Millennials Are More Likely To Move for Political Reasons

Millennials are moving to new cities and states based on politics, a new report from Realtor.com found.
While national and local politics can impact anyone’s choice of place to live, millennials seem to have a stronger political inclination to pack up their bags than other generations.
Roughly 33 percent of millennials said their decisions about where to live are highly influenced by national politics, while just 25 percent of Gen Z, 21 percent of Gen X and 16 percent of baby boomers said the same.
The survey looked at responses from more than 2,200 adults in September.
And one-third of millennials said it was very or extremely important to live in a place where most people share their political views, while the rest of the generations hovered in the 16 percent to 23 percent range.
Altogether, 28 percent of millennials said they considered moving because their political views didn’t align with most of the people where they lived.
“It seems that more people these days are less tolerant of other opinions, thoughts and political beliefs than in the past,” nationwide title and escrow expert Alan Chang told Newsweek. “This is how the media portrays society and the separation has pushed many to avoid conflict and seek like-minded neighbors.”
Compared to the general population, only one in five adults considered moving over political differences, but this could become more intensified in the aftermath of the 2024 election, when many states appeared to become more conservative than in past elections.
“Choosing where to live is often a complex decision, and for many Americans, especially millennials, local and national politics are factors that influence where they live,” Danielle Hale, chief economist of Realtor.com, said in a statement.
“With both local and national politicians making decisions that impact daily life, both socially and fiscally, it makes sense that many would prefer to live in areas where the politics align with their own beliefs. Some go so far as to consider moving to find that alignment.”
Only 38 percent of Americans felt that their political views were aligned with the majority of people where they live, but millennials could be more likely to prioritize political leanings as a result of their stage of life.
“While Gen Z is known for being very politically active, when it comes to making decisions about where to live, more millennials are likely to be in a phase of life where they are thinking about the type of community in which they want to buy a home and grow their roots,” Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com, said in a statement.
“It makes sense that millennials, more than any other age group, think it is very important to live in a place in which most people share their political views.”
Across the board, those who identified as liberal were more likely to prioritize politics when deciding where to live. Roughly 30 percent of liberals said national politics influenced where they lived, compared to 18 percent of moderates and 27 percent of conservatives.
“In the past, neighbors could disagree and still be cordial and even friendly, but the common media portrayal is division and conflict,” Chang said.
Millennials often feel that politics more intensely impacts their lives than younger or older generations, said Ralph McLaughlin, a senior economist at Realtor.com.
“Millennials are perhaps more inclined to live near others with similar political beliefs because they are at an age where they feel political decisions affect more aspects of their lives when compared to either younger generations, who are still maturing both financially and individually, or older generations, who are past their peak earning and familial years,” McLaughlin told Newsweek.
“For them, being in a politically friendly environment possibly gives millennials more assurance than other generations that local and state political decisions will best suit their preferences.”