Myrtle Beach Steals Hearts and Moving Trucks
Picture this: you wake up to the sound of ocean waves, grab your morning coffee, and head out for a beach walk before most people check their first email. For the third year running, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has claimed the top spot as America’s most in-demand destination. The coastal paradise isn’t just attracting retirees anymore—young professionals are discovering they can work remotely from a place where flip-flops are acceptable business attire. It held the top-searched move route in the country and was the #2 metro to move to in 2024. With miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline and mild winters, along with abundant indoor and outdoor activities due to its booming tourism industry, it’s no wonder people are trading snow shovels for surf boards. The cost of living remains refreshingly reasonable compared to coastal cities up north, making this beach town accessible to families beyond just the wealthy elite.
Raleigh Climbs the Charts Like a Viral TikTok
Raleigh continues to move up the list from 20th in 2023 to 6th last year, and 3rd in 2025. Think of Raleigh as that friend who quietly worked on themselves and suddenly became the person everyone wants to hang out with. Raleigh finds itself at the heart of a remote work success story, having benefited from in-moves from remote workers who can choose their home bases outside of work. The Research Triangle’s tech boom has created a goldmine of opportunities, while the city maintains a distinctly Southern charm that makes you feel like you’re living in a real place, not just another business district. The metro’s population increased by 29,151 between 2022 and 2023. From craft breweries in converted warehouses to food trucks serving Korean tacos, Raleigh perfectly balances innovation with comfort. The weather? Four actual seasons without the extreme drama of blizzards or hurricanes.
Dallas-Fort Worth Makes Its Comeback Tour
The Dallas-Fort Worth area is a newcomer to the list of top cities people are moving to in 2025, and two Texan cities reappeared on the list this year after taking a break in 2024. Everything really is bigger in Texas, including the job opportunities. Texas is home to the most significant number of Fortune 500 companies, which attracts many people to the state for its job opportunities, but it is also highly tax-friendly. The Metroplex offers something unique: big city energy without the crushing costs of coastal megacities. Many are moving to mid-sized cities in Charlotte, Nashville and Dallas to find hybrid or in-office work opportunities. These cities offer affordable housing and a lower cost of living than cities like San Diego and Los Angeles. You can actually afford a house with a yard here, imagine that! The food scene rivals any major city—from authentic Tex-Mex to world-class barbecue—and the cultural offerings include everything from cutting-edge art museums to honky-tonk bars where real cowboys still two-step.
Greenville South Carolina Becomes the Hidden Gem
In Greenville, SC, interest has risen 8.3% over 2024. The strong job market may be one 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. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville feels like a secret that’s getting harder to keep. Greenville also enjoys beautiful weather along with a low cost of living. These attributes make them ideally suited to retirees. But it’s not just retirees falling in love with this place. Greenville, South Carolina, is a fast-growing city with a thriving job market and a down-to-earth community culture. The weather is mild and enjoyable year-round, meaning residents can enjoy fun-filled outdoor activities like visiting the zoo, golf clubs, kayaking and more. The downtown area underwent a stunning transformation, turning a former industrial wasteland into a vibrant district where waterfalls cascade through the city center. Greenville County’s population could increase by more than 130,000 people between 2024 and 2042, and Greenville, Anderson and Pickens counties are each projected to grow their populations by between 21 and 29 percent.
Charlotte Maintains Its Magnetic Pull
Charlotte, North Carolina, has seen significant growth over the last three years. The city has a low cost of living and great weather. There’s also a ton of family-friendly events, activities and breathtaking green views surrounding the city. Charlotte mastered the art of being a major financial center that still feels approachable. Banking giants call this place home, but you won’t find the same cutthroat atmosphere of Wall Street. Charlotte drops down one spot to 6th in recent rankings, but that’s more about other cities rising than Charlotte losing its appeal. The city offers something rare: career opportunities typically found in much larger, more expensive cities, but with neighborhoods where you can actually afford to buy instead of rent forever. Tree-lined streets, a growing arts scene, and access to both mountains and beaches within driving distance make Charlotte the Goldilocks choice—not too big, not too small, but just right for many families seeking that elusive work-life balance.
Huntsville Rockets to Space City Status
The Huntsville MSA had the highest population growth, and Huntsville, Foley, Madison and Athens all saw population increases in 2024 making them the top four cities in Alabama. Huntsville added 4,100 new residents last year. Who knew rocket science could be this attractive to everyday folks? Huntsville is known for its aerospace and technology industries, with high-earning job opportunities in both. This Alabama city has quietly become a tech hub, thanks to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and a growing collection of defense contractors and tech companies. Huntsville emerging as the leader in numeric growth, adding over 4,000 residents to reach a total of more than 230,000. The cost of living remains beautifully low while salaries in the aerospace and tech sectors rival those in Silicon Valley. The Yellowhammer State offers plenty of affordable cities to settle down in like Birmingham, Montgomery, and Huntsville—which is one of the best places to live in the Southeast. Alabama also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the entire country. Those looking to find work in aerospace, information technology, and healthcare can work at many of the area’s top employers. Plus, where else can you tour a space center on the weekend and still have money left over for a nice dinner?
Ocala Attracts More Than Horse Enthusiasts
Florida consistently had at least six cities on the list of top cities people are moving to, but this year, there are only two: Ocala and Jacksonville. The usual Florida cities, The Villages and Ocala, which took top-ranking spots last year, still land in the top 10, but interest in Ocala has slipped 18%. Don’t let that slight dip fool you—Ocala remains a magnetic force for people seeking Florida living without Florida prices. Ocala ranks among the 20 US metros where most people moved to. In 2023, the city had a net positive domestic migration of 15,167. Known as the “Horse Capital of the World,” this central Florida city offers rolling hills that look nothing like the flat, palm-tree stereotypes most people associate with the state. The equestrian industry creates a unique culture here, but you don’t need to own a horse to appreciate the rural charm combined with modern amenities. It’s Florida living for people who prefer pastures to pool parties, though there are plenty of those too. The climate offers year-round outdoor activities without the coastal hurricane anxiety that keeps some people awake at night.
Austin Slows Down but Stays Desirable
Austin grew by 0.4% between 2023 and 2024. That’s the slowest rate of growth among the nation’s 15 largest cities, but slow growth doesn’t mean low demand. Entering the 2020s, the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area ranked as the 28th most populated in the U.S. with 2.3 million residents. Following years of steady population increases, the region ranked 25th with an estimated 2.55 million residents as of July 2024. Austin’s cooling growth reflects its success as much as any challenges—when housing prices rise and traffic gets worse, growth naturally moderates. Austin’s slowing growth has been tied to its affordability challenges, and the slower growth also reflects the post-pandemic tech downturn in Austin. The city still magnetizes creative professionals, tech workers, and anyone who values live music, food trucks, and the philosophy of “keeping it weird.” Domestic migration to Austin is the lowest in the last 15 years while international migration figures are at an all-time high, and domestic migration accounted for just under a quarter of growth in 2024. Despite affordability pressures, Austin remains the place where you can catch a world-class band on Tuesday night and grab breakfast tacos from a legendary food truck on Wednesday morning.
Denver Defies the Mountain City Stereotype
The Denver metro grew by 2.8 percent from 2020 to 2024, adding about 82,000 residents. The increase bucks a national trend that saw many major U.S. cities lose residents following the pandemic. Denver proves you can have your mountains and eat them too (metaphorically speaking). State Demographer Kate Watkins said the Denver metro’s ability to attract younger people in their 20s and 30s with outdoor recreation and lifestyle perks has helped grow its population. Being a younger city, we tend to have more family formation and household formation. The largest age group across the counties around Denver is people aged 28 to 33. This isn’t just another expensive mountain town where only trust fund babies can afford rent. Denver maintains a diverse economy beyond outdoor gear companies and ski resorts. Most of the metro’s population growth can be traced to the arrival of an estimated 56,500 international immigrants. In addition to births, the metro also got a boost from an influx of international immigrants. Between April 2020 and July 2024, roughly 56,000 immigrants arrived in the metro. The city offers legitimate urban amenities—world-class museums, professional sports teams, a thriving food scene—while keeping the Rocky Mountains as your backyard. It’s where you can close a business deal in the morning and hit the slopes in the afternoon.
Nashville Harmonizes Growth with Character
The current population is approximately 1,333,000 as of 2024, reflecting a 1.37% increase from 2023. Music City keeps drawing people like a well-crafted song you can’t get out of your head. The Nashville metro area increased by more than 136,000 from 2020 to 2024, a gain of about 6.4%. The lion’s share of the growth came from an influx of people moving into the Nashville area from elsewhere. Nashville successfully diversified beyond its music industry roots without losing its soul. In 2023, Middle Tennessee saw considerable job growth, particularly in technology and healthcare, resulting in 24,000 new jobs. Healthcare giants, tech companies, and financial services create opportunities, while the city maintains its reputation for friendliness and creative energy. Nearly 38,000 people have moved to Nashville from other countries since 2020. That accounts for about 28% of our region’s total growth in that time. The cost of living remains reasonable compared to other major metros, and you still might bump into a future country star at your local coffee shop. It’s a place where business casual might include cowboy boots, and nobody thinks that’s strange.
Each of these cities tells a story about what Americans value right now: affordability without sacrificing opportunity, natural beauty without isolation, and growth without losing character. Rather than flocking en masse to a handful of “it” destinations, Americans are instead branching out across a wider range of cities and states, driven by personal priorities like affordability, quality of life, and remote work flexibility. The era of blockbuster migration hotspots may be behind us. In its place, a more multifaceted landscape is emerging. The great American migration continues, but now it’s spreading the love around instead of creating a few overstuffed winners and a bunch of emptied-out losers.
What’s your dream destination calling your name?
