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- Some Americans are drawn to the Midwest by low costs and affordable housing.
- Many of these new residents are single Gen Zers, Millennials, and students.
- New residents tend to earn above the Midwest median income, potentially changing social norms.
In recent years, Americans have been making organizational changes across the country. For some, that means flocking to the Midwest, where the promise of cheaper living, more space, and friendly neighbors is guaranteed.
The initial pandemic increase among Midwest residents has slowed slightly, but population levels remain above pre-pandemic highs. All in all, if you’re looking for an affordable cost of living or looking to get your first home, the Midwest may be the place for you.
So who moves to the Midwest? It appears that a significant number of college-age Americans are moving in, as well as millennials, indicating that there are indeed new kids in town.
Gen Z makes up the largest proportion of movers, with the oldest being 27 years old, followed by Millennials, who top the list at 43 years old.
Gen Z and some Millennials, as well as Gen X, which still makes up a significant portion of the movers, though not flocking to the Midwest at the same rate, are also bringing their children with them. Just over 11% of his moving companies belong to Gen Alpha. Still, moving companies remain skewed toward young workers and students in their prime years.
Just over half of movers do not have a bachelor’s degree, and 27% have at least a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree. This suggests that there is an influx of students into the Midwest.
In fact, 18% of movers are neither renters nor homeowners, suggesting they likely live in a dormitory. However, overwhelmingly new residents in the Midwest are renting, with 53% renting compared to about 29% owning their homes.
New renters in the Midwest pay an average of about $1,416 in rent. That’s below the country’s median asking rent of $1,967, calculated by Redfin.
Among homeowner movers in the Midwest, the average value of a home is approximately $327,884. As of the fourth quarter of 2023, the median sales price of homes sold in the United States was $417,700, according to the Census Bureau. This also shows that the Midwest may be more cost-effective for young movers looking to save on or finally pay rent. down payment.
Additionally, post-2020 transplants are changing the way we date and socialize. That means a focus on long-term, meaningful partnerships, but also a degree of class division among new entrants. Movers age 15 and older earn an average of about $43,000 a year, while movers age 25 and older earn just under $53,360 a year. As of 2022, the median personal income in the Midwest census region was $40,850, according to the Census Bureau. And these high-income movers, nearly 47% of whom are single, seem willing to socialize.
Many movers come from California, Florida, and Texas. Coloradans, like Kentuckians, are heading to the Midwest. On the East Coast, the number of movers is increasing, especially from New York, and moving from Massachusetts is also modest.
Americans in these regions are dealing with their own cost crisis, making the Midwest once again an attractive destination. As Business Insider previously reported, Texans were looking for homes in Wisconsin and Minnesota, an influx of new immigrants seeking cheaper housing and a cost of living.
As Business Insider’s Alsinna Lloyd reported, product manager and Texas native James McClure moved from Texas to Wisconsin with his wife in December 2023. McClure told Lloyd that technically he would be taking a pay cut to make the move, but he was saving more money.
“We live close to most of our necessities, and we both have enough space to work from home,” McClure told Lloyd. “All of these appraised values are actually a little lower, the same as his 1970s home outside of Austin.”
Did you move to the Midwest or another part of the country to save money or change your situation? Contact this reporter at: jkaplan@businessinsider.com.
Correction: February 27, 2024 — A previous version of this article incorrectly listed James McClure’s move. He is a native Texan who moved to Wisconsin.
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