Gen Z Continues Exodus from California to Texas
A recent report indicates that Texas remains the top destination for young adults leaving California, driven by the Golden State's high cost of living.
Texas continues to be the primary destination for Generation Z adults relocating from California, according to a report from LendingTree. In 2024, 58,109 Gen Z adults left California, with 19,287 choosing Texas as their new home. This trend underscores ongoing migration patterns, with Texas consistently appearing as a favored destination for younger demographics.
Nationally, approximately 10.7 million Gen Z Americans, or 23.9% of that age group, moved to a different state in 2024. While Texas ranked seventh among the most popular states for Gen Z movers, California did not appear in the top 10. The report also highlighted that Gen Z is more inclined to relocate than older generations, including Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers.
This migration is not a new phenomenon. In 2023, over 100,000 Californian residents moved to Texas, a figure that more than doubled the number of Texans who moved to California. Data from MovingPlace also indicated a net positive migration for Texas from Gen Z in the same year, with 5,081 Zoomers moving to the state and 3,555 moving out.
The Austin, Houston, and Dallas metropolitan areas have reportedly received the largest influx of new Gen Z residents.
High living costs in California are frequently cited as a major factor pushing residents to leave. A poll released by Embold Research for Joint Venture Silicon Valley and the Bay Area News Group found that 46% of surveyed adults in the Bay Area felt forced to leave due to escalating housing costs. This sentiment is compounded by data revealing that California has the nation's second-highest rate of housing-driven poverty, contributing significantly to overall and childhood poverty within the state.