According to the data, members of Generation X, baby boomers and the silent generation tend to prefer warmer southern cities. All three of the oldest generations showed significant movement to cities like Mesa or Nashville. The top city for both the baby boomers and the silent generation was Mesa. The top city for Gen X relocation was Columbus, Georgia, but Scottsdale, Arizona saw the second-highest net Gen X migration.
In addition to the warmer climates and lower state income taxes in these states, older generations moved away from larger cities as they aged. The cities with the most outflows from these three oldest generations are all large metropolitan areas. These cities include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle.
At the state level, the Southeast and other areas with low income taxes and warm weather dominate the older generation rankings. For Gen X, baby boomers and the silent generation, Florida was the state with the highest net migration. Additionally, results varied somewhat between generations, but states such as Texas, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Arizona featured prominently in each generation’s top ten lists.
In short, while younger Americans seemed to be gravitating toward big cities or states with many educational or career opportunities, older Americans were more likely to choose areas with lower income taxes and warmer climates. As we can see from the data, your living environment can determine where you want to live (or don’t want to live).
