Nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z Adults Moved to Another State in 2024

Written by  Matt Schulz

Edited by  Dan Shepard

+ 1 More

Published Oct 05, 2026

Nearly 11 million Gen Z adults in the U.S. — about 1 in 4 — moved to another state or the District of Columbia in 2024. 

LendingTree’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data found that 23.9% of Gen Z adults moved across state lines in 2024 — the most recent year for which data were available. That’s a far higher share than for any other age group. South Carolina led the nation with a net gain of 22,843 Gen Zers in 2024, while California had the largest net loss. 

Here’s more of what we found.

Nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z adults moved across state lines in 2024

Your teens and 20s are traditionally a period of great change, and that’s clearly true for today’s Gen Zers, the oldest of whom was 27 in 2024 — the year this report covers. Our analysis found that for many Gen Zers, that change included moving across state lines.  

There were 44.6 million Gen Z adults in the U.S. in 2024. An estimated 10.7 million of them moved to another state or the District of Columbia that year. That’s slightly more than the 10.4 million millennials ages 28 to 43 who did the same. However, as a share of each age group, the difference is stark: 23.9% of Gen Z adults moved across state lines in 2024, compared with 14.0% of millennials, 7.2% of Gen Xers ages 44 to 59 and 5.2% of baby boomers ages 60 to 78. 

Percentage of Americans who moved across state lines, by generation

One major driver of this movement was higher education. Of the Gen Zers who moved across state lines in 2024, nearly 4 in 10 (38.1%) attended college that year.

South Carolina had the largest net gain in Gen Z adults

Interstate migration patterns varied widely by state. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia had more Gen Zers move in than out. South Carolina led the way. An estimated 60,223 Gen Z adults moved into the Palmetto State, while 37,380 moved out, for a net gain of 22,843. 

Five other states and the District of Columbia had net gains of at least 10,000 Gen Z adults, led by Missouri (14,063).

The states with the largest net gains were scattered across the country, ranging from South Carolina to Washington and from North Dakota to Texas. The Lone Star State had the largest net gain among the nation’s most populous states at 10,720, though New York wasn’t far behind at 8,061. The picture was far different in California, the nation’s most populous state.

California had the largest net loss of Gen Z adults

The Golden State had a net loss of 58,109 Gen Z adults in 2024. An estimated 128,718 Gen Zers moved into California, second only to Texas nationally. However, 186,827 Gen Zers moved out, by far the most from any state. 

Four other states had net losses of at least 10,000 Gen Z adults, led by New Jersey (37,556) and Illinois (20,031).  

States with the largest net gains/losses in Gen Z adults

We also examined where Gen Zers moved. Some of the largest flows were between the two most populous states: California and Texas. We estimate that 19,287 Gen Z adults moved from California to Texas, while 13,362 moved from Texas to California. That’s a net gain for Texas of 5,925 Gen Z adults — and an equivalent net loss for California.

There was also substantial movement between neighboring states, such as New York and New Jersey, North Carolina and South Carolina, and Florida and Georgia. The table below shows the most common states Gen Z adults moved to and from in each state.

Most popular states for Gen Z adults to move to and from in 2024, by state

The District of Columbia had the largest net gain by percentage of Gen Z adults

The nation’s capital had a net gain of 13,905 Gen Z adults in 2024 due to interstate migration. That’s the third-largest gain in the nation that year, trailing only South Carolina (22,843) and Missouri (14,063). However, when net migration is measured as a share of the Gen Z adult population, the District of Columbia stands well above the rest of the nation.  

Net interstate migration represented 12.3% of D.C.’s Gen Z adult population in 2024, more than double the percentage in any state. North Dakota (5.4%) and Vermont (3.8%) ranked a distant second and third. South Carolina (3.3%) ranked fifth and Missouri eighth (1.7%).

By contrast, interstate migration drove a net loss in Alaska’s Gen Z adult population, a loss that represented 6.3% of the Gen Z population, the largest share in the nation. New Jersey (down 3.3%) and Delaware (down 3.2%) had the next-largest losses by percentage. Nationally, 19 states saw their Gen Z adult populations decline due to interstate migration.

Net interstate migration as a share of Gen Z adult population, by state

What to consider before moving across state lines

Moving to a new state can be exciting. It can also be expensive in ways that aren’t obvious when you’re scrolling through apartment listings.

Rent matters, of course, but it’s only one part of the picture. Transportation costs might change dramatically. Insurance could cost more. Taxes may work differently than you expect. A destination that looks affordable at first glance may not feel that way once all the bills start arriving.

Before you pack, take some time to look beyond the moving truck:

You can’t plan for everything, and you don’t need every detail nailed down before you go. Just take the time to understand what’s likely to change. A little homework now can save you a lot of stress later.

Methodology

LendingTree researchers analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey (ACS) one-year public use microdata to estimate where Gen Z adults moved. 

The analysis defined adult Gen Zers as people ages 18 to 27 in 2024. 

To measure interstate migration, researchers identified respondents who lived elsewhere one year earlier, compared their previous state of residence with their current state and excluded moves that began and ended in the same state. Interstate inflow represents residents arriving from another state or the District of Columbia; outflow represents residents leaving for another state or the District of Columbia; and net interstate migration equals inflow minus outflow. 

Researchers then used a separate unrestricted population table to calculate net interstate migration as a share of each state’s current population ages 18 to 27.

College enrollment estimates are based on respondents’ enrollment status at the time of the 2024 ACS survey among Gen Z adults whose state of residence differed from where they lived one year earlier.