Want to be where the young people are? Here’s where millennials are moving these days.
Millennials may have a reputation for living that #nomadiclife, but according to the 2015 US Census Bureau, the mobility rate for young Americans is the lowest it’s been in 50 years.
And those millennials who are moving to new US cities aren’t necessarily choosing the cities you might expect. Ahem, Fargo.
Here are the top 10 cities American millennials are choosing to call home right now. Need a change of scene? Maybe you should join them, and beat the huge job-competition in places like LA and NYC. See ya, suckers!
10. St. Paul, Minnesota
St. Paul is beautiful, and the city literally nicknamed itself “the most livable city in America,” so it makes sense that millennials are flocking to the Midwestern jewel.
Moved in: 32,424
Moved out: 28,280
Total new residents: 4,144
9. Denver, Colorado
The fact that Denver is on this list shouldn’t come as a great surprise. (Mountains and legal cannabis? Yes, please!) Still, it’s pretty amazing to consider how many millennials left the Mile High City in 2015. Especially since Denver’s unemployment rate is at a record low right now.
Moved in: 64,976
Moved out: 60,755
Total new residents: 4,221
8. Fort Collins, Colorado
With a population of around 164,000, Fort Collins is about one-sixth the size of Denver. The unemployment rate is lower there as well, but it’s still kind of surprising that this historic town hosts more millennials than the Mile High City. Must be all those parks and live concerts?
Moved in: 24,847
Moved out: 20,532
Total new residents: 4,315
7. San Francisco, California
The Bay Area is well-known for being an expensive place to live, but more and more millennials are choosing to make their homes in San Francisco anyway. Probably because it’s gorgeous, but maybe also because the unemployment rate is lower than LA’s.
Moved in: 62,399
Moved out: 57,566
Total new residents: 4,833
6. Spring Valley, Nevada
Never heard of Spring Valley, Nevada? Me neither. Technically a township of Las Vegas, this unincorporated town is home to less than 200,000 people, and for whatever reason, many of them are young people.
Moved in: 13,546
Moved out: 8,199
Total new residents: 5,347
5. Fargo, North Dakota
With an average temperature of 42 degrees, it’s pretty amazing that Fargo is the fifth most popular city for millennials to move to. Then again, Fargo is one of the most dog-friendly cities in the Midwest. Plus, the city plays host to over half a dozen farmers markets.
Moved in: 19,375
Moved out: 13,385
Total new residents: 5,990
4. Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk’s unemployment rate is over four percent, but millennials are choosing this independent city more and more these days. Perhaps this has something to do with Norfolk being barely half an hour’s drive from Virginia Beach, and only an hour away from super-touristy Williamsburg.
Moved in: 33,795
Moved out: 26,597
Total new residents: 7,198
3. Oakland, California
The cost of rent in Oakland is considerably less than what you’ll pay in San Francisco, but like San Francisco, Oakland’s unemployment rate is lower than LA’s. Oakland has literally been nicknamed “Brooklyn by the Bay,” too, so it makes sense that millennials keep gravitating there.
Moved in: 26,456
Moved out: 18,962
Total new residents: 7,494
2. Seattle, Washington
Not only is Seattle surrounded by mountains, water, and evergreen forests, it’s one of the most LGBTIQ-friendly cities in America. The unemployment rate isn’t terrible, minimum wage is $15 an hour, and tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon are headquartered there.
As if all of that isn’t enough to get millennials heading northwest, quality coffee and legal cannabis are easy to find there too.
Moved in: 86,641
Moved out: 76,755
Total new residents: 9,886
1. Charlotte, North Carolina
As the official home to both Nascar’s Hall of Fame and Billy Graham’s Library, it’s pretty amazing that Charlotte is the number one city millennials are moving to.
On the other hand, Charlotte has a couple dozen colleges, universities, and vocational schools to choose from. Plus, residents of Charlotte have easy access to the Smoky Mountains and the beach. And you can rent a two bedroom apartment in Charlotte for $1,100.
Moved in: 71,240
Moved out: 60,533
Total new residents: 10,707
[h/t Housingwire]
