North Carolina is the new top destination for the nearly and newly retired, according to a spate of new research. And these retirees are following their grandkids.

Here’s how the silver lining to the North Carolina tech boom plays out for many families:

Millennials land in North Carolina for jobs and the reasonable cost of living, and are soon followed by their own parents – typically younger baby boomers – who want to settle close to the next generation.

The economic implications don’t follow the precedents set by elder-dominated states like Florida and Arizona, say researchers and  local business leaders.

Arriving with home equity, substantial retirement savings and plenty of energy and ambition for work, young retirees expect to fully engage with their new communities, instead of segregating themselves in over-55 subdevelopments.

Following kids and grandkids to NC

Shaun McCutcheon is not only the real estate market analyst who came up with the “baby chasers” label for the trend he pinpointed but is also its Exhibit A: He moved from San Diego to Charlotte in 2016 in pursuit of a sustainable cost of living for his young family, only to be followed in 2018 by his parents.

McCutcheon works for Meyers Research, which tracks where Americans move and why, and figures out the implications for real estate developers and investors.

Charlotte has been a top 10 national destination for people of all ages overall since 2010, but in the last couple of years, the city has vaulted to the top spot for baby boomers following adult children who pursued jobs, according to McCutcheon’s work for Meyers Research.