Austin is proving itself to be a highly desirable place to live for Gen Z individuals; so says a new survey by online platform CommercialCafe.
The report, “Best Cities for Gen Z in 2025 & Beyond: Which Areas Are Most Livable for Young People?” analyzed nine metrics across the largest U.S. cities with populations of more than 400,00 residents. The key metrics included a cost of living index, the share of the employed population working in jobs requiring a college degree, the percentage of the population aged 20-24, and the diversity of recreational activities, among others.
Austin was chosen as the 8th best city for Gen Zers nationwide, and the 4th best city in the South. Minneapolis, Minnesota, topped the list as the No. 1 best city for Gen Z.
CommercialCafe describes Austin as a leading destination for Gen Zers because the city is apparently “eponymous with youth culture in Texas and the entire South.” Roughly 7.5 percent of Austin’s population is between 20 and 24-years-old, which comes out to about 74,495 residents. Though the study focuses on Gen Zers in their early twenties, the youngest Zoomers are 13 years old (born in 2012) and the oldest are up to 28 years old (born in 1997).
Austin also has a high concentration of startups “driven to success” by Gen Z adults, and the city ranked 6th in the national “jobs for graduates” metric.
“At the same time, Austin also has one of the lowest unemployment rates on the list at 4.3 percent, below-average internet costs, more than 3,200 places for fun and recreation and a large number of parks per capita, making it a strong all-rounder for Gen Zers looking to relocate,” the report said.
Gen Zers have been flocking to Austin for the last several years, and the city had the 20th highest inflow of Gen Zers in 2023. CommercialCafe classifies Gen Z as a “potential asset for companies and communities” due to their tech-savviness and community-minded personalities.
“While they may have inherited the title of ‘most-criticized generation’ from Millennials, Gen Zers are proving themselves to be financially astute, community-oriented and cost-conscious,” the report said. “Moreover, their digital-native upbringing makes them uniquely positioned to leverage emerging technologies — particularly artificial intelligence — with unprecedented skill.”
Elsewhere in Texas, Houston ranked as the 9th best U.S. city for Gen Z to live, followed by San Antonio (No. 11), Fort Worth (No. 20), El Paso (No. 26), and Dallas (No. 27).
The top 10 best cities for Gen Zers in 2025 are:
No. 1 – Minneapolis, MinnesotaNo. 2 – Atlanta, GeorgiaNo. 3 – Boston, MassachusettsNo. 4 – Tampa, FloridaNo. 5 – Raleigh, North CarolinaNo. 6 – Omaha, NebraskaNo. 7 – Columbus, OhioNo. 8 – Austin, TexasNo. 9 – Houston, TexasNo. 10 – Kansas City, Missouri