Americans are moving to cities in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Sarasota, Florida and Boulder, Colorado are the best cities to live in 2023-2024. Florida cities like Sarasota, Orlando, Ocala, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and Melbourne are the most moved-to. New Jersey saw the most people moving out in 2023 while Vermont, Washington DC, and South Carolina had the highest rates of people moving in. States with more affordable housing tend to attract more new residents.
Interstate Migration Overview
When moving between states, about a third do so for jobs. States like California, New York, and Illinois had the largest numbers of people moving out while Florida and Texas had high population growth. Arizona and Georgia narrowly voted Democratic in 2020 but may lean Republican in 2024. Michigan’s open Senate seat could be challenging for Democrats to defend in 2024.
The Most Popular Moving Destinations
What is the most moved to state? Florida is tied as the most popular state to move to, the first choice for movers from seven states. The most influx came from Georgia, with 49,681 people. 34,965 moved from Pennsylvania, 30,335 from Ohio, and 21,668 from Michigan. Texas is tied as it ranks as the destination for movers from seven states.
What state did most people move to in 2023? Vermont ranked as the No. 1 state people moved to in 2023 for the third year in a row, according to United Van Lines’ annual National Movers Study. The study says 65% of moves into Vermont were inbound. Reasons listed for moving to The Green Mountain State include being closer to family (29%) and seeking a lifestyle change (20%).
New Jersey was the state from which most people moved for the sixth consecutive year, with 65% of moves outbound. Retirement was the main reason given for 27% of people moving out of New Jersey.
While Vermont saw the most inbound moves, Texas had 50.4% of all one-way U-Haul traffic entering the state, making it the top state for growth in 2023. Affordable housing and job opportunities continue attracting new residents to Texas.
Suburbs gained popularity over cities in 2022 as remote work and cheaper housing costs drew people away from urban centers. This shift marks a change from previous trends dictated by job locations.
Overall, fewer Americans moved in 2023, with the 25.6 million movers making up just 7.8% of the population – the lowest percentage ever recorded. Top reasons for moving included lowering costs of living (15%), moving in with or closer to family (30%), and retirement (27%).