A recent analysis has found that in 2024, California lost more Generation Z adults (born between 1997 and 2012) to other states than any other in the United States.
According to a report released this week by online lending platform LendingTree, about 186,800 residents aged 18-27 moved out of California in 2024, while approximately 128,700 people moved in. This resulted in a net outflow of about 58,100 Generation Z adults from California.
Texas emerged as the top destination for Generation Z residents leaving California. It is estimated that 19,287 people moved from California to Texas in 2024, with an additional 13,362 people moving in the opposite direction. This inter-state migration alone led to Texas gaining nearly 6,000 young adults.
The population loss in California far exceeded that of any other state in the U.S. New Jersey ranked second with a net loss of 37,556 Generation Z adults, followed by Illinois with 20,031, Minnesota with 13,827, and Massachusetts with 10,038.
These numbers are based on LendingTree’s analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, which defines Generation Z as those born between 1997 and 2012.
While California recorded the largest net population loss, South Carolina saw the greatest net increase in Generation Z population.
Approximately 60,200 Generation Z adults moved to South Carolina, with 37,400 people moving out, resulting in a net increase of 22,843 individuals.
Missouri ranked second with a net increase of 14,063, followed by the District of Columbia with 13,905, Tennessee with 13,537, and Arizona with 12,593. Texas saw an overall net increase of 10,720 Generation Z adults.
When calculated as a proportion of the existing Generation Z adult population, the District of Columbia saw the highest increase. Its net inter-state migration amounted to 12.3% of the local Generation Z adult population. North Dakota followed with 5.4%, and Vermont with 3.8%.
In contrast, California’s net population loss was approximately 1.1% of the local Generation Z adult population.
Young adults are much more likely to move across state lines than older generations.
According to LendingTree data, out of the 44 million Generation Z adults living in the U.S. in 2024, an estimated 10.7 million individuals (about 24%) had moved to another state or the District of Columbia in the previous year.
In comparison, 14% of Millennials (born approximately between 1981 and 1996) had moved across state lines, while only 7.2% of Generation X (born roughly between 1965 and 1980) and 5.2% of the Baby Boomer generation (born around 1946 and 1964) had done so.
Higher education appears to be a significant factor in population mobility. LendingTree found that 38.1% of Generation Z adults who moved across state lines in 2024 were attending college.
Cost of living may also influence where young Americans choose to relocate.
According to Forbes magazine data, California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts – states that saw the most significant net loss of Generation Z adults in 2024 – were also among the states with the highest cost of living in the U.S.
In contrast, states like South Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, which experienced a higher net increase in Generation Z population, had relatively lower costs of living.
In Realtor.com’s 2024 State Rankings report, South Carolina and Texas were highlighted as states with better housing affordability and new home construction, while California’s overall ranking was lower.