Washington, D.C., Feb. 26, 2025 – New research from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation highlights a key challenge for rural Gen Z: While many are satisfied with their communities, limited job opportunities may be pushing them to consider relocating. The survey is part of the Voices of Gen Z Study, a multiyear, longitudinal research effort dedicated to improving understanding about the lives and experiences of Gen Z.

Less than half (49%) of rural Gen Zers believe they can find a good job in their community — 19 percentage points lower than their urban counterparts. Workforce preparation opportunities are also perceived to be in low supply for rural youth, with only 38% saying that they are (or will be) able to find an internship compared to over half (55%) of their urban peers. The parents of rural Gen Zers share this quality-of-life worry and are twice as likely as parents in metro areas to think their Gen Z child can’t accomplish their goals in their current area (45% vs. 19%).

Overall, more than three-quarters of Gen Z adults (77%) say they would like to move away from their current area if they had the opportunity. However, while urban Gen Z adults are more comfortable with moving out of state (54%) or the country (15%), rural Gen Z adults don’t necessarily want to go as far. When considering where to move, 49% of rural Gen Z would like to move to a town or city in-state compared to 42% who want to move out of state and 9% who wish to leave the country. The desire to stay closer to home contrasts with those in urban areas who are more likely to say they would like to leave their state (54%), or even the country (15%).

Among adult Gen Zers who have already relocated away from where they went to high school, the most frequently cited reason is to attend college (57%) or find a good job or career (34%). One in five also mention the ability to make enough money to live comfortably.

“Career and education opportunities strongly influence young people's decisions to relocate, but rural Gen Zers often face limited access compared to their urban peers,” said Stephanie Marken, senior partner for U.S. research at Gallup. “Expanding access to job training, career opportunities and higher education in rural areas could help more young people stay connected to their communities while pursuing their goals.”

Despite facing fewer job and education opportunities, rural Gen Zers remain deeply connected to their communities, with their desire to move only slightly numerically higher than their urban peers (82% vs. 78%).

Methodology

Results are based on a Gallup Panel web survey conducted Nov. 4-11, 2024, with a sample of 3,963 12- to 27-year-olds living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Gallup Panel is a probability-based panel of U.S. adults who are randomly selected using address-based sampling methodology. Gallup also recruits using random-digit-dial phone interviews that cover landlines and cellphones.

For results based on the total sample of Gen Z respondents, the margin of sampling error is +/-2.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For the sample of 382 Gen Z respondents in rural areas, the margin of sampling error is +/-7.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For the sample of 2,969 Gen Z respondents in urban areas, the margin of sampling error is +/-2.7 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Margins of error for subgroups are higher.

All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

About the Walton Family Foundation

The Walton Family Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. Three generations of the descendants of our founders, Sam and Helen Walton, and their spouses work together to lead the foundation and create access to opportunity for people and communities. We work in three areas: improving education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support and investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. To learn more, visit waltonfamilyfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

About Gallup

Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world.