Rewriting the Map: Why Millennials are Moving - and What it Means for Your Community

When Millennials move, they don’t just change addresses - they shift the future of cities.

Our latest analysis of government performance and learning data (GPAL) reveals a powerful trend: Millennials are leaving behind high-cost metros in favor of cities and towns that align with their values. Places with space to grow, schools to believe in, and homes they can actually afford.

Not Their Parents’ Path

If Baby Boomers are redefining retirement, Millennials are redrawing the map of modern life. Remote work, rising housing costs, and evolving social priorities are shaping where they plant roots. And those roots are spreading far from the high-density urban cores that once drew them in droves.

From Zoom towns to resurgent suburbs, we’re seeing a new migration play out in real time.

At Polco, we used our GPAL framework and U.S. Census data to identify the top 10 cities where Millennials moved most in 2023. Our methodology balanced two factors:

1. Percent growth in Millennial population from 2022 to 2023.
   
   
2. Percent of new Millennial residents who moved from a different county in the last year.

We grouped communities by population size to ensure fair comparisons—recognizing that what draws a Millennial to a city of 30,000 might differ from a place of 300,000. The top-ranked cities weren’t just the biggest. They were the ones making smart investments in livability.

Why It Matters

This isn’t just a housing story. It’s a governance story.

Millennials are now the largest working-age generation. They’re starting families, building careers, and shaping local economies. Where they choose to live—and more importantly, why—signals what they expect from local leaders.

Spoiler: It’s not business as usual.

They want transparency. They expect meaningful engagement. They value work-life balance, inclusivity, and forward-thinking infrastructure. They’re looking for cities that invest in futureproofing—whether that’s climate resilience, digital access, or schools that prepare their kids for the jobs of tomorrow.

In other words, Millennials are choosing places that feel aligned with their lives - not just their jobs.

Key Motivators:

• Affordable starter homes and remote work flexibility
• Proximity to family, good schools, and growing job markets
• A balance of lifestyle perks: nature, culture, and digital connectivity

Common Traits:

• Urban-adjacent “Zoom towns” like Blacksburg, VA and Santa Clara, CA
• Emphasis on family life: parks, trails, community spaces, newer schools
• College towns and innovation hubs (Ithaca, Clemson, Frisco) that blend opportunity with charm

What Local Leaders Should Do Next

Understanding Millennial migration patterns is just the beginning. The real challenge? Staying relevant.

Here’s how forward-looking communities can lead:

• Use data to guide investment: Tools like Polco’s Track platform help local leaders identify what residents value most - then measure performance across livability domains like housing, education, safety, and economic resilience.
  
  
• Engage Millennials on their terms: Digital platforms, quick polls, and interactive tools like Budget Simulations and Housing Simulations allow for two-way dialogue that respects their time and intelligence.
  
  
• Tell the story of your values: Millennials care about mission and meaning. Communicate clearly how your community aligns with their goals - from sustainability to civic belonging.

As Alex Pedersen noted in his original LinkedIn post: when Millennials find communities that match their aspirations, the result isn’t just growth - it’s momentum.

Looking Ahead

Millennial migration isn’t a passing trend. it’s a leading indicator of what thriving communities will look like in the years ahead.

As this generation continues to age, the factors influencing their moves will evolve. Climate, cost, culture, and connection will all shape the next wave. And AI-driven job shifts, political realignment, and infrastructure investments will only amplify those decisions.

The question isn’t if your city will be affected. It’s how well you’re preparing for it.

At Polco, we’re here to help communities not only understand the shifts - but lead through them.

🚀 Want to see how your community stacks up - and what Millennials are really looking for?

Explore the full Polco platform and discover the tools local leaders trust to engage residents, track performance, and plan for the future.