Most young adults happy to stay put in Phoenix
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The lure of other cities isn't enough to convince most childless young adults in Phoenix to think about packing their bags.
Why it matters: Lots of young people considering a move can signal bigger issues for any given city, like a lack of perceived job opportunities or affordable housing.
State of play: Nearly 43% of young adults in Phoenix say they're "likely" or "very likely" to leave town.
- That's per Gensler survey data covering about 2,200 residents aged 18-34 with no children across 27 major U.S cities. The survey was conducted between July and November 2024.
- The question was open-ended, with no particular time frame on when respondents were thinking about moving.
Between the lines: Young people with no kids — a particularly mobile demographic — think about moving cities for a variety of reasons, including career growth, cost of living and more.
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 ... ," 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."
Zoom in: Phoenix residents in general are pretty happy with their city, according to Gensler data.
- More than 69% of residents say they're "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with Phoenix.
"The biggest vulnerabilities for U.S. cities are cost of living and safety," Song says.
- People are "choosing cities that are more affordable and safer, and where they feel like they can actually age in place," Song adds.