10 Cities People Are Leaving Right Now — and 10 Cities People Are Moving To
According to a Redfin report, 24% of homebuyers searched to move to a different metro area between October 2023 and December 2023. The top five states with the highest inflow of homebuyers were Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Arizona. In comparison, the top five states with an outflow of homebuyers were California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington D.C.
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Within this article, we will look into the cities that made the list and discuss why homebuyers might be considering moving to and away from each.
Cities Where People Are Leaving
“The No. 1 reason people move away from these cities is cost,” said Seamus Nally, CEO of TurboTenant. “It is simply just incredibly expensive to live in any of these places, so people are moving away out of necessity.
“So for those looking to actually purchase a home or simply not spend the entirety of their paycheck on rent for a small studio apartment, moving to a less expensive city/state is the best option.”
The following cities had the largest number of people looking to leave instead of looking to move into the city.
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Los Angeles
Los Angeles tops the list of cities people are looking to leave. Between October and December 2023, 26,900 more people searched to leave Los Angeles than to move into the city. Of the Los Angeles residents looking to leave, most are looking in Las Vegas, San Diego, and Bakersfield, California. While there are many things to love about Los Angeles, people choose to leave because of the high cost of living, expensive housing, and the need to change scenery.
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San Francisco
Coming in a close second was San Francisco, where 25,900 more people searched to leave the city. So where are they headed? Sacramento was the most popular destination among San Francisco homebuyers, followed by Los Angeles and Seattle. It’s no secret that San Francisco has one of the country’s most expensive and competitive housing markets, a major driver for the potential outflow.
New York
You may be noticing a trend. Many cities where people are looking to escape are major metropolitan areas of the U.S. New York City saw 24,900 more people searching for new places to live than those actually looking to move into the city. Many of those looking to leave are exploring the idea of Miami, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Not only is New York City expensive and crowded, but its fast-paced lifestyle can get tiring.
Seattle
16,700 more people searched to leave Seattle than were looking to move into the city. Spokane and Bellingham, Washington, along with Phoenix, were among the desired destinations. Like other cities on the list, Seattle is a pricey place to live, which could be a driving factor in the volume of people searching for more affordable alternatives.
Washington, DC
13,000 more people searched to leave Washington than to move into the nation’s capital. Salisbury, Maryland, was the most popular destination of current Washington D.C. residents, but Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Miami were close behind. This means many are looking for cheaper, warmer cities.
Chicago
Chicago is one of the most vibrant cities in the country. However, 9,100 more people were searching to leave Chicago than to move there. The cold weather and high taxes have led Chicagoans to look into places like Cape Coral, Florida, South Bend, Indiana, and Phoenix.
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Boston
Boston has always been a desirable place to live. However, 6,000 more people were searching to leave Boston instead of becoming city transplants. They’re heading to Portland, Maine, Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Miami. Each of these cities is quite different, but they could offer more job opportunities, cheaper housing, or a change of scenery.
Philadelphia
3,600 more people searched to leave Philadelphia than to move there. They were looking to head to Salisbury, Maryland, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Allentown, Pennsylvania, which means most wanted to stay on the East Coast, likely within driving distance from family and friends.
Denver
For many years, Denver has witnessed massive population growth. However, in the fourth quarter of 2023, 2,400 more people were searching to leave Denver than move to the Mile High City. Instead of looking to move far away, they searched within the state to Fort Collins, Breckenridge, and Colorado Springs. Given each of their proximity to Denver, it’s clear that people love the area; they just need a slight change of scenery.
Detroit
Detroit went through a rough couple of decades, but recently, they have bounced back in a big way. The city is being transformed and brought back to its former glory. However, from October to December 2023, 2,100 more people searched to leave Detroit than to move into the city. They want to head to Washington, D.C., Boston, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.
10 Cities Where People Are Moving To
Not all cities are seeing more people looking to leave. Here are the top 10 cities with the biggest net inflow of searches from the same time period.
Sacramento, California
While other cities in California tend to get the most attention, Sacramento saw the greatest number of people searching to move into the city. 5,400 more people searched to move to Sacramento than those wanting to leave. Sacramento promises good weather, a relaxed way of life, and a slightly lower cost of living than San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas has a big appeal for many people. They have no state income taxes, a bustling nightlife scene, and great restaurants. Unsurprisingly, 4,100 more people were looking to move to Las Vegas instead of moving away. Most were coming from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Cape Coral, Florida
Most people would love to enjoy the warm sunshine year-round. That’s probably why 4,100 more people were searching to move to Cape Coral, Florida, rather than leave. The largest number of searchers were from Miami, so they most likely hoped to find a more affordable place to live. Following Miami were searchers from Chicago and New York City, and as you might expect, Cape Coral will be a much warmer and less expensive location.
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Sarasota, Florida
Staying in Florida, 4,000 more people searched to move to Sarasota than leaving the Gulf Coast city. Chicago, New York, and Boston were the top cities people searched to move from, so the warm weather might be a large factor.
Orlando, Florida
There is a lot to love about living in Orlando. Not only is Disney World there, but they also have great weather and a strong job market. These are three of the many reasons why 3,600 more people searched to move to Orlando than to leave. Most potential transplants came from New York, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
“The fact that Florida holds three of the top five spots for in-bound moves may seem a bit surprising,” says Martin Orefice, CEO, Rent to Own Atlanta. “Florida’s been getting a lot of bad press lately due to issues like its terrible homeowners’ insurance market. That being said, it can be helpful to step back and look at the big picture. Retirees are still the driver of this kind of data, and baby boomers keep on retiring and moving south at a record pace.”
Orefice went on to say, “Florida has warm weather, plenty of beaches, and zero income tax, making it a great place for retirees to make their retirement dollars stretch a little further. This hasn’t really changed, even though it’s fallen out of the news cycle a bit.”
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Low housing costs and warm weather are just a couple of reasons Myrtle Beach made the list. They had 3,500 more people searching to move there than leave. Washington, D.C., homebuyers had the largest interest in a move to Myrtle Beach, followed by New York and Boston.
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Salisbury, Maryland
Earlier, we mentioned how Salisbury was seeing strong interest from residents of Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. That makes it clear why it ended up on the list of top cities where people are searching to move. 3,500 more people searched about moving to Salisbury compared to wanting to leave. Salisbury offers lower living costs and housing prices than nearby metropolitan cities.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville has become one of the hottest cities in the country. That’s evident as 3,100 more people were searching to move to Nashville than to leave. Most searchers were coming from Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. Nashville offers a vibrant music and cultural scene, good food, and a relatively low cost of living. However, over the past several years, housing prices have risen faster than many other areas.
Phoenix, Arizona
Along with Florida, Arizona is known to be a big state for retirees. With most baby boomers now in retirement, it’s no surprise to see Phoenix on the list. From October to December 2023, 3,000 more people searched to move to Phoenix instead of leaving. The largest number of people came from Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco. Phoenix has a lower cost of living and lower housing prices when compared to many other larger metros. Plus, residents have less congestion to deal with.
Portland, Maine
Wrapping up the top 10 cities where people are searching to move is Portland, Maine. 2,900 more people searched to move to Portland than leave. Boston homebuyers were searching the most, followed by New York and Washington. Portland offers access to waterfront and beaches, a walkable downtown, and a smaller city feel than other eastern seaboard cities.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Cities People Are Leaving Right Now — and 10 Cities People Are Moving To
