 15 minutes (reflux mums, you know what I’m talking about) an hour has passed by in a flash. Then I grab my bag, load him into his car seat, and I’m on my way. I run to the pharmacy, get myself a cup of coffee and do an extra errand, like washing my car. Then it just happens that my little one eats again! I go to Buy Buy Baby, feed and change my little guy, then browse the store. Because while I’m here, why not ?! I’ve found that I usually need (at least) one thing there. Then I go to the grocery store. With this easy-care center, I can extend my excursion by at least an hour.

The same rules apply to being at home.

Nurse, burp, move. The clock starts ticking. About two hours before his next feeding. While he’s napping, I can do my homework – prepare dinner even if it’s 11 a.m. Throw in a load of laundry that is often forgotten (and needs to be washed again) for a day or two. Take a quick shower – sweet moment for me. I’m amazed at what I can achieve while the clock is ticking.

But then it’s time to breastfeed again in no time.

Since this is my second time, I know this time is so short.

Is it a big commitment? Yes sir. Do I feel like I’m in a hamster wheel? Yes sir. Am I totally exhausted? Yes sir. Some days do I wish that someone else in my house could also produce milk from their body? Yes sir. Do I long to leave the house more often? Yes sir.

But that’s how motherhood works.

He needs me now. I am his lifeline. So I keep fighting, in three-hour blocks. And then I’ll just blink like that and he’ll go to preschool. Don’t need me so often during the day. You no longer want to snuggle up for those grooming sessions. Not my baby anymore. So I’ll hold out for now, just a little longer.

We know these days are not easy. But as moms who were there, we found a few important things that can help.

Bebe au lait muslin swaddle blanket

Versatile, life-saving and absolutely indispensable. A super soft swaddle blanket is like the Swiss Army Knife of early motherhood. We used them as nursing covers, tops for dirt cleaners, stroller blankets, scarves and even as baby equipment (#windelbagfail). Keep one with you and you will feel ready for anything.

Glowe BFF t shirt

A shirt with which you can breastfeed and still look chic and put together? You have it. This flowing top made of super soft, breathable Italian material goes perfectly with leggings and sneakers to your favorite jeans and mules. The concealed side zip means you can get down to business anywhere.

Belly Bandit BDA nursing bra

Comfortable enough to sleep in but supportive enough to wear all day. We’re big fans of this crossover style of nursing bras from Belly Bandit. With removable pads that catch leaks, you’ll stay confident too!

[This was originally published March, 2018. It has since been updated.]

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Coronavirus cases are on the rise in San Francisco, and infections in adults ages 25 to 39 are the main reason for the increase.

In May, 25 to 39-year-olds accounted for slightly more than 35% of the monthly new cases, in July it was up to 50%. That surge is part of an overall surge in the number of coronavirus cases in San Francisco that has exceeded the nationwide infection rate. The 25 to 39 year olds make up about 33% of the city’s population.

“It’s a perfect storm,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine specializing in infectious diseases at the University of California San Francisco.

This storm, he said, was a mixture of the relatively lower vaccination rate among these age groups and their general tendency towards socialism, combined with the spread of an extra contagious Delta variant.

The Delta variant spread shortly after the state reopened on the 15th. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention again recommends that all people wear masks indoors.

The same old precautionary measures don’t work as well with this variant, Chin-Hong said. “This is a less forgiving virus.”

The current monthly total of coronavirus cases in ages 25 to 39 has surpassed July 2020 levels with more than 1,400 new cases on Friday, compared to just over 1,200 last year.

“People in this age group, 25 to 29 and 30 to 39, exercise more for social reasons and possibly also for professional reasons,” said the doctor.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health also pointed to the relatively low vaccination rates among adults in these age groups as the likely reason for their high infection rates. The city’s vaccination data shows that adults aged 25 to 34 had the lowest rate of any eligible age group, at just over 72% for at least one dose and 66% for those who were fully vaccinated.

“We know the delta variant is much more likely to become infected and spread in unvaccinated people, so we would expect the number of cases to increase in this age group as well,” the department said in a statement.

Chin-Hong of UCSF said there might be some 25 to 39 year olds who feel healthy and invincible or otherwise get vaccinated, but the lower vaccination rate among this population can also be explained by the fact that they are older and more vulnerable people have been given priority in governments’ vaccination efforts.

Health officials have tried to catch up and often offer incentives, including cash prizes, to allow people to get vaccinated, but with mixed results, he said. Because the Delta variant is as potent and contagious as it is, more drastic measures may need to be taken, such as employers, bars, and restaurants requiring proof of vaccination or negative test results, as many are now.

“It is very inconvenient to have tests all the time,” said Chin-Hong. “Some people might want to do it, but I would be surprised if people kept doing this, especially if they like to hang out with their friends in a bar.”

Yoohyun Jung is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: yoohyun.jung@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @yoohyun_jung

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