Nearly half of young people in Portland are thinking about leaving
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Among major cities, Portland has the seventh-highest share of child-free young adults thinking about packing up and leaving, a new survey finds.
Why it matters: Lots of young people considering a move can signal bigger issues for a city, like a lack of perceived job opportunities or affordable housing.
Driving the news: Nearly half of Portland's young adults said they're "likely" or "very likely" to leave town.
- The findings come from Gensler's survey of about 2,200 residents aged 18-34 with no children across 27 major U.S cities and conducted between July and November 2024.
- The question was open-ended, with no particular time frame on when respondents were thinking about moving.
- The findings are part of a broader report from the design and architecture firm's research wing, City Pulse 2025: The Magnetic City.
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.
- "It's about being engaged in your city, feeling pride in your city, as well as having this growing sense of belonging," Sofia Song, global leader of cities research at Gensler's Research Institute, told Axios.
The bottom line: Housing affordability is a common pain point for Portland metro residents of all ages.
- The number of affordable housing units fell by more than 55% in the past decade, while the income needed to afford a mortgage on a median-priced home rose to $152,000.
We want to hear from you: Are you a young adult thinking about leaving the city? Tell us why. Email [email protected].