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Boulder the Top Gen Z City in the U.S.

Gen Z (the oldest of which turned 23 in 2020) became the second most important player in the rental market in 2020 and some cities saw spectacular increases in rental applications from this youngest generation of apartment dwellers.

To find the top trending locations for Gen Z renters in each state, as well as the largest Gen Z hubs, RENTCafé recently analyzed 3 million rental applications in more than 40,000 apartment communities nationwide.

Boulder is the top Gen Z city in the country. Here’s why:

  • Boulder boasts the highest share of Gen Z renters in the country, of 65%, followed by Davis, CA (61%) and Conway, AR (52%).
  • Currently, Zoomers in Boulder overtook renters from other generations, including their predecessors. By comparison, only 22% of renters living in the city are Millennials.
  • However, when it comes to the most trending Gen Z city in Colorado, Westminster is the new up-and-coming Zoomer favorite. In just one year, apartment applications coming from this age cohort increased by 35%, pushing the city’s share of Gen Z renters to 23%.
  • Colorado Springs is the second trending Gen Z hotspot in the state, as rental applications from young renters increased by 29% in just one year. Zoomers currently represent 31% of the city’s renter population, making it the second-largest Gen Z hub in Colorado.

“It is easier in these places for people to take risks to becoming small business owners and contributing to the local economy and culture. These smaller markets offer an opportunity for younger adults not just live in a place, but to help to create or contribute to it in meaningful ways. In turn, many of these smaller cities have a truer sense of authenticity that is certainly serving as a pull,” says Jill Ann Harrison, director of graduate studies, Department of Sociology, University of Oregon.

Read the full study here

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