Gen Z and millennials are both moving to Texas cities, but for different reasons
· Business Insider
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- San Antonio takes the cake as the most popular migration destination for Gen Z movers.
- Texas cities, such as Austin, Dallas, and Houston, are also attractive to Gen Z and millennials.
- Affordability rules all, but Texas's edge is its job opportunities.
Brant Eckert thought he couldn't make his fresh-out-of-college $60,000 salary work in New York City, so he moved to San Antonio. It's a move that other Zoomers are making, too.
Texas has been a beacon for those looking for an affordable lifestyle for years, but the latest bunch of Lone-Star movers aren't quite like the last.
Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather told Business Insider that the pandemic movers of the early 2020s were bringing their coastal salaries with them due to the rise in remote work and were looking to stretch their dollars. However, more recently, Texas has been luring younger movers looking for early-career opportunities.
"They're probably not choosing based on remote work, because those entry-level jobs tend to be more in-person, or at least hybrid," Fairweather said. "They're not thinking about 'Where can I take my salary and where it will go the furthest?' They're thinking, 'Where do I want to start my career?'"
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Redfin analyzed US Census data and found that millennial and Gen Z movers are choosing Texas cities more than anywhere else. San Antonio, for example, had the highest net migration among Gen Z movers, at 10,678 residents. From 2014 to 2024, Texas cities claimed three of the top five spots, with Austin and Dallas both posting gains in the thousands.
In a separate report, Redfin and Glassdoor ranked cities for new grads, with Dallas, Houston, and Austin included in the top 10.
Dallas and Houston had the highest net migration counts by far among millennial movers, with 13,072 and 16,365, respectively.
Millennials, a little further along in life than Zoomers, are on the hunt for more space — something Texas has a lot of at an affordable price.
Fairweather said that while coastal cities like New York City or Los Angeles — which both had net migration losses in the tens of thousands among Gen Z and millennials — often offer higher salaries, Texas cities offer a more diverse job market and the opportunity to live comfortably for less.
"I think especially for people who are not going for that $300,000 salary — they're just trying to build a middle-class life in a place that's affordable to be middle class — Texas offers them that," she said.
Native Californians Gerardo and Tomi Ruiz traded San Bernardino for San Antonio in 2024 after a fire damaged their home. They discussed starting over somewhere else in California, but landed on seeking a more affordable life in Texas.
"Our first impression of Texas was how cheap the rent is. We paid about $2,350 in San Bernardino for a three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment," Gerardo told Business Insider in 2024."We're now in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom place in San Antonio and pay $1,250."
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Tomi told Business Insider at the time that as a phlebotomist in California, she was making about $25 an hour, but in Texas, it was closer to $16 to $20 an hour. The savings elsewhere made up for it, she said.
Pandemic darling Denver received an influx of movers in 2020 and 2021, but has recently experienced a net loss of Gen Z and millennial residents. Fairweather said that Colorado and Texas aren't all that different, but while Colorado becomes more expensive, Texas remains the more affordable option.
"It really does come down to housing affordability and not having to really scrape by with roommates or worry about whether you're able to afford your rent," said Fairweather. "I think in Texas, it's just smoother sailing on that front."
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