1). “Are people leaving San Antonio or moving here? Detailed maps show migration trends for your county”, Updated Oct. 20, 2023, Libby Seline, Nami Sumida & Christian Leonard, San Antonio Express-News, at < https://www.expressnews.com/
2). “Meet the typical mover leaving Texas: Millennial renters making $50,000 a year who are moving to California and Florida”, Dec 20, 2023, Alcynna Lloyd & Noah Sheidlower, Business Insider, at < https://www.businessinsider.
3). “Meet the typical mover leaving California: Gen Zers and millennials making $53,500 a year who aren’t married and moved to states like Texas and Arizona”, Dec 13, 2023, Noah Sheidlower, Business Insider, at < https://www.businessinsider.
4). “Women-Owned Companies Rally to Challenge Texas Abortion Ban: The women-led Austin dating app company Bumble assembled a coalition of 51 businesses to sign an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court of Texas to overturn the state's restrictive abortion law”, Dec 18, 2023, Bruce Crumley, Inc., at < https://www.inc.com/bruce-
5). “U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce is among latest to argue that ambiguity in Texas abortion laws is bad for businesses: 51 leading businesses, organizations, and individuals have now signed the Reed Smith-authored amicus brief in Zurawski v. Texas”, Dec. 14, 2023, Sarah Cummings Stewart, James C. Martin, Emily P. Harbison, Sarah B. Johansen, Reed Smith, at < https://www.reedsmith.com/en/
6). “2023 Moving Trends Report: Where are Americans moving right now?”, “Relocation Trends”, Last Updated: Oct 25, 2023, Ryan Carrigan, MoveBuddah, at < https://www.movebuddha.com/
~~ recommended by dmorista ~~
Migration, Demographics & Politics in the U.S. Part 1: The Current Situation & Its Historical Development
Introduction: The perception, and the reality, of the movement of population inside the U.S. is that the population of the U.S. has, since before the establishment of the Republic, seen a relentless move to the west and, in more recent decades, also to the south. There have been a couple of periods of a significant counter-trend. The most notable being the movement of the poor rural populations from much of the country, mostly from the South and Midwest, to the growing industrial cities of the Northeast, Great Lakes Area, and parts of the Ohio Valley. That lasted from about the late 1880s until the early 1950s. It was part of the set developments that built the largest and most powerful industrial system in human history, up until that point. But with the fading of U.S. industrial power that counter-trend came to a halt.
The current situation needs to be viewed with a couple of caveats. First the level of movement of Americans inside the U.S. has reached a historic low. The native-born American Population now moves at rates less than 1/2, or even less than 1/3, of that of earlier epochs. There is also a distinct skew between where and how the prosperous professional class of people decide to move, or not, and how and why that decision is made by the great majority of the U.S. population.
Item 1)., “Are people leaving San Antonio ….”, provides a number of interactive maps and tables that look at the demographics of movement between counties, both near San Antonio, and nationwide. Map 1, taken from this article shows a color coded display of net movement of people into or out of American Counties. There is an unmistakable trend of net movement of people out of the core central counties of major urban areas and a continued trend of movement to the South and Southwest, mostly into the “Sunbelt” as defined in Map 2.
Demographers and political analysts have been discussing the “Rise of the Sunbelt” and the concomitant “Decline of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Northeast” regions for decades now. The article that Map 2 is derived from states: “The ongoing and rapid growth in the U.S. Sun Belt has been an extraordinary boon to commercial real estate investors. The region stretches across eighteen states in the Southeast and Southwest and includes seven of the ten largest U.S. cities, as well as many mid-size metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).1 The Sun Belt now holds about 50% of the national population (326 million), which is expected to rise to about 55% by 2030.2 Over the past decade, the region accounted for 75% of total U.S. population growth (15 out of the total 21 million).” (Emphasis added) {See, “The Rise of the U.S. Sun Belt”, April 1, 2019, Julie Laumont, Clarion Partners, at < https://www.clarionpartners.
However these developments are frequently overstated or distorted to support a variety of political and socio-economic arguments. The article and map from Clarion Partners pushes the definition of Sunbelt power and growth in their statement that “seven of the ten largest U.S. cities” are located in the Sunbelt. Furthermore, the growth of Sunbelt Power and Influence is typically associated with right-wing politics and social forces, whether that is discussed directly or not. When we look at the 10 largest urban areas in the U.S. we see that only 4 are located in the Red State right-wing heartland, and all 4 are in fact liberal bastions in their respective states (i.e., Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, and Atlanta). Using the most expansive definition of an urban area I compiled the list here below in Table 1). that includes 4 Northern Urban areas (New York 1st, Chicago 3rd, Washington D.C. / Baltimore 4th, and Philadelphia 9th, among the 10 largest urban areas in the U.S. and the 2nd largest Urban area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside and the 7th largest San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose are located in the largest and most important liberal dominated state in the country, California.
Demographers and the various population and trend forecasters torment and puzzle over why some Sunbelt places, most particularly California, are now either losing population; or are becoming lesser population centers in relative terms; much like the way that older Northeastern, Great Lakes and Midwestern areas have lost population. The population of California peaked at around 39.557 million in 2018 (over 25 million of whom lived in Southern California), and has been slowly shrinking since, now it is around 38.965 million, or it has lost nearly 1.5% of the population it had at its peak. The simple truth is that the population of the U.S. has shifted and seen various periods of rapid growth in areas in response to economic actions that developed resources or new industries. Successively various regions have been the focus of growth for 2 or 3 decades, or longer, but the effects of population growth always show up in rising housing prices, transportation congestion and problems, overwhelmed school systems, and other effects of crowding, plus the political struggles that take place in response to such conditions.
California was the main “destination state” for Americans leaving their home states for several generations. In the century, before the advent of cheap and easily available air conditioning, California's population growth was affected and increased by its unique attributes of escaping both the harsh winters and the hot humid summers that affect the rest of the country; at least in the large areas of “Mediterranean Climate” found along the Pacific Coast. In 1910 the population of California (after already growing rapidly from 1860 -1910), according to the Census conducted that year, was 2,377,549, and the state had 11 members in the U.S. House of Representatives. 1910 is a significant year historically, because that is when last Census was conducted before the number of Representatives in the U.S. House was raised to, and frozen at, 435 overall (the 1910 elections sent 391 Representatives to the U.S. House, but by the 1912 elections, after the reapportionment using the 1910 Census data, had risen to the current number of 435). Then after nearly tripling in population between 1910 and 1940, the state consistently gained from 4 to 5 million new residents during each deceniall census period from 1940 – 2010, and gained another 1.8 million before this, the largest and longest state population increase in American History apparently came to an end in 2018.
For the succeeding moves from Northern and Eastern parts of the U.S. to the South and Southwest to take place; it was necessary for advances in technology to make cheap widely available air conditioning a reality, that was finally achieved by the late 1940s. The first public place with air conditioning was: “At the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, organizers used mechanical refrigeration to cool the Missouri State Building.” But, far better systems were devised and introduced in large Movie Theaters: “In 1922, Carrier Engineering Corporation installed the first well-designed cooling system for theaters at Metropolitan Theater in Los Angeles, .... In May 1922 at Rivoli Theater in New York, Carrier publicly debuted a new type of system that used a centrifugal chiller, which had fewer moving parts and compressor stages than existing units. The breakthrough system increased the reliability and lowered the cost of large-scale air conditioners, greatly expanding their use throughout the country.”
But it was about 25 years before practical and relatively cheap small scale air conditioning became available when: “Engineer Henry Galson went on to develop a more compact, inexpensive version of the window air conditioner and set up production lines for several manufacturers. By 1947, 43,000 of these systems were sold -- and, for the first time, homeowners could enjoy air conditioning without having to make expensive upgrades.
“By the late 1960s, most new homes had central air conditioning, and window air conditioners were more affordable than ever, fueling population growth in hot-weather states like Arizona and Florida.” (See “History of Air Conditioning”, July 20, 2015, Paul Lester, Department of Energy, at < https://www.energy.gov/
The decades following WW 2 saw a significant increase in population in the entire Sunbelt and other places outside of the old Core Area of the U.S. in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Midwestern regions. Just in the last few years migration to California seemed to end, while migration to Florida, Texas, Arizona, the Carolinas and Georgia has increased. In Texas, for example, in 2022 some 668,000 people moved into Texas while 494,000 moved out for a net inmigration of 174,000 people. Included in that number were people coming to Texas from, California – 102,442 new residents and from Florida – 41,747 new residents. Moving in the opposite direction were 42,279 Texans who moved to California and 38,207 Texans who moved to Florida. So clearly 60,000 more people moved from California to Texas than the other way around. (See, “Texas and California battle it out for most relocating residents, Census report says”, Nov 30, 2023, Amber Heckler, CultureMap, Innovation Map, at < https://houston.innovationmap.
In fact as Item 2)., “Meet the typical mover leaving Texas: ….” and Item 3)., “Meet the typical mover leaving California: ….”, make clear; there is not much difference between the two groups, and their motivations for leaving either of the two states are pretty similar. The motivations for moving vary but are mostly economic. The names of the various generations with living members here in the U.S. are bandied about in articles about these issues. Here is a list of 7 generations with the date ranges for their births.
List of the Seven Generations That Include at Least a Few Living Members in the Current-Day U.S.
The Greatest Generation (GI Generation): Born 1901–1927.
The Silent Generation: Born 1928–1945.
Baby Boom Generation: Born 1946–1964.
Generation X: Born 1965–1980.
Millennial Generation or Generation Y: Born 1981–1996.
Generation Z or iGen: Born 1997–2010.
Generation Alpha: Born After 2010.
At least until very recently the availability of reproductive health care, or of health care in general were not concerns for people moving from one state to another. And for most people those issues are still only part of the reasons for moving: jobs, housing costs and availability, and other mundane issues dominate the reasoning of most people. Reproductive Health Care is an increasingly important consideration as we look at young couples, women in general, women of reproductive age; and is critical for medical professionals, particularly OB-GYNs and other medical professionals who work with women of reproductive ages. Texas, Florida and Missouri are all seeing out migration by OB-GYNs or reluctance to move to those Forced-birth states for jobs in those fields or for advanced training; but the population numbers are too large in those states to see the effects of that. Idaho in contrast has a much smaller population and the effects have become pretty clear, 5 of Idaho's highly specialized 9 OB-GYNs who work on the most dangerous pregnancies, have either left the state already or have retired since the passage of draconian Forced-birth Laws in the state. Several Maternity Departments in small town hospitals in the state have closed in that same time. Idaho is the canary in the coal mine, it is a state with beautiful natural features that for decades easily attracted reproductive health care professionals, who are now leaving in significant numbers.
Young women, who are well-paid professionals in a number of fields, are also concerned with these issues. Previously their companies promised to cover their travel costs to obtain reproductive health care outside of reactionary dominated Red States, like Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Idaho. But the many reactionary dominated Red State legislatures have begun to pass laws and to mandate that the police and prosecutors take draconian actions to keep women from leaving those states for Reproductive Health Care; they are also threatening the companies that provide financial assistance for travel to places where abortion is legal, to their female employees. These measures include actions like police searching women's records of various types, internet searches, phone records, menstrual cycle phone and internet applications, and other very personal records. Cities and counties in Texas are passing laws making it a crime to pass through those places on the way to obtain an abortion, again specifically empowering vigilantes and bounty hunters to take action against anybody “aiding or abetting” a woman seeking an abortion. These, and other initiatives, are actions meant to apply the coercive power of the state to control women's reproductive healthcare decisions and actions.
Items 4)., “Women-Owned Companies Rally ….”, and 5)., “U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce ….” both discuss the position of various Women who own or manage businesses and how they see the effects of harsh Forced-birth laws and the enforcement of those laws from a purely economic and business point of view. Clearly this is not a trend that is overwhelming the basic advantages of Red States, in this case Texas, to attract businesses and migrants, but it is likely a harbinger of developments yet to come.
Another issue that affects both Texas and Florida is unfavorable climate changes due to Global Warming. These are effects that can only be expected to increase in intensity as the temperatures increase (and it should be noted that California is also seriously affected). As Item 6)., “2023 Moving Trends Report: ….” noted there is a significant trend for migrants leaving California and the Northeastern and Great Lakes States to move to smaller communities in less populous states with South Carolina, North Carolina, and Montana topping the list of desired states to move to. Item 6). is from moveBuddah, a real estate tracking website with no overt ideological position. The article notes that:
“The Lone Star and Sunshine States are still popular among movers, but the stifling heat in Texas and the monster storms hitting Florida in recent years could be one reason that popularity has decreased.
“States like South Carolina and North Carolina continue to attract way more moves in than out in part due to their relative affordability and milder weather than their more expensive southern neighbors. The Carolinas face the threat of flooding and hurricanes, but they may be safer 'climate havens' than Texas and Florida.
“Montana may not be considered affordable when compared to Southern havens like the Carolinas. However, it is a popular place to move for those coming from high-cost housing states like California and Washington.”
The article notes that for 2023 the states with the top 10 highest Move-In to Move-Out ratios are, in descending order: South Carolina (2.11), Hawaii (1.91), Alaska (1.82), North Carolina & Montana (1.74), West Virginia (1.69), Tennessee (1.62), Arkansas & Maine (1.49), and South Dakota (1.43); and contrasts them with the bottom 10 Move-In to Move-Out ratios again in descending order: Pennsylvania (0.83), Louisiana & Massachusetts (0.81), Nebraska & Illinois (0.79), Maryland & Ohio (0.77), Connecticut (0.74), New Jersey (0.64) and California (0.54).
The political balance of power in the U.S. has shifted around with the changes in absolute and relative population in the various regions of the country. California was once a largely right-wing bastion and only about 20 years ago shifted into a Liberal Bastion. The changes in the number of members in the U.S. House of Representatives have changed radically since the 1910 Census and the original election with 435 members in the house in 1912. Map 4 demonstrates just how profound these changes have been.
The Post WW 2 period, particularly after 1960 saw a significant proportion of these changes and this is shown in Map 5 here below. The simple fact of the matter is that the far-right has a significant advantage due to the shift in migration to the Deep South, especially Texas and Florida. This level of migration and this right-wing advantage might be running out to its logical conclusion. If the U.S. more closely resembled a functioning democracy the far-right would be out of luck. However the U.S., while it has some aspects of a democracy, is far from a functioning one. Right-wing forces in key states, that have already changed very sigificantly in demographic, socio-economic and political terms, are hanging onto power and obviously will not give ground to the changing nature of the populations they rule. Furthermore, there is clearly an increasing trend towards settling political disputes with violent actions (when the old methods of voter suppression and fraudulent vote tallying become insufficient). The Left / Liberals / Progressives and any other political faction that does not want to live in a 21st century police state must seize control of several of the disputed former Core Red States, i.e. Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona. We can only expect that this will become more urgent as the years pass by.
We cannot expect a major transformation in political power to take place seamlessly. The U.S. ruling class, that is riddled with profiteers, war criminals, financiers and rentiers, will try to resist this process with the most ruthless and vicious tactics imaginable. Their minions already consider us to be just a domestic version of thre Vietcong or the Sandinistas.
See where the most people are moving to and from in your county
Across the country, the nation’s largest cities have been losing residents, a trend partially fueled by a loosening of in-office work requirements and partially due to rising housing costs. But San Antonio is an exception.
Among the 10 largest cities in the country, San Antonio is one of three that has actually seen population growth since 2020.
Other cities in the San Antonio and Austin metro areas — including New Braunfels, Kyle and Georgetown — have also experienced swift population growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The population has grown by about 14 percent in Georgetown, nearly 11 percent in Kyle and 6 percent in New Braunfels between July 2021 and July 2022.
But where are these new residents coming from? The question is harder to answer than you might think. Data from a variety of sources have given us clues, like the U.S. Postal Service change of address data, U.S. government surveys and Texas drivers license data. But the gold standard for migration data was just recently released: Info from the Internal Revenue Service.
In addition to collecting Americans’ taxes, the IRS collects the most detailed information on where Americans are moving. The numbers take some time to come out — we are just getting statistics for 2021 — but they are a treasure trove of data. The information is based on the reported mailing addresses on tax returns filed to the IRS in 2020 and 2021. By looking at year-to-year changes to a filer’s address, the IRS determines whether or not they moved. The agency then publishes data on the total number of movers between any two counties and their total incomes.
The numbers show that many people moved to suburbs not far from their previous home. But other less-common destinations saw spikes in inbound migration during the first year of the pandemic, with some counties seeing more than twice as many people move in than in previous years.
Former Bexar County residents mostly stayed in Texas, and about 6 percent who did leave the county — just above 5,000 people — moved right next door to Guadalupe County. Another group of about 5,000 former residents moved to Comal County.
The traffic wasn’t just from Bexar County to Guadalupe County. More people moved from Guadalupe County to Bexar County than any other single location, according to the IRS data.
Counties that are home to other large cities in Texas, including Houston, Austin and El Paso, accounted for a combined total of 7,186 new Bexar County residents.
El Paso County in Colorado, which is home to Colorado Springs, was the most popular destination for Bexar County emigrants who moved outside of Texas.
Curious about where people from your county moved to? Search for your county in the interactive below to see the most common origins and destinations for people who moved in and out of your county between 2020 and 2021.
More than half of Texas’ 254 counties saw stronger growth in residential populations during 2020-21 when compared with pre-pandemic migration trends.
For instance, Comal County added 11 percent more new residents during 2020-21 compared to the yearly average of the county’s immigrants between 2015 and 2020.
While most counties had a higher number of new residents, about 27 percent of Texas counties had increased numbers of people leaving the respective county.
That said, 48 counties — about 20 percent of the state — had an increase in both inbound and outbound migration. Blanco County had a 46 percent increase in the number of new residents compared to the yearly average between 2015 and 2020. But the county also had a 20 percent increase in the number of people leaving.
Negative change / no data
In addition to migration data, the IRS also publishes the reported total income of people moving between counties. Using this information, we calculated the net income change for each county — the difference in total income of people moving in and those moving out. We also calculated the average household income of movers by dividing the total income by the number of filed tax returns per county.
Net income changes largely follow net migration trends. Counties with net population increases in 2020-21 typically gained income, while counties with overall population declines generally lost income. For instance, New York County’s population fell by 63,000 people in 2020-21, resulting in a net income loss of $16.5 billion. Meanwhile, Palm Beach County in Florida had 12,000 more people enter than leave the county and an overall income gain of $7 billion.
Travis County, Texas is an exception to the rule. Despite a population decline of 8,000 people, those who moved to Travis reported higher incomes ($6.5 billion in total) than those who left ($4.7 billion) — a difference of $1.8 billion. On average, households that moved to the county reported incomes of $120,000, while those that left reported $86,000.
Average household income of people entering and leaving each county during 2020-21
About 70 households moved from Bexar County to Palm Beach County in Florida, taking with them an average annual income of about $160,000 each.
While those households had the highest average income of Bexar County emigrants, hundreds of higher-income Texans remained in state. About 1,000 former Bexar County households with an average income of $130,000 moved to Kendall County, just north of San Antonio. Another 200 with the same average income moved to Kerr County, just northwest of Kendall County.
Former Bexar County households with lower incomes also stayed in Texas. Specifically about 500 moved to Wilacy, Bee, Walker, Maverick, Liberty, DeWitt and Karnes counties. The average annual incomes of those households were $34,000 or less.
People from outside of Texas did bring their wealth to Bexar County. About 43 households came from San Mateo County, California, just south of San Francisco. These households had an average annual income of $260,000.
King County, Washington, home to Seattle, and San Francisco and Santa Clara counties in California had nearly 500 households move to the San Antonio area, bringing with them between $140,000 and $180,000 in average annual incomes.
Lower-income families also came from California. Specifically, 26 households with an average income of $25,000 moved from Merced, a county in the middle of the state.
It’s important to note that the IRS data provides only the total income, so it is possible that some of the outliers are driven by one particularly higher-income of lower-income household moving from one county to another. We’ve included only cases where at least 50 households moved between counties to account for that, but a very rich or poor family still might skew the results.
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Meet the typical mover leaving Texas: Millennial renters making $50,000 a year who are moving to California and Florida
- Between 2021 and 2022, about 494,000 people moved out of Texas, according to Census data.
- Many Texans are moving to California and Oklahoma, though some head to Washington and Illinois.
- Recent movers from Texas told BI they are enjoying more affordable homes and new life experiences.
The typical mover leaving Texas makes just over $50,000, is an unmarried millennial or Gen Zer, and is moving to states including California, Florida, and Oklahoma.
Between 2021 and 2022, over 668,300 people moved into Texas, while about 494,000 people moved out, per the Census Bureau's tabulation of American Community Survey data.
A Business Insider analysis of individual-level data from the Census Bureau's 2022 ACS, assembled by the University of Minnesota's IPUMS program, found that, compared with people moving to Texas, people leaving Texas had slightly lower salaries, were employed at lower rates, and skewed slightly more Gen Z.
On average, though, those moving into and leaving Texas were fairly similar in terms of salary, generational divide, marital status, and employment status.
Several former Texans have told Business Insider in recent months that they left the state to find better weather, cheaper costs of living, slower paces of life, and politics that align more closely with theirs.
The Census data, though, helps us paint a clearer picture of the attributes of people moving out of Texas.
The average salary of people leaving Texas is $50,428 a year. People leaving Texas were 66% employed, with 29% not working or actively looking for work.
Those leaving the state were 37.3% millennial and 31.2% Gen Z. Only 11.4% of people moving to Texas were boomers, who are more likely to be retirees.
Many of the people leaving Texas — 42,300 of them — moved to California, followed by 38,200 who headed to Florida and 26,400 who decamped to Oklahoma.
Among those leaving Texas who were not living in student housing, just 31.8% own a home — compared to the national homeownership rate of 66% in the third quarter of 2023. The average home value among homeowners who left Texas is $472,223.
Marriage rates between those moving from and moving to Texas are rather similar, though a slightly higher percentage of people departing the state are single or unmarried at just under 46%, compared to 44.5% of those moving in. A greater percentage of those moving in are married, at 41.4%, compared to 40.3% of those leaving.
Texans are seeking affordable homes
Business Insider previously spoke with two couples who moved out of Texas — one set went to Georgia, while the other moved farther afield, to France. Both couples sought greater housing affordability and new lifestyles.
Nancy, 60, and Jim Cotton, 66, deemed Texas' high housing costs and climate intolerable. The Cottons previously told Business Insider that despite their love for Texas, they couldn't continue paying about $24,000 annually in property taxes.
"We wanted a new adventure in retirement, and to live somewhere where we could have the flexibility to stretch our income," Cotton told BI.
After selling their 4,500-square-foot Austin area home for $1.5 million in 2022, the couple purchased a 2,800-square-foot residence for $696,000 in Ellijay, a remote town 75 miles north of Atlanta. They are now savoring the affordability of rural Georgia, where they are saving around $3,000 each month.
"The county we live in has a property-tax exemption for seniors on school taxes, so now we only pay $1,599 a year." Cotton said. "Our water, which used to run $300 a month in Texas, is part of a community well, so it doesn't cost us anything."
Some movers are chasing small-town life
Raina, 44, and Jason, 43, Willick certainly took affordability into account when departing Texas, but perhaps even more crucial was their desire for a new cultural experience in a smaller town — that happened to be across the Atlantic Ocean.
"In 2021, we briefly moved from Houston to Colorado for better access to nature, but after 18 months we moved to France on an adventure with our 11-year-old daughter," Willick previously told BI. "We thought it would be cool for our family to live in another culture and to learn a different language."
In 2022, the couple arrived in Eymet, a medieval village located in southwest France that has a population of about 2,500 people. The Willicks selected the lesser-known town for its remoteness and tight-knit community, aiming to reside in a place that was "more affordable, smaller, and authentic to French life."
They are now in the process of purchasing a six-bedroom home, built during the French Revolution, for a total of 204,000 euros ($222,000). Similar to the Cottons, the Willicks are relieved at their relatively lower housing costs. Their French home cost $90,000 less than what they sold their Houston home for, and will save about $1,000 to $2,000 annually on property taxes.
"I never imagined that we could have this kind of home at a price that feels really comfortable," Willick told BI. "And the quality of life that comes with the village — I just never thought that would all come together and be possible."
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Meet the typical mover leaving California: Gen Zers and millennials making $53,500 a year who aren't married and moved to states like Texas and Arizona
- Movers from California are typically younger, make a modest income, and don't have advanced degrees.
- Many are moving to Texas and Arizona, though some like the appeal of a smaller town out east.
- Business Insider spoke to six recent movers who like the slower pace of life and cheaper cost of living.
The typical mover who left California in 2022 is Gen Z or millennial, unmarried, and makes $53,500 a year.
A Business Insider analysis of individual-level data from the Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey, assembled by the University of Minnesota's IPUMS program, found that nearly 65% of people who moved away from California over the age of 15 are Gen Z or millennials.
The specific breakdown was 26.8% Gen Z and 37.9% millennial. Gen Z is defined by the Pew Research Center as being born between 1997 and 2012, while millennials are defined as born between 1981 and 1996. Gen X — born between 1965 and 1980 — made up 16.6%, while baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 were 15.9%.
Many Californians are moving to states with lower costs of living, slower paces of life, improved work-life balance, and better climate conditions.
Overall, around 818,000 people left California between 2021 and 2022 — while only 475,800 moved in per the Census Bureau's tabulation of ACS data. Over 102,000 moved from California to Texas, while over 74,000 relocated to Arizona. Other popular states included Florida, Washington, and Nevada.
On the flip side, around 42,300 former Texans moved to California, while nearly 32,000 former Washington residents made the same move. Some people who moved to California from states including Tennessee and Florida told Business Insider California's weather, business and health resources, and infrastructure pulled them in.
Around 62.2% of movers from California are employed, while 4.6% are unemployed. Nearly a third — 32.3% — are not in the labor force, made up partly of retirees and students. On average, movers made $53,566 a year in professions ranging from lawyers to teachers to engineers. This value may skew lower due to the number of movers with little income while in school or retirees on Social Security.
Less than 41% of those who moved have a bachelor's degree or higher, while 7% have an associate's degree. Nearly 28% have a high school diploma or GED or did not complete high school.
These movers also skew slightly male at a bit over 51%. Additionally, 45.5% of movers are single or unmarried, while 41.2% are married. Nearly 8.3% of movers are divorced.
Business Insider previously spoke to six people who moved from California to North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Oklahoma.
Why people are leaving California
While some moved away from California for a more peaceful — and cheaper — retirement, others relocated for better work opportunities.
Take Sandra, who's in her early 50s and moved from the Los Angeles area to the North Carolina shore earlier this year. After seeing prices rising and many more out-of-staters moving in, she decided she could retire to a beach house out east without as much financial stress.
She previously told BI she misses the California weather, though she loves her coastal property. Her North Carolina home cost $1.2 million, which she and her husband paid off in full. Her new home, which has slightly higher insurance payments than in California, is similar in size to her North California home, which sold for over $2 million.
"I liked the idea of moving here, but I thought, I hate the heat, and if I'm going to move here, I need to be near the ocean and I have to be somewhere that's air conditioned or has a pool," Sandra said.
A common theme was a drop in prices in their new states. For Sandra, gas prices came in about 40% cheaper in North Carolina, while taxes were cut by around half.
For Bob Giramma, 63, moving to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, meant cheaper home prices than in San Diego, as well as less expensive utility bills, car registration, and restaurants. Tennessee also presented him with more business opportunities as "one of the smoothest places to do business."
"You don't see ostentatious wealth and you don't see abject poverty," Giramma previously told BI. "A lot of people are in the middle, and in terms of diversity, my neighbors are of every race, ethnicity, and national origin."
In addition to cheaper prices, Bill Ross, 65, said his new state of Texas provided better education for his kids, had better infrastructure, and was home to much friendlier people. Ross moved from Silicon Valley to the city of Boerne in Hill Country about a half hour north of San Antonio.
He bought a four-bedroom, three-bath house on 0.8 acres with a pool for around half the cost of a similar home in Silicon Valley. He said he felt at home in Texas almost immediately in his still culturally diverse, calmer area.
"People in the San Francisco-Bay Area have sufficient equity in their houses to buy newer, nicer, and bigger homes in Texas outright, negating the entire notion of high interest rates," Ross previously told BI. "Government regulations aren't preventing construction from keeping up with demand."
Bigger city to smaller town
Another trend among some movers is moving from a bigger city in California to a more rural area in a different state. A. Duvall, 47, who asked to just use the first initial of her first name to protect her privacy, recently moved from San Diego County to Paducah, Kentucky, a small city with around 26,000 residents.
Since she receives Social Security Disability Insurance, her income is modest, but she was able to find a home for just $60,000 that fits her needs. Her bills went down drastically, and she feels much safer, despite the occasional tornado in Kentucky.
Jan Pfrimmer, 72, also made the move from San Diego to a much smaller town. She relocated to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, a town of 1,500 residents, which she said is much more peaceful, even though there's a lot less going on.
While she acknowledged it's not the most lively place especially for younger Americans, it fits everything she wanted: plenty of nature, a townhouse for a third of what her house was worth in California, and better medical care.
"I find the sound of the trains going through town comforting, I don't know why," Pfrimmer said. "I find something everyday in nature out here, and that brings me a great deal of joy."
For some Gen Z and millennials, moving away from California presents opportunities to get a fresh start. Laura Landers, 32, moved from Los Angeles, where she worked at a social media management firm, to Tulsa, a city of 400,000 in Oklahoma, through a program called Tulsa Remote that gave her $10,000 to move.
Though Tulsa was different from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, she said the city was near perfect for launching her clothing line, as she said Tulsa is an "entrepreneur city" with strong support networks. The lower cost of living also reduced some anxiety and gave her the opportunity to become an entrepreneur.
"Tulsa was all the parts of LA that I loved because it's still a city, and I wasn't willing or ready to give up that city life, but it did have the small-town charm where everybody was super kind and genuine," Landers previously told BI. "LA is not necessarily genuine. People might be kind but it's a fake kind just to get through."
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Women-Owned Companies Rally to Challenge Texas Abortion Ban
A group of Texas business leaders have publicly opposed the state's strict abortion law, citing its $15 billion negative economic effects, including their ability to run their businesses and attract employees to the state, rather than arguments based on civil liberties and individual rights.
As culture war disputes divide friends, colleagues, and even family members, companies have been understandably disinclined to speak out on burning topics of the day--from the Israel-Hamas war to LGTBQ+ issues.
But a group of 51 companies and business organizations signed an amicus brief filed on behalf of the Austin-based data app Bumble in support of the 22 plaintiffs in the Zurawski v. Texas case. The litigation challenges the strict Texas law that denies access to abortions. The plaintiffs want the state to clarify the "medical emergency" exceptions to the law, specifically the right to terminate pregnancies whose complications had put their lives at risk.
Bumble--whose management and clients are predominately women--accomplished something unusual: It mobilized PR-conscious, tight-lipped businesses to speak out on a divisive social issue in a conservative state. Among the companies Bumble's leadership recruited to co-sign the amicus brief are the parent of Match.com and Tinder and advertising firm Preacher, as well as firms from sectors such as hospitality, food, tech, and health care. The United States Women's Chamber of Commerce also took part in this unusual public stand on the explosive topic of abortion.
Executives at Bumble had previously voiced their opposition to legal reproductive rights restrictions. But the startup's move to involve itself in Zurawski v. Texas argues that the strict abortion ban infringes on its ability to recruit employees from out of state. Those and other difficulties created are costing the Texas economy, companies, and people about $15 billion per year, the filing said.
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The dollar figure comes from a 2021 report by the Institute for Women's Policy Research, which ascribed the shortfall to professional women either avoiding or leaving Texas because of its abortion ban, or earning less or leaving the workforce to assume parenting duties. Bumble says 150 of its own employees have bolted Texas to perform work from places that have not restricted access to abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling based on an individual right to privacy.
The brief also cites activities and revenue lost from nonresidents refusing to come to Texas because of the law. Several other states and professional organizations, including the 40,000-member Society of Women Engineers, are boycotting travel to locations that limit reproductive rights.
But the Texas abortion law--considered among the most severe among the 50 states--has been challenged and upheld before. Earlier this week, the state Supreme Court overturned a lower court's ruling permitting a woman to abort a pregnancy doctors said was threatening to her life. The panel ruled that the physicians had not substantiated conditions required for exceptions to the law.
In its filing, Bumble and attorneys from the law firm Reed Smith make their legal argument addressing precisely those rare exceptions when doctors may provide abortions. The ambiguity of those circumstances adds to already considerable atmosphere of doubt and concern that discourages prospective employees from coming to the state, the brief says.
That "uncertain and confusing Texas regulatory environment is creating professional and personal difficulties for those who work and travel in Texas, as well as adversely impacting employee recruitment and retention, and creating obstacles for attracting new businesses, visitors and events," Reed Smith says in a statement. "Now, a total of 51 leading businesses, organizations, and individuals with operations in Texas have signed the brief, which argues that ambiguity in the state's abortion bans are having a negative impact on the economy."
It's a unique approach in a state that has always bragged about attaching few restrictions on businesses. Bumble and its amicus brief allies are now determined to harness the business activity, energy, and wealth they've created in defense of a social issue they believe is vital their continued prosperity.
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U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce is among latest to argue that ambiguity in Texas abortion laws is bad for businesses | News | Reed Smith LLP
51 leading businesses, organizations, and individuals have now signed the Reed Smith-authored amicus brief in Zurawski v. Texas
The original brief was filed on November 20, one week prior to oral argument in Zurawski, with strong backing from the Texas Community. Austin-based online dating company Bumble Inc. topped the list of some 40 companies and businesspeople joining the brief, which is uniquely focused on the economic fallout from the state’s abortion bans.
Since that time, a new lawsuit has arisen involving a Texas woman (Kate Cox), her husband, and her physician, who filed suit seeking legal permission to obtain an abortion, which Ms. Cox’s physicians counseled her is medically necessary given the fetus’s fatal diagnosis and the severe health risks she faces continuing the pregnancy.
A trial court agreed that Ms. Cox’s situation fell within the existing medical exceptions under Texas’s abortion bans and issued an order protecting Ms. Cox, her husband, her physician, and others from legal liability under any of Texas’s abortion bans and permitting her to proceed with the abortion. However, the Texas Attorney General is attempting to block access to the emergency abortion care, and the Texas Supreme Court issued an order late Friday evening blocking the lower court’s order, thus denying abortion care for Ms. Cox in her home state.
While Reed Smith is not directly involved in Ms. Cox’s case, Reed Smith partner Sarah Cummings Stewart – who led the team that co-authored the business amicus brief in the Zurawski case – had this to say about the Cox case:
“What’s happening to Ms. Cox is a prime example of the urgent need for clarification of the medical exceptions under Texas’s abortion bans and why, due the chaos that ensues from the absence of such clarification, people are fleeing Texas and refusing to move to Texas. This is why businesses will continue to struggle to recruit and retain talent. This is why pregnant women from other states are hesitant to travel to Texas for business meetings. This is why conferences are moving their events to other states. This is why doctors are leaving the state. This is why our economy is taking a hit.”
Among the latest and largest signatories of Reed Smith’s business brief is the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce (USWCC), which, with more than 500,000 members, is the only nationwide organization focused on promoting women’s economic development.
“In the wake of the Kate Cox case, it is clear to see why the state’s vaguely written abortion bans are having a chilling effect on the Texas economy,” said Charmagne Manning, president of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce. “As our brief highlights, a direct line can be drawn between these cases and the historic departures of businesses and workers from Texas, which is already costing billions in lost opportunity.”
The brief further details how an uncertain and confusing Texas regulatory environment is creating professional and personal difficulties for those who work and travel in Texas, as well as adversely impacting employee recruitment and retention, and creating obstacles for attracting new businesses, visitors and events.
Additional new signatories to the business brief include: United States Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Alyssa Dadoly, Anderson Diaz PLLC, Bespoke Luxury Designs, Buenos Diaz Landscaping, Comeka Anderson Diaz, Emmer and Rye Hospitality Group, Jen Grogono, Lush Cosmetics, Mio, and Preacher.
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2023 Moving Trends: Where are Americans moving?
(Update: October 2023)
Call it Manifest Destiny. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have made a habit of packing up in search of a better life. Using Conestoga wagons or following Route 66, they’ve sought education and job opportunities far from home.
Roughly 13% of Americans moved each year before the onset of the pandemic. After the onset of the 2020 pandemic, 22% of Americans moved in response to the virus or know someone who has. More recently, Census data shows that despite a decline in shorter-distance moves, longer-distance moves picked up in 2022.
And in 2023, the country’s movers are still on the move.
Whether it’s retirement, remote work protocols, or in the face of inflation, we’re witnessing new post-pandemic moving trends and patterns for movers nationwide. One where movers continue to seek out nature and affordability.
So, we wanted to know what are the moving trends in 2023? Which states and cities are popular? What’s changed?
We’ll look at moveBuddha’s proprietary data to uncover which states people are leaving (and moving to) in 2023, so far.
What’s happening in 2023?
- Big skies, warm weather, and beaches rule in 2023. South Carolina, North Carolina, and Montana are proven winners year after year after year — interest for moving to these states has outpaced moves out from 2020 through 2023.
- Dense, urban areas are (still) losing out: California, New Jersey, and Connecticut all had significantly more outbound moves than inbound.
- Move over Texas and Arizona. Of the most searched states with at least 10K mover queries, North Carolina, Florida, and Colorado are attracting the highest proportions of inflow in 2023.
- 2023’s top cities to move to so far by highest inflow-to-outflow ratio are Asheville (NC), Ocala (FL), Myrtle Beach (SC), Dillon (CO), Greenville (SC), Saint Augustine (FL), Wilmington (NC), Franklin (TN), Pensacola (FL), and Kissimmee (FL).
- Which big(ger) cities are making a post-pandemic comeback? #1 Charlotte, NC is the most popular big city to move to in 2023. Followed by #2 Denver (CO), #3 New York (NY), #4 Tampa (FL), and #5 Boston (MA).
- California Leavin’. California’s major cities are still losing big in 2023, with San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles among the bottom 5 biggest cities seeing way more moves out than in.
I. Nationwide, what is different in 2023?
Fueled by a desire to escape the perceived risks of public transportation and apartment elevators, densely-populated urban areas lost twice as many residents in 2020 as in previous years.
That trend continued throughout the pandemic, as newly-remote workers found they could work from smaller cities in their new jobs and take advantage of affordable homes and nearby nature. At the same time, early retirees called it quits. As a result, the balmy southeastern states and mountain west swelled with newcomers, who came out in droves.
Even though they’re not the boom states of 2020, the most popular destinations of 2023 follow many of the trends we’ve seen over the past few years.
Overall, areas with a lower cost of living, a steady climate, and better access to outdoor activities are seeing the most growth. More expensive areas will continue to see people leave as the cost of living becomes an even greater challenge.
Click the year “button” below to see the changing trends:
While the most popular states of the pandemic begin to see fewer move-ins, which states are rising to fill their place?
South Carolina, North Carolina, and Montana are seeing way more moves in than out in 2023.
And it’s not just in 2023. These states have proven themselves winners in the eyes of movers year after year — interest in moving to these states has outpaced moves out since 2020.
| State | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| South Carolina | 2.04 | 2.08 | 1.95 | 2.11 |
| North Carolina | 1.77 | 1.78 | 1.83 | 1.74 |
| Montana | 3.72 | 2.74 | 2.04 | 1.74 |
| Florida | 1.67 | 2.10 | 1.60 | 1.31 |
| Texas | 1.60 | 1.68 | 1.32 | 1.13 |
The Lone Star and Sunshine States are still popular among movers, but the stifling heat in Texas and the monster storms hitting Florida in recent years could be one reason that popularity has decreased.
States like South Carolina and North Carolina continue to attract way more moves in than out in part due to their relative affordability and milder weather than their more expensive southern neighbors. The Carolinas face the threat of flooding and hurricanes, but they may be safer “climate havens” than Texas and Florida.
Montana may not be considered affordable when compared to Southern havens like the Carolinas. However, it is a popular place to move for those coming from high-cost housing states like California and Washington.
The surge in interest for moving to Montana destination cities like Bozeman could repeat the vicious cycle of housing unaffordability, though. Nearly 30% of Montana households across the state are paying more than 30% of their pre-tax income on housing, showing that Americans nearly everywhere are being squeezed by the housing affordability crisis.
II. Getting away from the Crowd: 2023’s most and least popular states
Nationwide, where are people moving in 2023?
We analyzed moveBuddha search data to uncover this year’s most and least popular states to move to (and away from) in 2023. Data analyzed spans from Jan 1 through Sep 30, 2023.
Most popular states of 2023
| Rank | State | In-to-Out |
| 1 | South Carolina | 2.11 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 1.91 |
| 3 | Alaska | 1.82 |
| 4 | North Carolina | 1.74 |
| 5 | Montana | 1.74 |
| 6 | West Virginia | 1.69 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 1.62 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 1.49 |
| 9 | Maine | 1.49 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 1.43 |
South Carolina continues to be a hot spot for American movers in 2023 for many reasons. One main reason is the state’s affordable cost of living, which is 11.5% cheaper than the national average. The healthcare and tech industries are also growing rapidly in many SC cities like Columbia, Greeneville, and Lockhart, bringing workers to The Palmetto State.
You may get a sense of why these states are recent winners. As Americans find the freedom to work remotely, they increasingly value spending time outdoors, pursuing recreational opportunities like sailing, skiing, whitewater rafting, and hiking. After all, an afternoon escape to a regional park can make a tough remote work day bearable.
Likewise, southern states with mild weather and ample outdoor recreation opportunities, like South Carolina, Tennessee, and even Arkansas, top the charts for inbound compared to outbound moves. While you’ll find big-city life in any of these states, they’re better known for outdoor concerts and stunning nature preserves.
Least popular states of 2023
| Rank | State | In-to-Out |
| 1 | California | 0.54 |
| 2 | New Jersey | 0.64 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 0.74 |
| 4 | Ohio | 0.77 |
| 5 | Maryland | 0.77 |
| 6 | Illinois | 0.79 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 0.79 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 0.81 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 0.81 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 0.83 |
For outbound moves, densely populated urban states were the least popular destinations, with many more people looking to leave than relocate there. Four of the top five least popular states ranked among the 10 most densely populated U.S. states.
California and New Jersey lost the most residents compared to those moving in. In addition to being densely populated, they face affordability challenges. New Jersey residents pay the country’s highest property taxes, deal with exorbitant real estate and rent prices, and increasingly see corporate headquarters leave the state, taking jobs with them. It’s only natural that New Jersey residents would give up the shore in pursuit of more affordable housing and plentiful jobs. Nearby Connecticut is facing the same challenge and also losing residents.
The story should be familiar to residents of Illinois and California. Both were economic powerhouses whose residents were increasingly wrestling with unaffordable housing and high property taxes. As both California and Illinois lose employers, their residents consider following close behind.
The most searched states: Are moves still heading to Texas and Florida?
When it comes to pure volume of searches, the most populous states top the list: California, Florida, and Texas. But volume doesn’t tell the whole story. Sure, there may be 30,000 searches for moves involving Texas cities. But if nearly half of those searches are for moves exiting the state, Texas isn’t really making any population gains.
So, to understand which states are really seeing the most mover action — whether those moves were flowing in or headed out, we compare searches for moves in vs. moves out: Hence, our in-to-out ratio.
Looking at the states with at least 10,000 searches for moves in 2023 (from Jan 1 through September 30), we found which of the nation’s most searched states rank at the top and bottom for moves by inflow-to-outflow ratio:
| Rank | State | 2023 In-to-Out Ratio |
| 1 | North Carolina | 1.74 |
| 2 | Florida | 1.31 |
| 3 | Colorado | 1.31 |
| 4 | Georgia | 1.25 |
| 5 | Texas | 1.13 |
| 6 | Arizona | 1.13 |
| 7 | Washington | 0.99 |
| 8 | Virginia | 0.92 |
| 9 | New York | 0.88 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 0.83 |
| 11 | Illinois | 0.79 |
| 12 | California | 0.54 |
III. Small Cities, Big Nature: Which cities were especially popular in 2023, across the country?
We know which states are dominating U.S. migration this 2023, but which cities are leading the pack? As you might expect, it wasn’t highly populated urban hubs that drew new residents. Instead, small and mid-sized cities with plenty of affordable housing and outdoor recreation came out on top.
Top cities to move to in 2023
| Rank | City, State | In-to-out Ratio |
| 1 | Asheville, North Carolina | 3.01 |
| 2 | Ocala, Florida | 2.94 |
| 3 | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | 2.87 |
| 4 | Dillon, Colorado | 2.46 |
| 5 | Greenville, South Carolina | 2.28 |
| 6 | Saint Augustine, Florida | 2.15 |
| 7 | Wilmington, North Carolina | 2.02 |
| 8 | Franklin, Tennessee | 2 |
| 9 | Pensacola, Florida | 1.99 |
| 10 | Kissimmee, Florida | 1.98 |
Asheville, North Carolina, is booming with new residents. Nearly 93,000 people lived in the city in 2019 and more than 260,000 across Buncombe County, according to census data. By 2030, the state estimates the number will spike to nearly 297,000.
Why is Asheville so popular? Let us count the ways: an abundant access to nature, a vibrant music scene, and the city’s reputation as a foodie paradise make it the most popular American destination city in 2023.
Myrtle Beach, SC, and Wilmington, NC, are two other uber-popular coastal Carolina destination cities. Wilmington’s large historic district, vibrant waterfront, and proximity to the “salt life” are a few reasons its one of America’s most popular cities.
The popularity of Myrtle Beach has surged for years. A recent moveBuddha report ranked it as the best U.S. city for new home construction. The cost of living in Myrtle Beach - for now - is also very affordable compared to other cities on the East Coast.
The appearance of four Florida cities in the top 10 shouldn’t be surprising, either. Ocala took the #2 spot thanks to lower new home prices, a quiet lifestyle, and growing cultural options. It’s known as the “Horse Capitol of the World,” after all.
Greeneville, SC, is yet another Carolina city seeing a surge in popularity, landing at #5. The strong job market in Greenville is a big reason why. Opportunities abound in the city in the healthcare, tech, and manufacturing industries, with companies like BMW and GE employing thousands of residents in the area.
Exit cities of 2023
| Rank | City, State | In-to-out Ratio |
| 1 | Bakersfield, California | 0.48 |
| 2 | Bronx, New York | 0.49 |
| 3 | Oakland, California | 0.51 |
| 4 | Stamford, Connecticut | 0.53 |
| 5 | San Mateo, California | 0.55 |
| 6 | Sunnyvale, California | 0.55 |
| 7 | Pasadena, California | 0.55 |
| 8 | Fresno, California | 0.56 |
| 9 | San Jose, California | 0.57 |
| 10 | Columbus, Ohio | 0.58 |
California’s struggles to retain residents continue in 2023, with seven Golden State cities seeing large numbers of residents looking to leave. Bakersfield leads the list, but other cities include Oakland, San Mateo, Sunnyvale, Pasadena Fresno, and San Jose.
Surveys show that many Californians actually love living in California and applaud the state for its diversity. The problem is the cost of living has become exorbitantly high. The Golden State has had three consecutive years of population declines, according to census data. Four in ten Californians say they’re considering moving out because it’s too expensive to live there, according to one new statewide poll.
The reasons for leaving #9 San Jose may be a bit different than why folks want to leave #1 Bakersfield. But it likely boils down to one main thing: cost of living.
The Bronx in New York City took the #2 spot for least desirable, and Stamford, CT, took the #4 ranking. Connecticut has seen residents continue to flee since the pandemic for various reasons, including trimming expenses and finding less densely populated areas. About 40% of residents leaving Connecticut are 65 or older and finding new states to retire in.
Columbus, Ohio, appearing on the list is a surprise, considering the city is poised to become Ohio’s largest by population by 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That said, Ohio is one of the least popular states to move to in 2023, and Columbus could be suffering this year due to the overall unpopularity of the Buckeye State.
Big city trends: Which urban areas are the most popular to move to in 2023, so far?
Looking purely at cities with the highest search volumes (at least 1,000 searches in and out), we can see which of the nation's largest cities are most or least popular to move to.
For the first time since 2020, movers are expanding their focus beyond the hot move-to cities of the pandemic.
Big cities with the highest in-to-out ratio:
| Rank | City, State | In/Out Ratio |
| 1 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1.65 |
| 2 | Denver, Colorado | 1.49 |
| 3 | New York, New York | 1.3 |
| 4 | Tampa, Florida | 1.23 |
| 5 | Boston, Massachusetts | 1.22 |
| 6 | Portland, Oregon | 1.2 |
| 7 | Houston, Texas | 1.2 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 1.18 |
| 9 | Seattle, Washington | 1.11 |
| 10 | Phoenix, Arizona | 1.07 |
The most popular large city to move to in 2022? Charlotte, North Carolina, with 165 moves in for every 100 out.
Surprisingly, the data shows that big Northeastern cities like New York and Boston may be slowly making a post-pandemic comeback. Other data backs up this trend. NYC gained more residents than it lost in 2022, reversing a trend that started in the pandemic.
Data from commercial real estate firm JLL indicates a better picture of population gains in major U.S. urban cores, with most downtowns experiencing an improvement in net migration rates in 2022 compared to 2021. moveBuddha’s 2023 data backs this up.
Falling from the number one spot in 2022 - Tampa is still at the top of the list of big cities to move to in 2023, so far. And, with three months left to go could still make a comeback.
Cities like Seattle and Portland, Oregon, which struggled during the early days of the pandemic, are among the top large cities seeing interest in 2023. Meanwhile, Sunbelt and Mountain West cities like Denver, Las Vegas, Houston, and Phoenix continue the positive momentum.
Big cities with the lowest in-to-out ratio:
| Rank | City, State | In/Out Ratio |
| 1 | San Francisco, California | 0.66 |
| 2 | San Diego, California | 0.75 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 0.77 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, California | 0.79 |
| 5 | Brooklyn, New York | 0.85 |
It's no surprise that California cities dominate this list with San Francisco losing the most residents: only 66 moves are headed into the city for every 100 headed out.
Lifestyle moves in 2023, from remote-ability to affordability
The shift toward the Sunbelt and Mountain West has been evident for years, and it’s continuing as remote work stubbornly remains, people flee high-cost states like Illinois and New Jersey, and Baby Boomers retire to the beaches.
California’s notable struggles to retain residents remain a theme in 2023. Despite loving the California dream, residents there can no longer afford it. Texas and Florida have stolen the spotlight in recent years as top destination states, but South Carolina and North Carolina are steadily rising as competition.
After another summer of climate disasters, you’d think climate change would influence movers’ decisions more. But as a recent moveBuddha study showed, it’s not really a factor. For example, Hawaii is the second most popular destination state in 2023 even after the devastating wildfires there this year that claimed so many lives.
People usually move to be close to family or for work opportunities, but another reason is for money and lifestyle. Looking at the most popular states and cities in 2023, it’s evident movers are choosing vibrant small towns and cities that offer cultural amenities and more laidback lifestyles. It doesn’t hurt that the cost of living is better, too.
Movers also want more space to stretch out, a trend that accelerated in the pandemic and hasn’t let up since. States like Montana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and South Dakota remain popular in 2023 for their rural charms, big skies, and abundance of land to roam.
With the pandemic finally fading from memory, we’re settling into a new normal that seems anything but normal. Putting the political circus of American life aside, movers want the best bang for their buck in low-cost-of-living areas in this era of inflation. And if means they have more space and can get away from the hustle and bustle, they’re taking it.
Methodology & Sources
We use moveBuddha proprietary data collected from 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to analyze moves trends. 2023 data includes mover search data collected from Jan 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023. The data comes directly from the moveBuddha Moving Cost Calculator.
In-to-out ratio: We rely primarily on the in-to-out ratio equation in our analysis to see which cities are earning more residents by moves in than losing them via moves out: [Number of queries for moves in] ÷ [Number of queries for moves out] = [in-to-out ratio].
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