Where Millennials Are Moving

Millennials now make up an estimated 36% of the workforce, making this cohort highly valuable to any local economy. With more flexibility than ever due to remote work and rapidly developing technologies, many Millennial households opt to move locations in pursuit of job opportunities, higher pay, preferable lifestyles, and family considerations, among other reasons. Locations that can attract Millennials may benefit from stronger and more diverse workforces, disposable income flowing to local businesses, and additional tax revenue. On the other hand, it can also lead to more competitive housing markets and a change in the business mix for preexisting locals.

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 254 of the largest U.S. cities based on the relative popularity among Millennials (those aged 25 to 44) who moved to that city in 2024.

Key Findings

Cambridge, MA is the most popular destination for Millennial transplants. A whopping 11.86% of Cambridge’s population in 2024 was a Millennial who arrived that year. Last year, Cambridge ranked as the second most popular with 12.15% of the population being new Millennial transplants. In all, Cambridge’s population jumped to 41.4% being between the ages of 25 and 44 in 2024, when it was just 34.75% a year earlier.
Seattle, WA has the largest Millennial population. An estimated 43.4% of Seattle’s population are Millennials, or just over 335,000 individuals. Seattle ranked second this year for the biggest injection of Millennial transplants, with 11.49% of the population in 2024 represented by these fresh movers.
Hollywood, FL was most popular for Millennials migrating to the U.S. According to the latest data, 2.27% of Hollywood’s population moved in from abroad over just one year, the highest nationwide. The city was less attractive for domestic Millennials, ranking 114th overall in popularity. Cambridge, MA (1.60%) and Plano, TX (1.55%) had the next highest migration from international Millennials in 2024.
These cities are least popular among Millennials. Oxnard, CA has the lowest frequency of Millennials moving in at just 2.50% of the total population. Elk Grove, CA (2.72%); Spring Hill, FL (2.77%); Lowell, MA (2.78%); and Brownsville, TX (2.79%) also saw among the lowest inflows of this cohort. In total, the cities with the relatively fewest Millennials are Cape Coral, FL (21.4%); Provo, UT (21.7%); and The Woodlands, TX (22.9%).

Top 50 Cities Where Millennials Are Moving

Cities are ranked based on the percentage of the population represented by new transplants in the age range of 25 to 44 during the year 2024.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 11.86%
Millennials moved in over one year: 14,379
All local Millennials: 49,811
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 41.4%
Moved in from same county: 5,205
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,232
Moved in from a different state: 4,998
Moved in from abroad: 1,945

Seattle, Washington

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 11.49%
Millennials moved in over one year: 89,755
All local Millennials: 335,224
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 43.4%
Moved in from same county: 54,910
Moved in from different county in same state: 7,450
Moved in from a different state: 23,137
Moved in from abroad: 4,257

Sunnyvale, California

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 11.30%
Millennials moved in over one year: 17,719
All local Millennials: 63,557
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 41.1%
Moved in from same county: 12,574
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,789
Moved in from a different state: 1,263
Moved in from abroad: 1,093

Orlando, Florida

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 11.10%
Millennials moved in over one year: 37,158
All local Millennials: 121,547
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.9%
Moved in from same county: 26,184
Moved in from different county in same state: 4,814
Moved in from a different state: 3,086
Moved in from abroad: 3,073

Arlington, Virginia

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 10.72%
Millennials moved in over one year: 25,711
All local Millennials: 94,300
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 39.7%
Moved in from same county: 8,996
Moved in from different county in same state: 4,572
Moved in from a different state: 10,098
Moved in from abroad: 2,046

Austin, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 10.57%
Millennials moved in over one year: 105,089
All local Millennials: 393,638
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 39.9%
Moved in from same county: 59,619
Moved in from different county in same state: 21,169
Moved in from a different state: 16,429
Moved in from abroad: 7,873

Bellevue, Washington

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 10.56%
Millennials moved in over one year: 16,304
All local Millennials: 56,922
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 37.1%
Moved in from same county: 9,531
Moved in from different county in same state: 1,050
Moved in from a different state: 3,519
Moved in from abroad: 2,204

Sandy Springs, Georgia

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 10.17%
Millennials moved in over one year: 10,726
All local Millennials: 35,342
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 33.9%
Moved in from same county: 3,783
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,467
Moved in from a different state: 3,365
Moved in from abroad: 1,111

Denver, Colorado

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 10.02%
Millennials moved in over one year: 73,033
All local Millennials: 297,980
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 41.4%
Moved in from same county: 38,420
Moved in from different county in same state: 17,798
Moved in from a different state: 14,553
Moved in from abroad: 2,263

Santa Clara, California

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 9.97%
Millennials moved in over one year: 13,274
All local Millennials: 51,109
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 38.6%
Moved in from same county: 6,636
Moved in from different county in same state: 3,169
Moved in from a different state: 1,826
Moved in from abroad: 1,642

Atlanta, Georgia

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 9.84%
Millennials moved in over one year: 51,194
All local Millennials: 187,801
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.4%
Moved in from same county: 20,665
Moved in from different county in same state: 14,740
Moved in from a different state: 11,988
Moved in from abroad: 3,800

Alexandria, Virginia

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 9.79%
Millennials moved in over one year: 15,571
All local Millennials: 62,931
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 40.5%
Moved in from same county: 4,461
Moved in from different county in same state: 4,036
Moved in from a different state: 5,293
Moved in from abroad: 1,781

Washington, District of Columbia

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 9.33%
Millennials moved in over one year: 65,486
All local Millennials: 271,810
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 39.1%
Moved in from same county: 39,101
Moved in from different county in same state: 0
Moved in from a different state: 21,913
Moved in from abroad: 4,472

Nashville, Tennessee

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 9.21%
Millennials moved in over one year: 64,925
All local Millennials: 250,572
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.0%
Moved in from same county: 34,338
Moved in from different county in same state: 10,373
Moved in from a different state: 15,545
Moved in from abroad: 4,669

Conroe, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 9.14%
Millennials moved in over one year: 10,470
All local Millennials: 39,287
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 34.7%
Moved in from same county: 5,383
Moved in from different county in same state: 3,802
Moved in from a different state: 863
Moved in from abroad: 423

Tempe, Arizona

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 9.01%
Millennials moved in over one year: 17,134
All local Millennials: 63,395
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 33.7%
Moved in from same county: 11,393
Moved in from different county in same state: 1,165
Moved in from a different state: 2,193
Moved in from abroad: 2,382

Round Rock, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.88%
Millennials moved in over one year: 12,048
All local Millennials: 44,037
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 32.6%
Moved in from same county: 3,633
Moved in from different county in same state: 5,668
Moved in from a different state: 1,390
Moved in from abroad: 1,358

Portland, Oregon

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.76%
Millennials moved in over one year: 55,773
All local Millennials: 233,660
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.9%
Moved in from same county: 34,081
Moved in from different county in same state: 6,790
Moved in from a different state: 12,923
Moved in from abroad: 1,979

Salt Lake City, Utah

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.58%
Millennials moved in over one year: 18,686
All local Millennials: 78,281
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.4%
Moved in from same county: 9,422
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,556
Moved in from a different state: 5,885
Moved in from abroad: 823

San Francisco, California

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.57%
Millennials moved in over one year: 70,908
All local Millennials: 301,787
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.8%
Moved in from same county: 41,401
Moved in from different county in same state: 14,402
Moved in from a different state: 9,936
Moved in from abroad: 5,169

Irving, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.53%
Millennials moved in over one year: 22,003
All local Millennials: 89,766
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 35.3%
Moved in from same county: 12,025
Moved in from different county in same state: 4,149
Moved in from a different state: 2,847
Moved in from abroad: 2,982

Gainesville, Florida

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.48%
Millennials moved in over one year: 12,610
All local Millennials: 37,766
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 25.6%
Moved in from same county: 5,836
Moved in from different county in same state: 1,459
Moved in from a different state: 3,861
Moved in from abroad: 1,453

Richmond, Virginia

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.36%
Millennials moved in over one year: 19,531
All local Millennials: 84,217
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.4%
Moved in from same county: 10,703
Moved in from different county in same state: 5,851
Moved in from a different state: 2,542
Moved in from abroad: 434

St. Petersburg, Florida

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.26%
Millennials moved in over one year: 22,063
All local Millennials: 79,291
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 29.9%
Moved in from same county: 11,298
Moved in from different county in same state: 5,635
Moved in from a different state: 4,496
Moved in from abroad: 634

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.18%
Millennials moved in over one year: 17,135
All local Millennials: 63,544
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 30.8%
Moved in from same county: 8,672
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,934
Moved in from a different state: 4,496
Moved in from abroad: 1,033

St. George, Utah

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.12%
Millennials moved in over one year: 8,625
All local Millennials: 26,029
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 24.7%
Moved in from same county: 3,622
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,874
Moved in from a different state: 2,092
Moved in from abroad: 38

Boston, Massachusetts

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.11%
Millennials moved in over one year: 54,617
All local Millennials: 245,387
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.8%
Moved in from same county: 22,918
Moved in from different county in same state: 11,955
Moved in from a different state: 14,100
Moved in from abroad: 5,644

Everett, Washington

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 8.02%
Millennials moved in over one year: 9,059
All local Millennials: 38,116
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 33.9%
Moved in from same county: 4,801
Moved in from different county in same state: 561
Moved in from a different state: 3,125
Moved in from abroad: 571

Jersey City, New Jersey

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.97%
Millennials moved in over one year: 24,135
All local Millennials: 127,775
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 42.7%
Moved in from same county: 11,139
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,633
Moved in from a different state: 6,571
Moved in from abroad: 3,792

Hillsboro, Oregon

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.86%
Millennials moved in over one year: 8,675
All local Millennials: 39,959
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.6%
Moved in from same county: 4,044
Moved in from different county in same state: 1,512
Moved in from a different state: 2,337
Moved in from abroad: 783

Reno, Nevada

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.79%
Millennials moved in over one year: 21,939
All local Millennials: 93,414
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 33.5%
Moved in from same county: 13,251
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,487
Moved in from a different state: 5,653
Moved in from abroad: 548

Madison, Wisconsin

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.69%
Millennials moved in over one year: 21,941
All local Millennials: 91,899
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 32.4%
Moved in from same county: 13,445
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,321
Moved in from a different state: 5,271
Moved in from abroad: 904

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.65%
Millennials moved in over one year: 37,770
All local Millennials: 158,666
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 32.6%
Moved in from same county: 20,190
Moved in from different county in same state: 5,737
Moved in from a different state: 10,127
Moved in from abroad: 1,716

Durham, North Carolina

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.65%
Millennials moved in over one year: 23,081
All local Millennials: 102,836
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 34.7%
Moved in from same county: 7,275
Moved in from different county in same state: 6,205
Moved in from a different state: 7,881
Moved in from abroad: 1,720

Wilmington, North Carolina

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.64%
Millennials moved in over one year: 9,570
All local Millennials: 34,549
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 27.8%
Moved in from same county: 4,314
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,623
Moved in from a different state: 2,058
Moved in from abroad: 575

Miami, Florida

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.59%
Millennials moved in over one year: 36,963
All local Millennials: 165,464
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 34.4%
Moved in from same county: 19,832
Moved in from different county in same state: 4,395
Moved in from a different state: 5,388
Moved in from abroad: 7,349

Tallahassee, Florida

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.59%
Millennials moved in over one year: 15,564
All local Millennials: 53,771
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 26.5%
Moved in from same county: 9,793
Moved in from different county in same state: 1,541
Moved in from a different state: 2,589
Moved in from abroad: 1,642

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.58%
Millennials moved in over one year: 32,485
All local Millennials: 154,292
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 36.3%
Moved in from same county: 20,451
Moved in from different county in same state: 6,382
Moved in from a different state: 4,629
Moved in from abroad: 1,024

Denton, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.57%
Millennials moved in over one year: 12,568
All local Millennials: 51,077
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 31.1%
Moved in from same county: 6,113
Moved in from different county in same state: 5,115
Moved in from a different state: 606
Moved in from abroad: 734

Dallas, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.53%
Millennials moved in over one year: 99,895
All local Millennials: 440,810
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 33.6%
Moved in from same county: 50,102
Moved in from different county in same state: 23,034
Moved in from a different state: 16,477
Moved in from abroad: 10,283

Boulder, Colorado

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.52%
Millennials moved in over one year: 8,035
All local Millennials: 27,081
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 25.5%
Moved in from same county: 4,283
Moved in from different county in same state: 1,225
Moved in from a different state: 1,958
Moved in from abroad: 569

Killeen, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.49%
Millennials moved in over one year: 12,037
All local Millennials: 52,354
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 33.3%
Moved in from same county: 5,118
Moved in from different county in same state: 2,097
Moved in from a different state: 4,418
Moved in from abroad: 403

Houston, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.48%
Millennials moved in over one year: 178,682
All local Millennials: 779,627
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 33.1%
Moved in from same county: 116,665
Moved in from different county in same state: 17,649
Moved in from a different state: 21,192
Moved in from abroad: 23,176

San Antonio, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.45%
Millennials moved in over one year: 113,779
All local Millennials: 463,903
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 30.7%
Moved in from same county: 74,273
Moved in from different county in same state: 16,260
Moved in from a different state: 14,406
Moved in from abroad: 8,839

El Cajon, California

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.45%
Millennials moved in over one year: 7,693
All local Millennials: 30,746
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 30.1%
Moved in from same county: 5,250
Moved in from different county in same state: 547
Moved in from a different state: 504
Moved in from abroad: 1,391

Miramar, Florida

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.41%
Millennials moved in over one year: 10,611
All local Millennials: 39,341
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 27.8%
Moved in from same county: 2,312
Moved in from different county in same state: 5,631
Moved in from a different state: 667
Moved in from abroad: 2,001

Vancouver, Washington

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.39%
Millennials moved in over one year: 14,710
All local Millennials: 62,857
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 31.9%
Moved in from same county: 8,444
Moved in from different county in same state: 1,653
Moved in from a different state: 4,427
Moved in from abroad: 186

Plano, Texas

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.39%
Millennials moved in over one year: 21,624
All local Millennials: 85,337
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 29.5%
Moved in from same county: 6,076
Moved in from different county in same state: 5,093
Moved in from a different state: 5,901
Moved in from abroad: 4,555

Columbus, Ohio

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.38%
Millennials moved in over one year: 68,727
All local Millennials: 323,902
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 35.2%
Moved in from same county: 44,509
Moved in from different county in same state: 9,262
Moved in from a different state: 10,745
Moved in from abroad: 4,211

Davenport, Iowa

Millennials moved in relative to total population: 7.37%
Millennials moved in over one year: 7,444
All local Millennials: 29,313
All Millennials as a percentage of total population: 29.3%
Moved in from same county: 4,630
Moved in from different county in same state: 835
Moved in from a different state: 1,826
Moved in from abroad: 153

Data and Methodology

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2024. The study included 254 of the largest U.S. cities with available data. Millennials were defined as those aged 25 to 44. Cities were ranked by the percentage of the total population represented by millennials who moved into the city in 2024.

Where Millennials Are Moving – 2026 Study

Key Findings

Top 50 Cities Where Millennials Are Moving

Data and Methodology

Questions about this study? Contact us at press@smartasset.com