Young adults are thinking about leaving Columbus
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Nearly half of young adults in Columbus are thinking of leaving, a new survey finds.
Why it matters: A large share of young people considering a move can indicate a lack of connection between a city and its people, as well as pragmatic issues like a dearth of perceived job opportunities and affordable housing.
By the numbers: In Columbus, 45% of young adults (ages 18-34 with no children) say they're "likely" or "very likely" to leave town, according to Gensler survey data covering about 2,200 residents across 27 major U.S cities conducted between July and November 2024.
- Across all demographic groups, that number is around 36%.
- The findings are part of a broader report from the design and architecture firm's research wing, City Pulse 2025: The Magnetic City, an annual dive into how city residents feel about a host of issues.
Zoom out: Young adults' likelihood to leave doesn't seem to fit easily identifiable trends.
- Just 27% of those living in sunny San Diego are considering leaving, but a whopping 52% of young adults in Miami are considering it, one of the highest rates in the country.
- And while 44% of New Yorkers are considering leaving, just 36% of Chicagoans are.
What they're saying: Gensler's researchers thought the factors that attract people to cities in the first place would be the same that kept them there, but that wasn't the case.
- "What gets people to stay is less tangible, much more intangible," Sofia Song, global leader of cities research at Gensler's Research Institute, tells Axios.
- "It's about emotional connection. It's about being engaged in your city, feeling pride in your city, as well as having this growing sense of belonging."
Context: Building a city around one of the largest universities in the country leads to a population more interested in moving.
- Our metro area also has a very low rate of young adults living with their parents, and Columbus is a very young region compared to the average city.
- "Columbus is a city that has more economic growth and population growth" than nearby metros like Cleveland or Detroit, Sarah Hayford, an OSU sociology professor and director of the university's Institute for Population Research, told Axios in May.
Yes, but: Young adults might be considering leaving, but two-thirds of Columbus residents say they're happy here.
Zoom in: In the same survey, Gensler tracked the percentage who report being "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their city as a place to live.
Caveat: Although 66% seems like a high satisfaction rate, it's one of the lower percentages of cities surveyed.
- We're closer to last-place Athens, Greece (44%) than first-place Shanghai (94%).
💠Andrew's thought bubble: The survey doesn't specify what time of year it was conducted.
- I can think of one major reason for a lack of satisfaction in Ohio.
Reality check: Regardless of how satisfied Columbus residents are or how many might want to leave, it doesn't seem that Central Ohio will be shrinking any time soon.
- Columbus continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and our young demographics put us in a unique position.