Brant Eckert determined his entry-level $60,000 salary wouldn’t stretch in New York City, prompting a relocation to San Antonio — a path other Zoomers are increasingly following.
Texas has long attracted those seeking affordable living, but the newest wave of Lone Star State transplants differs from previous cohorts.
Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather told Themoneytimes that pandemic-era movers of the early 2020s transported coastal salaries via remote work to maximize purchasing power. More recently, Texas draws younger professionals pursuing early-career footholds.
“They’re likely not selecting locations based on remote flexibility, since entry-level roles tend to require in-person or hybrid presence,” Fairweather explained. “They’re not asking ‘Where can my salary stretch furthest?’ but rather ‘Where do I want to launch my career?'”
Redfin’s analysis of US Census data reveals millennial and Gen Z relocators favor Texas cities above all others. San Antonio led Gen Z net migration with 10,678 newcomers. Between 2014-2024, Texas metros claimed three of the top five spots, with Austin and Dallas each gaining thousands.
A separate Redfin-Glassdoor ranking of cities for recent graduates placed Dallas, Houston, and Austin in the top 10.
Dallas and Houston dominated millennial net migration with 13,072 and 16,365 arrivals respectively.
Millennials, further established than Zoomers, seek more space — abundant in Texas at reasonable prices.
Fairweather noted that while coastal hubs like New York and Los Angeles — both suffering tens of thousands in net Gen Z and millennial losses — offer higher wages, Texas provides diverse employment markets and comfortable living for less.
“Especially for those not chasing $300,000 salaries — just aiming to build middle-class lives where that’s financially viable — Texas delivers that,” she said.
Native Californians Gerardo and Tomi Ruiz swapped San Bernardino for San Antonio in 2024 after fire damage. They considered remaining in California but chose Texas for affordability.
“Our first impression was how cheap rent is. We paid roughly $2,350 in San Bernardino for a three-bedroom, one-bath apartment,” Gerardo told Themoneytimes in 2024. “Now we’re in a two-bedroom, two-bath place in San Antonio for $1,250.”
Tomi noted her phlebotomist wage dropped from about $25/hour in California to $16-20/hour in Texas, but overall savings compensated.
Pandemic favorite Denver saw influxes in 2020-2021 but recently lost Gen Z and millennial residents. Fairweather said Colorado and Texas share similarities, yet as Colorado grows pricier, Texas remains the affordable alternative.
“It ultimately comes down to housing affordability and avoiding roommate dependence or rent anxiety,” Fairweather said. “In Texas, that aspect is simply smoother.”