Millennials are increasingly putting down roots, whether that is through buying a home, getting involved in their community, or working with a local financial advisor to plan for the future. While less than 4% of millennials moved between states in 2021, new Census Bureau data shows that some cities in particular experienced significant increases and decreases in their millennial populations last year.
In this study, it is analyzed the cities where millennials are moving and leaving using the most recent Census Bureau data from 2021. We compared the number of people between the ages of 25 and 39 who moved into a city from a different state to the number of people who moved out of a city to a different state.
Florida and Texas are becoming millennial hotspots. Four of the top 10 cities where millennials are moving are in the Lone Star and Sunshine States. The cities include Austin and Dallas in Texas and Jacksonville and Tampa in Florida. Seattle drops significantly in our rankings. Last year, Seattle was the second-ranking city where millennials were moving, with a net migration of almost 6,200. This year, there was a negative net migration of an estimated -670 millennials.
New York City lost more than six times as many millennials as any other area. In 2021, there was a net migration of about 79,800 millennials out of the Big Apple. Chicago is the next city where millennials are departing at the highest pace, but its net migration clocks in at only -13,300.
Here is the list of the top 10 US cities where Gen Z is moving. Read the full blog to learn more about it in detail.
1. Austin, TX
After ranking fourth in the previous year’s study, Austin, Texas, moved up to the top this year. Nearly 24,000 millennials moved to Austin from other states in 2021, and 13,400 millennials moved out of Austin, resulting in a net migration of about 10,500. That made it first on the Top 10 US cities list.
2. Denver, CO
Millennials have been flocking to Denver, Colorado in recent years. Our data show that in 2019, there was a net migration of almost 10,900 millennials to the city; in 2021, that figure fell slightly, but it still ranks second-highest in the analysis at 9,216.
3. Dallas, TX
Dallas, the second Texas city, had a net migration of 6,339 millennials in 2021. According to Census Bureau statistics, 15,217 people in the 25–39 age range came into the city from another state, while 8,878 people in the same age range migrated out of the city.
4. Raleigh, NC
The millennial population in Raleigh, North Carolina, grew by more than 3% in 2021. This was the product of a net migration of more than 3,900 millennials to the city.
5. Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, Florida finishes out our list of the top five locations where millennials are relocating with a net migration of 3,921 individuals between the ages of 25 and 39 in 2021.
6. Houston, Texas
The survey found that Houston did well in terms of quality of life, cost of living, and overall employment, while not being as enjoyable as Austin. Making it sixth on the Top 10 US cities list.
7. Phoenix, Arizona
The city did well in the affordable housing area and scored highly for employment prospects, but it scored poorly for its meager incomes.
8. Orlando, Florida
Orlando has a high cost of living and a lot of work options, but its incomes are not as high as those of many of the other top cities. That made it eighth on the Top 10 US cities list.
9. Washington, D.C.
Although the nation’s capital offers a robust employment market, a high standard of living, a thriving culinary scene, and a wide range of museums, living there comes at a hefty cost, with housing expenses far higher than the national average.
10. Seattle, Washington
The city’s high cost of living and dearth of affordable housing have drawn national attention, but millennials seeking employment in the tech sector and those drawn to the city’s proximity to the mountains and water continue to draw people to the area. That made it on the Top 10 US cities list.
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