Where Are People Moving To? Top Trends for 2022

Millions of Americans move every year, and many of them move out of their current zip code and into a new city or state. But where are people moving to? The answer to that question tends to change from year to year. Various areas see surges and decreases in their populations depending on a number of key factors.

If you’re ready for a big change, it’s helpful to know which places are seeing an increase in interest among movers—and why. You might be surprised by some of the areas that have found their way to the top of the list. Looking at U.S. moving patterns can give you a lot of insight into larger social trends. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get inspired to hop on board and become one of the millions who relocate in the new year.

So, where are people moving? Here are the top cities and states for movers in 2022.

Where are people moving to?

The best data that we have for where people are moving is the most recent U.S. Census report. It shows an overwhelming push toward states in the South and West—regions that have seen the largest growth rates in the country since 2010.

According to the census, these are the states showing the highest population growth:

1. 1. Utah – population +18.37%
   2. Idaho – population +17.32%
   3. Texas – population +15.91%
   4. North Dakota – population +15.83%
   5. Nevada – population +14.96%
   6. Colorado – population +14.8%
   7. Washington – population +14.58%
   8. Florida – population +14.56%
   9. Arizona – population +11.88%
   10. South Carolina – population +10.66%

   As for where populations are declining: Illinois, Mississippi, and West Virginia are the three states that had fewer residents in 2020 than in 2010. The biggest population decrease occurred in West Virginia. It lost 3.2% of its population in the decade between census releases.

   Cities seeing a population boom

   Another way to answer the question of where people are moving to is to look at the cities across the U.S. that have been experiencing the largest population booms. U.S. News and World Report paints a somewhat different picture than what the census tells us. It speaks more to specific metro areas that have increased in popularity, rather than broader state-to-state relocations.

   The 25 U.S. cities that are seeing the most new residents are:

   1. 1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
      2. Sarasota, Florida
      3. Fort Myers, Florida
      4. Naples, Florida
      5. Lakeland, Florida
      6. Ocala, Florida
      7. Daytona Beach, Florida
      8. Port St. Lucie, Florida
      9. Orlando, Florida
      10. Melbourne, Florida
      11. Fort Collins, Colorado
      12. Spartanburg, South Carolina
      13. Austin, Texas
      14. Boise, Idaho
      15. Tampa, Florida
      16. Salisbury, Maryland
      17. Eugene, Oregon
      18. Jacksonville, Florida
      19. Charleston, South Carolina
      20. Fayetteville, Arkansas
      21. Las Vegas, Nevada
      22. Charlotte, North Carolina
      23. Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina
      24. Phoenix, Arizona
      25. Nashville, Tennessee

      Florida takes the cake in terms of the state with the most popular cities for relocation. The state holds accounting for an impressive 11 of the 25 towns and cities that people are moving to. Good weather and a lack of state income tax might have something to do with it, as well as Florida’s pull with retirees. The same might be said of #1 spot Myrtle Beach, which U.S. News and World Report ranked among their top places to retire for 2021-2022.

      5 factors affecting U.S. moving trends

      There are a lot of reasons why people move—and why they choose the specific places that they move to. When we’re talking larger moving trends though, you can often spot some common threads that are dictating what places rank at the top for relocations.

      As already mentioned, a good number of the locations in the top cities to move to are popular with an older population, many of whom may be ready to retire in warmer climates with burgeoning retirement communities. People 65 and older however aren’t the only ones on the move, and there are other factors at play when examining why and where movers are choosing to go. According to a nationwide Bankrate/YouGov survey, the major reasons behind recent moves include:

      • • Moving to be closer to friends and family
        • Looking to live somewhere more affordable
        • Wanting more living space
        • Seeking out a different climate
        • Taking advantage of the ability to work from anywhere

        Obviously, the reasons that anyone moves tend to be quite personal. But looking at why people are moving also gives us some insight into why they’re moving to certain areas. And if one of these factors is at the top of your own list for wanting to relocate, following the trends of those before you could narrow down your considerations of where to go.

        Here’s a deeper look at these factors, including the possible connection between these trends and the predictions for where people are moving to in 2022.

        Factor #1: People want to be closer to their friends and family members

        Survey data showed that people overwhelmingly stayed close to home when moving last year, even those who relocated to a new zip code. In fact, when comparing the cities that people left to the cities that they moved to, four of the top five cities with the most move-outs saw the majority of people relocating within just 30 miles.

        It’s pretty standard to want to stay close to what (and who) you know. In 2019, for example, just 15% of the more than 32 million moves in the U.S. were across state lines, which suggests that most movers were sticking to at least somewhat familiar spots. This desire for proximity could have been heightened further by the pandemic, which made it more important than ever to narrow down your circle to the people most familiar to you.

        Factor #2: People want to live in more affordable cities

        Based on average home price data from Realtor.com, the survey showed that people were relocating to areas with a lower cost of living. Incredibly high housing costs in America’s large cities are definitely at least partly to blame here, as are pandemic-driven unemployment rates. It also just makes sense that people would want more for their money if they’re going to be moving anyway (see factor #3 below).

        A lower cost of living can also be seen in many of the states and cities comprising the rankings of where people are moving to in general. Take a look at Boise, Idaho, which is #14 on the list of cities seeing a population boom, while Idaho itself is #2 on the list of popular states. The cost of living in Boise is just below the national average in a city that offers plenty of nearby nature and a thriving tech community. As the population goes up so do the average home prices, but if you’re leaving a major city with well above average home and rental costs then it’s easy to see why you’d want to go somewhere where your dollar will stretch further.

        Factor #3: People want more space

        Absent from both lists answering the question of where are people moving to are the sorts of big cities that you might expect to see when thinking about places in the U.S. with large populations—New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago among them. Even in Florida, which is a leading hot spot for movers, cities like Miami and Tampa didn’t make the cut (though Florida’s most populated city, Jacksonville, did).

        Trending locations for movers aren’t all, or even mostly, small towns and suburbs. But they do tend to be smaller cities or the metro areas around cities. And the appeal is obvious since these areas tend to offer a lot of the perks of an urban environment, plus big benefits like yards, home offices, and extra storage space. Coming off a couple of years where more Americans than ever worked and attended school from home, having more space is quite the bonus, especially if you don’t have to sacrifice convenience to get it.

        Factor #4: People want to live in nice climates

        Many people really do want to move where the grass is always greener. The search for a better climate was a major reason behind moves in 2021, both among people looking for improved weather conditions and for people looking to distance themselves from places being impacted by climate change. Better weather doesn’t mean the same thing for everyone, though the rise of relocations to states in the South and West region of the U.S. tells us that many movers might be in favor of ditching cold climates for warmer temps.

        Factor #5: People want to take advantage of remote work capabilities

        It’s impossible to ignore the pandemic as a significant driver of moving trends in the previous two years and today. And one of its most notable impacts has undoubtedly been the massive shift to remote work for a large portion of the American workforce. A full 40% of workers expect to remain all or fully remote post-pandemic, which means a lot of people are no longer geographically tied to where their jobs are and can move somewhere else if they so desire.

        Remote work opens up an opportunity to live somewhere more affordable and that offers more of your preferred amenities. For a lot of movers, those have been as good of reasons as any to pick up and relocate and is likely a driver of some of the other moving trend factors listed above.

        Other top moving trends for 2022

        Asking “where are people moving to?” is one way to get a feel for what’s going on in the moving world. But there are other trends too that give us insight into the what, where, when, how, and why behind movers’ decisions. Here are some of them.

        Tricky housing markets

        Even if you haven’t been active in the real estate market yourself you’ve probably heard about the lack of inventory, rising prices, and steep competition for properties that all plagued 2021. What’ll be different in 2022? More inventory, hopefully, and a less intense seller’s market. Interest rates are expected to head back up again though, which may curtail the competition (or may not, depending on the ongoing rate of demand).

        Rising rent prices

        It’s not only housing prices that have been on the rise. Some cities have seen rent increase by as much as 30% in the past year, and that’s forced a lot of people to move even when they might not want to. Unfortunately, rents are only expected to increase in many major markets in 2022, including those where rent freeze and eviction moratorium regulations have expired. It’s a troubling trend as far as housing is concerned, and one that is sure to lead to even more relocations.

        Temporary moves

        We already know that a lot of people are looking for a change of scenery with their moves, even if they’re not moving very far. We also know that remote work capabilities are giving both renters and homeowners a lot more flexibility in where they settle down. Neither of these things necessarily mean permanent moves though, and on the contrary, there’s been a reported increase in temporary change of address filings with the United States Postal Service. If you’ve ever wanted to try out living somewhere else—even if just for a short time—you’d hardly be the first one to do so this year.

        Moving incentives

        Incentive programs like free college tuition for residents have made certain cities more popular than ever. Some places are even paying people to move there, while others are offering tax breaks and other perks for relocators to the area. It’s not the norm that towns and cities pay people to move there, but for those who are looking to move, it could be a driving factor in moving one place over another.

        Ready to move? How to figure out where to go

        Don’t you wish that there was a Magic 8-ball specifically for telling you where your ideal place to live is? We’re not there yet, but in the meantime, there are questions that you can ask yourself to figure out where a good fit for you might be.

        1. Do you want to live somewhere popular? The answers to “where are people moving to?” tell us a lot about what cities, states, and general regions are having their moment. Some people prefer to live off the beaten path though, and if you’re one of them, looking for places with less of a boom may actually be the way to go.

        2. What’s your preferred climate? There’s a climate for everyone in the U.S., whether you feel most at home among snowy mountains, warm beaches, or arid deserts. Moving somewhere with your preferred climate could increase your quality of life and satisfaction with your living situation, so it’s something you should keep in mind as you narrow down your options.

        3. How much do you want to spend? Just as climates differ throughout the country, so too do average costs of living. Pay attention to housing/rental costs, property taxes, and other relevant cost factors as you decide where to go, and consider the realistic upper end of your budget before committing to somewhere new.

        4. How important is walkability to you? Some movers crave the solitude and space afforded by suburban, mountain, and country life, while others can’t imagine living somewhere where they’d need a car just to go grab their morning coffee. Decide where you stand on the spectrum and whether walkability is a must-have or just a nice perk that you can do without.

        5. Are you looking for culture? Anywhere you go is going to have its own culture. What that culture entails though will vary a lot. If having nearby access to the arts is crucial for you, then consider that when choosing where to move to. The same goes for other big amenities, such as a robust library and school system, ample green space and parks, or a storied and celebrated history.

        6. Are you moving with a family? Family-friendliness differs based on where you go. If you have little ones in tow, consider schools and, if it’s important to you, the general sense of community and neighborhood vibes when selecting where to move.

        “Where are people moving?” and “where should you move?” are two very big—and very different—questions. We hope this look at the moving trends of 2022 has given you lots of food for thought, as well as plenty of general insight on where and why people relocate around the country.