Why Millennials Are Leaving Cities for Small Towns

A quiet demographic shift is reshaping the American landscape. Millennials are leaving big cities in growing numbers and settling in smaller towns and rural communities. This trend began before the pandemic but gained momentum during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Many of these moves were originally thought to be temporary, but for tens of thousands of young adults, they became permanent life changes.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, around 30,000 urban millennials between the ages of 24 and 40 have moved to smaller towns every year over the past decade. Since the pandemic, this migration has only accelerated. Between 2020 and 2021, 85 percent of homebuyers aged 31 to 40 bought homes in suburban or rural areas.

Demographer Hamilton Lombard from the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia said, “Remote work and a tight labor market are continuing to allow many workers to have far more geographic flexibility in where they live.” He added that if current patterns hold, the 2020s could be the most flexible decade in recent memory for American workers in terms of choosing where to live.

From Urban Ambition to Rural Stability

Cameron Austin, a senior brand and content manager, found herself living in a one-bedroom apartment in Washington, DC, in 2020. It cost her more than $2,000 a month. “Buying the same-sized unit in my neighborhood would have set me back at least $400,000,” she said. When her company went remote during the pandemic, she moved back to her hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, thinking it would be temporary.

“But within a year, I realized that one of the biggest benefits of remote work is the ability to pick where I want to live without sacrificing a high-quality job,” Austin explained. In 2021, she bought a three-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom home in Roanoke for $290,000—at a time when interest rates were around three percent.

“I loved DC and never thought I’d leave,” Austin admitted. “But COVID changed a lot of things for a lot of people. When I realized we weren’t going back into the office full time, I started to shift my perspective to realize that I could have a great quality of life in a smaller town.”

She acknowledged that it came with trade-offs. “Do I miss living in a bigger city? Absolutely,” she said. “But the financial stability without having to sacrifice a great career is a win-win situation for so many individuals—including me.”

The Benefits of Small-Town Living

Small towns offer lower housing costs, less traffic, more space, and a slower pace of life. These things have made them more attractive to young professionals who are burned out from urban life. Millennials, who make up 35 percent of the workforce, are especially drawn to these communities as they start families and seek financial stability. Many of them entered adulthood during the Great Recession, started their careers underpaid and burdened with student debt, and have now endured the economic shock of COVID-19.

As cities became more expensive and jobs more flexible, the appeal of small-town life increased. In fact, 39 percent of millennials say they prefer small towns over big cities. “Leaving crowded metro areas means ditching traffic congestion, cramped and noisy neighborhoods, and unaffordable housing prices,” wrote Chris Shaffner in his commentary for Route Fifty.

Millennials also bring energy, innovation, and spending power to struggling communities. Even if they work remotely for companies located elsewhere, they still spend money locally. This can help revitalize businesses, support local government, and create a more vibrant social scene.

The Other Side: Regret, Isolation, and Missing Community

Despite the many upsides, not all millennials who made the move are happy with the decision. Some now feel isolated, disconnected from their cultural communities, and cut off from the social and professional networks they built in the city.

Zachary Thacher left New York City in 2020 to work on an organic farm. At first, he thought it would be a permanent shift. “I thought I’d never come back to the city,” he told the New York Post. But he lasted only four and a half months before returning. “I missed the diversity and my Jewish community,” he explained.

Alex Gatien, 38, also had second thoughts. He and his partner left Toronto for a quiet town 270 miles away. They were able to buy a four-bedroom Victorian house with a large yard for less than the cost of a Toronto studio. While Gatien appreciated the savings, he missed city life. “People live in a much more private realm,” he said. “Everyone drives everywhere, which means you don’t really run into people. They don’t really use public spaces like parks unless they don’t have their own outdoor space, which everyone does unless they’re poor.”

Many others echoed similar concerns in social media posts and online forums. Some miss the cultural diversity, the access to restaurants and events, and even the convenience of chain stores like Trader Joe’s. In a BuzzFeed story inviting people to share their experiences, one prompt asked, “Did you find the peaceful lifestyle you were hoping for, or are you secretly Googling ‘nearest city with a Trader Joe’s’ every week?”

How Small Towns Can Keep the Momentum

For smaller communities, attracting millennials is only the first step. Keeping them long term requires serious investment in infrastructure, broadband internet, housing, and quality of life. State and local governments are beginning to recognize this and have launched programs to support the trend.

Vermont offers up to $10,000 over two years to remote workers who relocate there. Kansas has a Rural Opportunity Zone Program that covers up to $15,000 in student loan repayments. States like Oregon and Georgia are investing in broadband expansion to make remote work more viable in rural areas.

Bozeman, Montana, and Water Valley, Mississippi, are revitalizing their downtowns to attract young professionals and families. Some places are even organizing “Rural Homecoming” events to draw back former residents and highlight the benefits of local living.

These efforts are designed not just to bring in new people, but to keep them engaged and invested in the community. As Chris Shaffner put it, “Millennials can play a major role in revitalizing America’s small communities, but small towns can’t wait for an influx that might never come.”

A Long-Term Shift or Just a Pandemic Blip?

Whether this trend continues will depend on several factors. If remote work remains common, housing prices in cities stay high, and small towns invest in quality-of-life improvements, then millennials may continue to move and stay in these areas. But if cities rebound culturally and economically, and if small towns fail to support their new residents, the migration could reverse.

Right now, many millennials are still testing the waters. For some, small-town life is a dream come true. For others, it’s a temporary pause on their return to the city. Either way, this trend has already had a lasting impact on housing markets, job distribution, and the social fabric of communities across the country. Whether it becomes the new normal or not, it reflects a changing idea of what the American dream looks like for a new generation.

PBP Editor: Real estate is so expensive in the city that anyone who wants to get ahead must go where the cost of living is cheaper.

A quiet demographic shift is reshaping the American landscape. Millennials are leaving big cities in growing numbers and settling in smaller towns and rural communities. This trend began before the pandemic but gained momentum during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Many of these moves were originally thought to be temporary, but for tens of thousands of young adults, they became permanent life changes.According to U.S. Census Bureau data, around 30,000 urban millennials between the ages of 24 and 40 have moved to smaller towns every year over the past decade. Since the pandemic, this migration has only accelerated. Between 2020 and 2021, 85 percent of homebuyers aged 31 to 40 bought homes in suburban or rural areas.Demographer Hamilton Lombard from the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia said, “Remote work and a tight labor market are continuing to allow many workers to have far more geographic flexibility in where they live.” He added that if current patterns hold, the 2020s could be the most flexible decade in recent memory for American workers in terms of choosing where to live.

From Urban Ambition to Rural Stability

Cameron Austin, a senior brand and content manager, found herself living in a one-bedroom apartment in Washington, DC, in 2020. It cost her more than $2,000 a month. “Buying the same-sized unit in my neighborhood would have set me back at least $400,000,” she said. When her company went remote during the pandemic, she moved back to her hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, thinking it would be temporary.“But within a year, I realized that one of the biggest benefits of remote work is the ability to pick where I want to live without sacrificing a high-quality job,” Austin explained. In 2021, she bought a three-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom home in Roanoke for $290,000—at a time when interest rates were around three percent.“I loved DC and never thought I’d leave,” Austin admitted. “But COVID changed a lot of things for a lot of people. When I realized we weren’t going back into the office full time, I started to shift my perspective to realize that I could have a great quality of life in a smaller town.”She acknowledged that it came with trade-offs. “Do I miss living in a bigger city? Absolutely,” she said. “But the financial stability without having to sacrifice a great career is a win-win situation for so many individuals—including me.”

The Benefits of Small-Town Living

Small towns offer lower housing costs, less traffic, more space, and a slower pace of life. These things have made them more attractive to young professionals who are burned out from urban life. Millennials, who make up 35 percent of the workforce, are especially drawn to these communities as they start families and seek financial stability. Many of them entered adulthood during the Great Recession, started their careers underpaid and burdened with student debt, and have now endured the economic shock of COVID-19.As cities became more expensive and jobs more flexible, the appeal of small-town life increased. In fact, 39 percent of millennials say they prefer small towns over big cities. “Leaving crowded metro areas means ditching traffic congestion, cramped and noisy neighborhoods, and unaffordable housing prices,” wrote Chris Shaffner in his commentary for Route Fifty.Millennials also bring energy, innovation, and spending power to struggling communities. Even if they work remotely for companies located elsewhere, they still spend money locally. This can help revitalize businesses, support local government, and create a more vibrant social scene.

The Other Side: Regret, Isolation, and Missing Community

Despite the many upsides, not all millennials who made the move are happy with the decision. Some now feel isolated, disconnected from their cultural communities, and cut off from the social and professional networks they built in the city.Zachary Thacher left New York City in 2020 to work on an organic farm. At first, he thought it would be a permanent shift. “I thought I’d never come back to the city,” he told the New York Post. But he lasted only four and a half months before returning. “I missed the diversity and my Jewish community,” he explained.Alex Gatien, 38, also had second thoughts. He and his partner left Toronto for a quiet town 270 miles away. They were able to buy a four-bedroom Victorian house with a large yard for less than the cost of a Toronto studio. While Gatien appreciated the savings, he missed city life. “People live in a much more private realm,” he said. “Everyone drives everywhere, which means you don’t really run into people. They don’t really use public spaces like parks unless they don’t have their own outdoor space, which everyone does unless they’re poor.”Many others echoed similar concerns in social media posts and online forums. Some miss the cultural diversity, the access to restaurants and events, and even the convenience of chain stores like Trader Joe’s. In a BuzzFeed story inviting people to share their experiences, one prompt asked, “Did you find the peaceful lifestyle you were hoping for, or are you secretly Googling ‘nearest city with a Trader Joe’s’ every week?”

How Small Towns Can Keep the Momentum

For smaller communities, attracting millennials is only the first step. Keeping them long term requires serious investment in infrastructure, broadband internet, housing, and quality of life. State and local governments are beginning to recognize this and have launched programs to support the trend.Vermont offers up to $10,000 over two years to remote workers who relocate there. Kansas has a Rural Opportunity Zone Program that covers up to $15,000 in student loan repayments. States like Oregon and Georgia are investing in broadband expansion to make remote work more viable in rural areas.Bozeman, Montana, and Water Valley, Mississippi, are revitalizing their downtowns to attract young professionals and families. Some places are even organizing “Rural Homecoming” events to draw back former residents and highlight the benefits of local living.These efforts are designed not just to bring in new people, but to keep them engaged and invested in the community. As Chris Shaffner put it, “Millennials can play a major role in revitalizing America’s small communities, but small towns can’t wait for an influx that might never come.”

A Long-Term Shift or Just a Pandemic Blip?

Whether this trend continues will depend on several factors. If remote work remains common, housing prices in cities stay high, and small towns invest in quality-of-life improvements, then millennials may continue to move and stay in these areas. But if cities rebound culturally and economically, and if small towns fail to support their new residents, the migration could reverse.Right now, many millennials are still testing the waters. For some, small-town life is a dream come true. For others, it’s a temporary pause on their return to the city. Either way, this trend has already had a lasting impact on housing markets, job distribution, and the social fabric of communities across the country. Whether it becomes the new normal or not, it reflects a changing idea of what the American dream looks like for a new generation.FAM Editor: Real estate is so expensive in the city that anyone who wants to get ahead must go where the cost of living is cheaper.

The post Why Millennials Are Leaving Cities for Small Towns appeared first on The Punching Bag Post.