One of America’s least populous states has become surprisingly popular among young adults.
North Dakota is far better known for its free-roaming bison than its youth culture — and yet a recent analysis has found that it’s among the top 10 most popular states for Gen Z migration.
According to a recent report by storage facility listing site StorageCafe, patterns are beginning to emerge regarding where members of Gen Z (which Britannica defines as anyone born between 1997 and 2012) are moving domestically, and they include some surprising choices.
Connecticut tops the list, according to the site, as it has netted 15,000 more Gen Zers than it has lost in recent years.
Washington, DC and North Carolina respectively take the silver and bronze, with a net Gen Z migration of 13,000 and 11,000 respectively — followed by Texas, Pennsylvania, Utah, Colorado and Arizona. The list is rounded out by arguably the most surprising states on the list: North Dakota, with a net migration of 9,200, and Alabama, with 9,100.
“With its rural charm, affordable housing (about 11% of Gen Zers became homeowners as soon as they moved here) and low cost of living, North Dakota can make an ideal destination for Gen Zers working remotely,” the StorageCafe report explains. “The net gain of 9,200 Gen Zers in 2022 actually represents over 12% of the state’s total population belonging to this generation.”
The trend isn’t only in the data — many 20-something creators have taken to TikTok to promote moving to the Midwestern state, home to Great Plain galore, multiple National Parks and an abundance of sky.
“Why you should move to North Dakota,” reads the text on one young creator’s video, who goes on to make the argument that the area’s appeal comes from “the fact that there is nothing to do. It is so insanely boring out here.”
This, however, means no distractions and leads to productivity, the creator continues: “All I have to do is work out and work on my business.”
Commenters largely agreed.
“[I] have the same mindset,” wrote one 22-year-old New York City resident, noting that the Big Apple has “many distractions” and, as a cold-loving introvert, “North Dakota would be perfect.”
Another TikToker lists the lack of traffic and the abundance of easily accessible nature among reasons she loves living in Fargo, the just under 780,000-person state’s capital.
“Very friendly people, very welcoming,” she adds of Fargo residents.