Why Gen Z is moving to the Great Plains and Mountain West: Young adults seek ‘simpler living’ and lower housing costs

Members of Generation Z are moving en masse to sparsely populated Western states, a sign that their priorities are shifting compared to millennials.

The Dakotas, Idaho, Iowa and Kansas are the most popular states per capita among Gen Z movers, according to a recent analysis of Census data by StorageCafe provided to DailyMail.com.

The survey, which also included people between the ages of 18 and 23, found that 20,703 Americans in that age group migrated to South Dakota in 2021, accounting for 16 percent of the state’s total moves, the highest share in the nation.

“Gen Zers are increasingly attracted to simpler living in their housing choices,” Emilia Mann, a senior analyst at StorageCafe, told me. Insiderwho first reported the study.

“Unlike millennials, who are often drawn to DC, Washington and Illinois, Gen Zers prefer states with lower population densities, from the mountainous areas of Montana and Idaho to the plains of Kansas and Nebraska,” added them to it.

Deadwood, South Dakota is seen in a file photo. Sparsely populated South Dakota topped the list of states with the largest share of Gen Z newcomers

Millennials, now in their 30s and early 40s, flocked to big cities as young adults after growing up on a steady diet of Manhattan-centric sitcoms like Friends, Seinfeld and Sex and the City.

But for Generation Z, wide open spaces and an affordable cost of living seem to be higher priorities.

Typically, Generation Z is considered to be those who were born between 1997 and 2012 and are now between 11 and 26 years old.

In 2021, only about 8 percent of the U.S. population consisted of adult members of Generation Z over the age of 18, according to an analysis by DailyMail.com. Census data.

That means that in some Western states they were significantly overrepresented as a percentage of new residents – for example in North Dakota, where they made up 16 percent of newcomers, or double their share of the total population.

Closely behind South Dakota were North Dakota and Idaho, where 15 percent of all newcomers in 2021 were between the ages of 18 and 23.

“While the numbers may be smaller in less populated states, the share of Gen Z newcomers in the total incoming population is significant,” Mann told DailyMail.com.

“Apart from the natural beauty, these states also have strong economies anchored in energy production, manufacturing and technology,” she added.

North Jamestown, North Dakota is seen on a spring day. North Dakota was No. 2 in the rankings

Downtown Boise, Idaho can be seen above. Fifteen percent of all newcomers to Idaho were Generation Z adults in 2021, far exceeding their share of the population

Major employers in the Dakotas include Sanford Health in South Dakota and energy and utility company MDU Resources in North Dakota.

Idaho is home to the headquarters of three Fortune 500 companies: Albertsons, Micron Technology and Boise Cascade.

The states with the smallest share of newcomers in Generation Z were New Jersey (3 percent), Hawaii (5 percent) and Maryland (6 percent), all of which are known for their relatively high costs of living.

In absolute terms, the three states with the largest total populations saw the most Gen Z newcomers, including Texas (360,374), California (256,587), and Florida (175,889).

Notably, Ohio, which ranks seventh in total population, surpasses larger rivals New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania to take fourth place in the total number of Gen Z newcomers, with 151,359.

Per capita, Ohio ranked 17th in Gen Z movers, who made up 11 percent of all newcomers in 2021.

Mann noted that in addition to the West and the Plains, Gen Z members are also “flocking to the Southern states, attracted by affordable housing, promising employment opportunities and active lifestyles.”

A separate recent study of Credit boom found that the top city for Gen Z homebuyers was Salt Lake City, where 22.59 percent of all mortgage applications come from Gen Z.

Although the average down payment for a Gen Z home in Salt Lake City is higher than many other cities at $30,456, the study speculated that the area’s strong job market and mix of urban and rural amenities were attractive to young homebuyers.

After Salt Lake City, the relatively cheap markets of Oklahoma City, where down payments average $18,752, and Birmingham, Alabama, $22,024, were the top picks for Gen Z homebuyers.

At the other end of the spectrum, ultra-expensive San Francisco was by far the most unpopular choice among young adults, who had to pay an average down payment of $66,561.

The Golden Gate City was followed in the race to the bottom by New York City, where the average down payment for 18- to 25-year-olds was $46,476.