33 Places Young People Are Moving

Just 11.2% of Americans moved in the past year — an all-time low. This is mostly due to low migration levels among millennials, who are far less likely to migrate than older generations. Still, the likelihood of picking up and moving to a new place remains highest among young people 18 to 34 years old.

Such a major life transition is a serious decision and involves important considerations. Subjective factors like the presence of friends and family are often the main reasons for selecting a particular destination, but they are highly personal. More practical considerations such as affordable housing, work availability, and desirable amenities, on the other hand, are more quantifiable and apply to everyone attempting to relocate. In the United States, some places are far more attractive to young people than others.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed U.S. counties with the most migrants age 18 to 34 who moved there last year as a share of the overall population. Because many counties with a large share of such young migrant population included college towns, and because college students are often temporary residents, we excluded areas where a relatively large percentage of the pop are students. Specifically, we excluded counties where college students comprise a larger share of the population compared to their share nationwide.

Between 5% and 11% of the populations of 33 counties are young people who moved there in the last year, versus the average across all counties of 2.9%.

Click here to see the 33 places where young people are moving.
Click here to see our methodology.

Source: debra millet / Shutterstock.com

33. Franklin County, New York
> Commuting zone: Malone, NY
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 2.8%
> Median home value: $101,600
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.6%

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Source: AllenS / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

32. Otero County, New Mexico
> Commuting zone: Alamogordo, NM
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 12.1%
> Median home value: $101,800
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.0%

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Source: Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons

31. Liberty County, Texas
> Commuting zone: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 4.7%
> Median home value: $87,900
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 7.6%

Source: Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD / Wikimedia Commons

30. Stafford County, Virginia
> Commuting zone: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.1% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 19.6%
> Median home value: $305,300
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 3.9%

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Source: Brian Stansberry / Wikimedia Commons

29. Morgan County, Tennessee
> Commuting zone: Knoxville, TN
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.2% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 4.3%
> Median home value: $92,900
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.6%

Source: Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons

28. Hale County, Texas
> Commuting zone: Plainview, TX
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.2% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 0.6%
> Median home value: $73,400
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.7%

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Source: Thinkstock

27. Harrison County, Mississippi
> Commuting zone: Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.2% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 10.4%
> Median home value: $137,700
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.5%

Source: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons

26. Taylor County, Florida
> Commuting zone: N/A
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.3% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 6.9%
> Median home value: $83,700
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.5%

Source: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons

25. Island County, Washington
> Commuting zone: Oak Harbor, WA
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.3% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 5.5%
> Median home value: $290,900
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.0%

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Source: jble.af.mil

24. York County, Virginia
> Commuting zone: Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.3% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 15.1%
> Median home value: $312,600
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 3.9%

Source: Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons

23. Butts County, Georgia
> Commuting zone: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.3% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: -3.1%
> Median home value: $113,900
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.6%

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Source: CarTick / Wikimedia Commons

22. Routt County, Colorado
> Commuting zone: Steamboat Springs, CO
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.4% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: -1.5%
> Median home value: $394,600
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 2.7%

Source: Sword Fern / Wikimedia Commons

21. Rusk County, Texas
> Commuting zone: Longview, TX
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.5% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 4.1%
> Median home value: $101,400
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.8%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

20. Cochise County, Arizona
> Commuting zone: Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 5.8% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 3.3%
> Median home value: $143,900
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.1%

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Source: Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons

19. Dale County, Alabama
> Commuting zone: Ozark, AL
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 0.5%
> Median home value: $101,700
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.9%

Source: Leaflet / Wikimedia Commons

18. Hockley County, Texas
> Commuting zone: Levelland, TX
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 5.3%
> Median home value: $81,600
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 4.7%

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Source: Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons

17. Benton County, Minnesota
> Commuting zone: St. Cloud, MN
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: -5.1%
> Median home value: $156,100
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 4.5%

Source: Christopher Ziemnowicz / Wikimedia Commons

16. Hoke County, North Carolina
> Commuting zone: Fayetteville, NC
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 20.8%
> Median home value: $141,500
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.5%

Source: Andrew Filer / Wikimedia Commons

15. Williams County, North Dakota
> Commuting zone: Williston, ND
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.1% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 84.2%
> Median home value: $201,400
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 4.4%

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Source: Thinkstock

14. Craven County, North Carolina
> Commuting zone: New Bern, NC
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.1% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 11.6%
> Median home value: $154,500
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.3%

Source: Jud McCranie / Wikimedia Commons

13. Tattnall County, Georgia
> Commuting zone: N/A
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.3% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 3.9%
> Median home value: $80,600
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.4%

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Source: Reading Associate 17 / Wikimedia Commons

12. Caldwell County, Texas
> Commuting zone: Austin-Round Rock, TX
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.3% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 9.2%
> Median home value: $115,300
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 4.3%

Source: Max Pixel

11. Montgomery County, Illinois
> Commuting zone: N/A
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.7% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: -1.7%
> Median home value: $78,300
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 7.1%

Source: Jerry Huddleston / Wikimedia Commons

10. Meade County, South Dakota
> Commuting zone: Rapid City, SD
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.8% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 8.8%
> Median home value: $162,700
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 3.0%

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Source: Army.mil

9. Vernon Parish, Louisiana
> Commuting zone: Fort Polk South, LA
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.9% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 6.9%
> Median home value: $98,000
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 7.3%

Source: Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons

8. Elmore County, Idaho
> Commuting zone: Mountain Home, ID
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 6.9% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 2.6%
> Median home value: $135,300
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 4.2%

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Source: Thinkstock

7. Broomfield County, Colorado
> Commuting zone: Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 7.4% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 18.7%
> Median home value: $295,500
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 2.9%

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Source: jcutrer / Wikimedia Commons

6. Bee County, Texas
> Commuting zone: Beeville, TX
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 7.7% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 6.0%
> Median home value: $72,900
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 7.7%

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/

5. Jefferson County, New York
> Commuting zone: Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 8.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 10.3%
> Median home value: $141,000
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.2%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

4. Christian County, Kentucky
> Commuting zone: Clarksville, TN-KY
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 8.4% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 6.6%
> Median home value: $108,500
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.0%

Source: Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons

3. Coryell County, Texas
> Commuting zone: Killeen-Temple, TX
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 8.5% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 4.0%
> Median home value: $102,700
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 4.5%

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Source: Bubba73 / Wikimedia Commons

2. Liberty County, Georgia
> Commuting zone: Hinesville, GA
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 9.5% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 8.0%
> Median home value: $122,400
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 5.8%

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54144402@N03/

1. Lassen County, California
> Commuting zone: Susanville, CA
> Young adults who arrived in last year: 11.0% of population
> 2010-2015 chg. of 18-34 pop.: 4.6%
> Median home value: $172,900
> 2016 Unemployment rate: 6.9%

Methodology:

To identify the counties where young people are moving, 24/7 Wall St. considered the share of 18-34 year olds that had moved from one U.S. county to another in 2016. To avoid selecting only small college towns, we excluded counties where the share of residents currently enrolled in college exceeds the national average percentage of approximately 28%. These figures are based on five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey through 2015. Also from the Census Bureau we considered median home values for each county based on five-year estimates. 2016 unemployment rates also came from the Census Bureau and are part of the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.