Where Are Millennials Going – 2023 Study

One in four millennials moved to a different city in 2022. Whether they come from the same county, state, outside the state, or abroad, these migrations can impact local small businesses, housing markets, and social mobility.

With this in mind, SmartAsset decided to determine where the Millennial generation is most likely to go. Millennials were defined as people aged 25 to 44, according to US Census Bureau data from 268 cities. Cities were then ranked based on the highest percentage of population represented by newly transplanted millennials.

key findings

Millennials who moved in the last year represent approximately 15% of the population in Cambridge, MA and Santa Clara, CA. Cambridge (14.7%) and Santa Clara (13.3%) have a lot to offer ambitious millennials between prestigious educational and technical opportunities in each city. Across the entire population, the median age in Cambridge is 29.9, while in Santa Clara it is 35.

More than a third of millennials moved to Boulder, CO in the last year. After Cambridge, Boulder has the highest rate of new Millennials, with nearly 29,000 moving into the city limits in 2022. Boulder ranked 12th overall for the highest percentage of its population made up of newly arrived Millennials.

In Jersey City, Seattle, and Denver, 41% of the population is the Millennial generation. Despite the most recent changing trends, these three cities have the highest number of millennials studying. When it comes to the rate of arrival of the Millennial generation last year, they are ranked 32nd, 3rd and 5th respectively.

These cities have the lowest rates of migration of the Millennial generation. Relative to their total population, Port St. Lucie, FL (4.8%); The Millennial generation has the lowest relocation rate in 2022 in Brockton, MA (5.5%). Several cities in California also saw low rates of the Millennial generation establishing residence, including Fontana (5.7%), Santa Ana (5.8%), Moreno Valley (5.9%). Thousand Oaks (5.9%) and Lancaster (6.0%).

Millennials move out of the state at the highest rates to move to these areas. Arlington, VA has the highest rate of Millennials immigrating from out of state at 5.2% of the total population. Studywide, Arlington ranked sixth. Charleston, SC (45th); Washington, DC (15th); and Sandy Springs, GA (10th) also saw particularly high rates of millennial transplants from out of state.

These cities are popular among foreign millennials. While Hialeah, FL and Ann Arbor, MI are in the bottom half for millennial studies, they are the primary destinations for foreigners in this age group. Overseas millennials had higher rates of moving to some of the top 10 cities where millennials are typically moving, including Cambridge, Bellevue and Santa Clara.

Top 10 cities where millennials migrated to

1. Cambridge, MA
In 2022, Cambridge saw a significant influx of millennials, with approximately 14.7% of its population being newcomers of this generation, totaling approximately 17,275 individuals. The median age of the city was 29.9 years.

2. Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara was second, attracting the Millennial generation, which made up about 13.3% of its population. The city welcomed 16,661 millennials, with the median age in the city being 35 years.

3. Seattle, WA
Seattle became home to a large number of the Millennial generation, with the number of newcomers accounting for 12.5% of the city’s population, or 93,302 Millennials moving here. The average age of the city is 36 years.

4. Sunnyvale, CA
Sunnyvale was also a top choice for millennials, with 12.5% of its population made up of newly-relocated young adults. The number of millennials moving to this Silicon Valley city in 2022 was 18,862, and the median age in the city was 35.9 years.

5. Denver, CO
Denver saw an influx of 85,390 millennials, representing 12.1% of its population. The average age in the entire city is 35.4 years.

6. Arlington, Virginia
Approximately 11.5% of Arlington’s residents are of the millennial generation. There were 26,699 millennials in the city in 2022 and the median age across the city is 35.6 years.

7. Bellevue, WA
In Bellevue, Washington, newly arrived Millennials make up 11.3% of the population, 17,131 of whom have made the city their new home. Bellevue’s average age was one of the highest on the list at 38.9 years.

8. Killeen, Texas
Killeen attracted 16,853 millennials, making up 10.8% of its population. The median age in Killeen was 30.4 years, the second lowest in the top 10.

9. Austin, Texas
Austin attracted 103,461 millennials in 2022, making up 10.7% of its population. The average age of the city is 34.7 years.

10. Sandy Springs, GA
Sandy Springs rounds out the top 10 with new millennials representing 10.5% of the total population. The number of millennials moving there in 2022 was 11,210. The city also had the highest average age among the top 10 at 39.5 years.

Data and methodology

Data comes from the US Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2022. The study included 268 cities that had data available and 100,000 or more people aged 1 or older. Millennials were defined as people aged 25 to 44. The cities were ranked based on the percentage of the total population represented by Millennials moving to the city in 2022.

tips for walking

Consider cost of living and taxes. Federal, state and local taxes will all affect your paycheck. You can check your net pay at various locations with SmartAsset’s paycheck calculator.

Account for upfront relocation costs. Leave extra room in the budget for new furniture and moving expenses. You may have more negotiating power when securing accommodation if you look during off-peak rental or sales season.

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