Why Gen Z is Moving to the South

Traditionally, younger generations have flocked to cities to start their careers and enjoy the hustle and bustle of urban life. However, Gen Z is proving to be a little different, with more and more moving to the South in favor of large outdoor spaces, low cost of living and a slower pace of life.

Around 33 U.S. states saw more people move in than out from other states last year, according to a recent analysis from Storage Cafe. And of those states, South Carolina and Tennessee came in the top 10.

For Generation Z specifically, Texas attracted the highest number of migrants, with 360,000 choosing to relocate there in 2022. Florida, meanwhile, saw 176,000 Gen Z residents move in.

The Southern region boasts more affordable housing and living space, which is becoming increasingly attractive to Gen Z as well as some Millennials and older adults who are fed up with cramped city life.

According to Storage Cafe, the average floor area of single-family homes sold in the South increased by 60 square feet between 2019 and 2022, with the average now 2,608 square feet.

The money savings aren't to be forgotten either – moving to South Carolina from California, for example, was predicted to have average home-buying savings of more than $430,000.

And since Gen Z is more likely to rent rather than own a home currently, it makes sense that more younger people would be seeking out spaces where housing costs are cheaper.

There's also been a boost in job opportunities in the Southern states for Gen Z.

Tesla has made Texas its headquarters, while Apple recently announced a $1 billion campus in North Carolina. At the same time, many companies are still allowing employees to work remotely, meaning Gen Z and others can ditch the cold and high prices of other cities and create homes wherever they wish.

In 2022, 35 percent of Americans were offered full-time remote work, according to Statista. Gen Z is far more used to this type of employment than any other generation having grown up and began their first full-time jobs during the pandemic.

Surging crime rates in other areas of the country could also in part contribute to the droves of Americans, including Gen Z, settling down south.

Seattle, for example, saw shootings jump by 19 percent last year while murders climbed by 24 percent, according to News Nation.

Across the United States, murder rates have been skyrocketing, growing nearly 30 percent from 2019 to 2020, according to FBI data, but Southern states have remained relatively safe in comparison to their Northern and Western counterparts.

Potential Impact of The Gen Z Move

The ramifications of this migration have not fully been realized, but some political experts suggest the influx could cause Southern states to become increasingly liberal as Gen Z settles down there.

"Today's domestic migrants are often college graduates of the exceedingly liberal Generations Y and Z," wrote The Atlantic's Derek Thompson in 2019. And these relocators are "helping to turn southern metros into Democratic strongholds," he said.

A total of 1.3 million people moved to Southern states in 2022, and Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina said hello to the highest numbers of new residents.

While Florida grew by 318,000 residents, 230,000 people also flocked to Texas and North Carolina. South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia saw 80,000 more people reside in their southern states.

Meanwhile, California, New York and Illinois experienced the biggest population declines.