Millennial magnet
Texas sees surge in millennial population, new report shows

Texas saw some of the biggest millennial migrations in the country from 2010 to 2015, according to a new report.
Published by the Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan research group, the report shows the Lone Star State was among a handful of states that saw the millennial population grow more than 5 percent during those years. Others included California, Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and perhaps surprisingly — North Dakota, which experienced an energy-driven economic boom during that period.
In the United States as a whole, the young adult population ages 18-34 grew by 4.7 percent from 2010 to 2015.
Among Texas cities, San Antonio area experienced a 14.4 percent spike in its millennial population. On a percentage basis, that was the second highest increase during that period among the country’s 100 largest metro areas.
At No. 6 on that list is the Austin area, which witnessed a 11.8 percent jump in its millennial population from 2010 to 2015, the report says.
From a numeric standpoint, the San Antonio area gained the fifth most Hispanic millennials — 45,663 — from 2010 to 2015. Houston stood in fourth place in that category, with an influx of 48,875 Hispanic millennials from 2010 to 2015.
Here are some other statistics from the report for Texas’ major metro areas:
- Dallas-Fort Worth had the sixth highest number of white millennials (720,776) in 2015.
- In 2015, Austin had the second highest share of millennials (27.2 percent) among the country’s 100 largest metro areas.
- Austin has among the lowest percentage older millennials living in poverty (11 percent).
- Houston ranked first for the total number of white millennials gained (46,785) from 2010 to 2015, and DFW ranked second (31,965).
- Houston had the seventh largest number of black millennials (300,845) in 2015.
- Houston had the third largest number of Hispanic millennials (665,537) in 2015, with DFW in seventh place (553,216).
- Houston experienced the fourth largest influx of Asian millennials (29,759) from 2010 to 2015, and DFW stood in sixth place (27,314).
Texas is one of 10 states where racial and ethnic minorities make up more than half of the millennial population, the report says. These are the racial and ethnic breakdowns for millennials in Texas’ four largest metro areas.
Dallas-Fort Worth
- Asian millennials — 7.1 percent
- Black millennials — 16.5 percent
- Hispanic millennials — 32.3 percent
- White millennials — 42 percent
Austin
- Asian millennials — 6.3 percent
- Black millennials — 7.3 percent
- Hispanic millennials — 35.3 percent
- White millennials — 48.9 percent
Houston
- Asian millennials — 7.9 percent
- Black millennials — 18.2 percent
- Hispanic millennials — 18.7 percent
- White millennials — 32.1 percent
San Antonio
- Asian millennials — 2.9 percent
- Black millennials — 7.1 percent
- Hispanic millennials — 58.5 percent
- White millennials — 29.7 percent