In contrast, a November report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found those relocating to a specific area were driven primarily by the desire to be closer to family and friends (30%). The search for more homes for the money (21%) ranked second. Moving for family and space and Job location only mattered to approximately one-third of individuals who worked at least part-time in the office, predominantly in the Northeast, where the share of such workers was highest.

The difference between the two may be due to their different data sources. RentCafe’s is bases its on the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (UPIMS) current population survey for 107 metro areas. NAR’s Migration Trends report is based on a 2024 survey of its realtor members, with a specific focus on figuring out why individuals are moving to specific areas.

RentCafe’s analysis found that many of the top metros people moved to are in the Midwest, which offered a mix of affordable living and quality housing. Among people who moved because they wanted better housing, cities like Chicago, Akron and Kansas City led the nation. In the Northeast, the favorites were New York and Boston, while in the Southeast Chattanooga and Little Rock stood out. On the West Coast, Los Angeles, Spokane and Portland made the top 10.

Albany, NY, and Buffalo attracted younger people wanting to establish their own households.

In California, many looking for cheaper housing in selected metros like Modesto, Stockton, and Fresno, all of which have lower housing costs than the state average. In the South, this group trended toward McAllen, TX, Memphis, TN, Myrtle Beach, SC and Deltona, FL.

The highest percentages of Americans who moved to own, rather than rent, similarly gravitated to Southern cities like Greensboro, NC, Lakeland, FL, Winston-Salem, Durham, NC, Lexington, KY and Knoxville, TN.

The Southeastern metros also drew the highest share of movers locating for a new job or job transfer. Augusta, GA topped the list, with one-third of new residents coming for jobs. As for Fayetteville, NC, “job opportunities seem to be pouring into this renter hotspot,” the report noted. Columbia, SC and Huntsville, AL also ranked high. South Carolina appears to be especially popular with millennials. “It’s worth noting that South Carolina stands out due to its expanding tech and manufacturing industries, which create hundreds of job opportunities,” the report added.

Washington, DC and Baltimore were also magnets for movers. Others in the top 10 metros attracting job seekers were Pittsburgh, PA, Madison, WI, Charleston, SC and Pensacola, FL.

Movers in search of a healthier or more relaxing lifestyle were likely to move to the Southeast. The only top 10 metro to break that streak was Stockton, CA.

For many retirees, the unlikely goal was Worcester, MA with its easy access to high-quality health services. Provo, UT also lured many, while others followed the familiar path to Florida cities like Orlando, Palm Bay, Tampa and Lakeland.

Americans who moved intending to rent in their new destination may have been surprised to find that despite the much-discussed glut of apartments in many areas, finding one was no easy task. A separate report from RentCafe discovered that there was often stiff competition for available apartments because two-thirds of existing tenants had renewed their leases, resulting in 93.6% of apartments already taken.

The hottest markets for apartments were Miami, Suburban Chicago, Milwaukee, Bridgeport, CT, and Grand Rapids, MI. In the 15 most competitive markets in 2024, over 94% of apartments were occupied.