Where young adults moved to based on race and ethnicity

It turns out millennials haven’t strayed very far from the areas where they grew up.

A study released Monday by Harvard University and U.S. Census Bureau researchers found that by age 26, more than two-thirds of millennials lived in the same area where they grew up, 80% had moved less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away and 90% resided less than 500 miles (805 kilometers) away.

When they did migrate, where young adults moved varied by race.

Overall, the most popular destinations for all young adults who moved were New York; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta. Here are the top destinations for people who moved away from home based on race and ethnic background.

White young adults: New York; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Denver; Chicago; Seattle; Boston; San Francisco; Dallas; Phoenix.

Black young adults: Atlanta; Houston; Washington, D.C.; New York; Dallas; Los Angeles; Charlotte, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Chicago; Fort Worth, Texas.

Hispanic young adults: Los Angeles; New York; San Antonio; Phoenix; Houston; San Diego; Austin, Texas; San Francisco; Dallas; Orlando, Florida.

Asian young adults: Los Angeles; New York; San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Seattle; San Jose, California; Boston; Sacramento, California; Chicago.

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Source: “The Radius of Economic Opportunity: Evidence from Migration and Local Labor Markets” by Ben Sprung-Keyser, Harvard University; Nathaniel Hendren, Harvard University; and Sonya Porter, U.S. Census Bureau, July 2022.