Discussion Paper

Who's Moving In? The Changing Age Composition of Migration to the Carolinas

Abstract: The Carolinas are attracting movers at various life stages, from students and professionals building careers in major metros like Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina, to retirees seeking coastal and mountain living. But over the last decade, the age profile of these movers has changed: Adults ages 55 and older now make up a noticeably larger share of migrants. This shift in age composition is not uniform, however. Counties differ widely in the direction and magnitude of these shifts. The scale of migration to the Carolinas makes these shifts consequential. Since 2021, the Carolinas have ranked in the top 5 states for net domestic migration. North Carolina has brought in over 80,000 domestic migrants, and South Carolina has brought in over 60,000 domestic migrants. With migration at this scale, even modest changes in age composition can have an outsized impact on communities. This analysis examines how the age composition of migrants has changed across counties, where those changes coincide with fast migration growth, and what that might mean for local communities.

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Part of Series: Regional Matters

Publication Date: 2026-11-05