Generation Z is America’s most mobile generation – this is where they are going
U.S. interstate migration hit a 10-year low in 2024, but Gen Z bucked the trend to become the country’s most mobile generation, overtaking millennials for the first time ever.
That’s according to a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the U.S. Census Bureau Yardi Systems company StorageCaféIn 2024, 2.2 million Gen Z Americans moved across state lines, compared to just 1.98 million millennials, playing a decisive role in supporting net migration growth in multiple states.
In 2024, only 7.15 million Americans left their state of residence to start a new life elsewhere, a 13% decline from two years earlier. Notably, young adults born from 1997 to 2012 accounted for about a third of all movers, emerging as the new face of American mobility.
Continue the study Emilia Mansenior consumer trends and market analyst, explains that Generation Z’s dominance is determined by several factors, including education, early career moves and lifestyle choices.
The analysis suggests that what sets people apart in their 20s is a lack of ‘binders’ that keep them in place. Without the constraints of a mortgage or family, Gen Zers can cross state lines at will for a better job, cheaper rent, or just because they feel like it.
The top Gen Z migration hotspots
Based on the data, the top destinations for young Americans traveling in 2024 were budget-friendly South Carolina and Missouri, and professional growth-oriented Washington, DC.
South Carolina saw the largest net growth in Gen Z transplants, with nearly 23,000, followed by Missouri, where without the influx of 14,000 newcomers, net domestic migration would have been in the red.
The same goes for DC, which welcomed just under 14,000 Gen Z newcomers — more than half of all incoming migrants — helping offset the outflow of residents from the capital.
Generation Z’s migration patterns tend to follow two distinct trajectories, characterized by affordability and ambition. While many are drawn to the emerging job markets and affordable housing in South Carolina and Missouri, others are flocking to the nation’s capital to pursue high-paying careers in government and media.
Other states where net migration would have turned negative by 2024 if the influx of Gen Zers had not acted as a demographic buffer were Virginia and Rhode Island.
In fact, in 39 states and the District of Columbia, Gen Z movers made up the largest share of inbound interstate movers.
The profile of the American mover
Americans who moved across state lines reported an annual income of about $60,000, slightly below the national average of about $62,000.
They were also significantly younger than the broader population: the average interstate mover was 33 years old, compared to the national average of about 40 years.
Additionally, interstate movers are more highly educated than the general population, with about 60% having a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to about 39% nationally.
Higher education provides access to the medical, financial and technical sectors that are often clustered around research universities and large corporate centers, yet remain ideally suited to remote work.
