ATHENS, Ga. — One historical and prominent Georgia college town is becoming a hotbed in the country for Gen Z movers, according to a new report.
Known as the Classic City, the popping town of Athens, Georgia, came in at No. 5 in the country for percentage of population that consists of Gen-Zers -- those aged 18 to 24 -- who moved into the vibrant city in 2022.
The report compiled by the website smartasset.com gathered data that shows 17.41% of the population in Athens are Gen-Zers who just made new Bulldog neighbors in the town home to the University of Georgia.
That accounts for 22,213 people between the ages of 18 and 24 who made Athens their new home. This should come as no surprise, as a good chunk of them are presumably college students.
The Gen Z population -- which is very young with many in the generation under the age of 18 -- now accounts for just over 27% of the entire population of Athens, according to the study.
The report said the following about Athens:
"Athens became home to 22,213 new Gen Z residents last year, making up 17.4% of its total population. Gen Zers now comprise 27.7% of Athens' residents."
To also very little surprise, the top 10 of this list is comprised of predominantly college towns. Ann Arbor, Michigan, home to the Michigan Wolverines, takes the top spot on the list with 26.36% of the population being new Gen-Zers -- that's one in four people in the city.
Provo, Utah (42.43%), and College Station, Texas (39.22%), had the highest percentage of Gen Z population in the top 10. Provo is the home of Brigham Young University, while College Station is home to the Texas A&M Aggies.
"Many are moving for college, to start their career or to explore life in a new place. While this cohort may not have the disposable income of their older counterparts, their movement still plays an important role in local economies," the report said of the importance of Gen Z movers. "An asymmetrical move can affect demand for goods, services and infrastructure, as well as local job and housing markets."
In a recent report by the same organization, it was revealed that the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs is the No. 10 spot for millennial movers in the United States, with the coastal town of Savannah right behind on the list.
To view the full list that reveals the top 20 cities for Gen-Zers, click the link here.
