THE ALASKA STORY
Oct. 17, 2026 – California lost the most Gen Z adults in raw numbers, but Alaska experienced the largest proportional loss in the nation, according to a new LendingTree analysis featured by Realtor.com.
The study estimates that 13,684 adults ages 18–27 left Alaska for other states in 2024, while 7,615 moved in. That left Alaska with a net loss of 6,069 young adults—equivalent to 6.3% of its resident population in that age group.
California’s net loss of 58,109 represented 1.1% of its adult Gen Z population. Alaska’s proportional loss was nearly six times as large. New Jersey had the second-largest percentage loss, at 3.3%, followed by Delaware at 3.2%.
That distinction matters for Alaska. A map shaded by total losses makes California stand out, while understating the relative scale of Alaska’s young-adult departures.
Utah was the most common destination for Gen Z adults leaving Alaska, attracting an estimated 1,975. Washington was the largest source of arrivals, supplying 937.
The findings raise questions about Alaska’s ability to retain its next generation of workers, entrepreneurs, and families. But the migration figures alone do not establish whether people moved for college, employment, housing, military assignments, or other reasons.
Published in October 2026, the analysis uses 2024 Census American Community Survey data. Its 6.3% figure measures net interstate migration against Alaska’s current adult Gen Z population; it does not mean the entire age group shrank by that percentage.
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2 thoughts on “Alaska leads nation in Gen Z net migration losses when population is factored in”
Mormons?
Not to worry, JKT will “create” jobs for those that remain in government and NGOs. But certainly not in tech, because we ain’t gonna have those evil data centers. Anthropic forbids it.