Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Affordability fuels migration to Sun Belt as California leads nation in move-outs
A new PODS report finds affordability has become the top reason Americans relocate, with Sun Belt destinations attracting the most newcomers while California continues to post the nation's highest number of outbound moves for the fifth consecutive year.
Americans continue to relocate to lower-cost Sun Belt communities as affordability increasingly drives moving decisions, while California remains the nation's leading source of outbound movers, according to a new report from the moving and storage company PODS.
The company's sixth annual moving trends report, which analyzed net long-distance moves between January 2025 and March 2026, found affordability has surpassed career opportunities as the primary reason people choose to relocate.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Myrtle Beach, S.C.-Wilmington, N.C. region ranked as the nation's top destination for inbound moves. Ocala, Fla., held the No. 2 spot for a third straight year, while the Dallas-Fort Worth area climbed to third place from fifth last year.
Other top destinations included Raleigh, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; Boise, Idaho; Knoxville, Tenn.; Sarasota, Fla.; and Jacksonville, Fla.
The report found Sun Belt markets accounted for 80 percent of the top relocation destinations, up from 75 percent a year earlier. Florida and Tennessee each placed four cities among the nation's top 20 move-in markets, tying for the most of any state.
James Shively, chief operating officer of PODS, said housing costs continue to influence where Americans choose to live.
"As economic uncertainty continues to shape decision-making, people are moving to Sun Belt states perceived to offer a more sustainable cost of living without sacrificing job opportunities, community, or quality of life," he said in a statement. "Persistent move-outs from high-cost metro areas underscore the growing pressure many households face, which we have seen time and time again in cities like Los Angeles and Miami, which continue to surface at the top of our move-out list"
A recent PODS survey found 58 percent of respondents cited affordability as their primary motivation for relocating, while 41 percent said community and personal connections were major factors.
At the same time, California led the nation in outbound moves for the fifth consecutive year. Seven California markets appeared on the company's list of top move-out locations, including San Diego.
The Los Angeles area ranked first for outbound moves for a fifth straight year, followed by South Florida, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and Long Island, N.Y.
Rounding out the top 10 move-out markets were Central Jersey, N.J.; Boston; New York's Hudson Valley; Chicago; and San Diego.
Housing market conditions remain a factor in relocation decisions, with more homeowners looking to sell than buyers actively entering the market, according to PODS. Prospective homebuyers continue to weigh affordability, mortgage rates, and broader economic uncertainty before making purchasing decisions.
The findings suggest that migration patterns established during recent years continue to favor lower-cost regions offering employment opportunities and a lower overall cost of living, while some of the nation's most expensive metropolitan areas continue to experience population outflows, the report said.
The company's sixth annual moving trends report, which analyzed net long-distance moves between January 2025 and March 2026, found affordability has surpassed career opportunities as the primary reason people choose to relocate.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Myrtle Beach, S.C.-Wilmington, N.C. region ranked as the nation's top destination for inbound moves. Ocala, Fla., held the No. 2 spot for a third straight year, while the Dallas-Fort Worth area climbed to third place from fifth last year.
Other top destinations included Raleigh, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; Boise, Idaho; Knoxville, Tenn.; Sarasota, Fla.; and Jacksonville, Fla.
The report found Sun Belt markets accounted for 80 percent of the top relocation destinations, up from 75 percent a year earlier. Florida and Tennessee each placed four cities among the nation's top 20 move-in markets, tying for the most of any state.
James Shively, chief operating officer of PODS, said housing costs continue to influence where Americans choose to live.
"As economic uncertainty continues to shape decision-making, people are moving to Sun Belt states perceived to offer a more sustainable cost of living without sacrificing job opportunities, community, or quality of life," he said in a statement. "Persistent move-outs from high-cost metro areas underscore the growing pressure many households face, which we have seen time and time again in cities like Los Angeles and Miami, which continue to surface at the top of our move-out list"
A recent PODS survey found 58 percent of respondents cited affordability as their primary motivation for relocating, while 41 percent said community and personal connections were major factors.
At the same time, California led the nation in outbound moves for the fifth consecutive year. Seven California markets appeared on the company's list of top move-out locations, including San Diego.
The Los Angeles area ranked first for outbound moves for a fifth straight year, followed by South Florida, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and Long Island, N.Y.
Rounding out the top 10 move-out markets were Central Jersey, N.J.; Boston; New York's Hudson Valley; Chicago; and San Diego.
Housing market conditions remain a factor in relocation decisions, with more homeowners looking to sell than buyers actively entering the market, according to PODS. Prospective homebuyers continue to weigh affordability, mortgage rates, and broader economic uncertainty before making purchasing decisions.
The findings suggest that migration patterns established during recent years continue to favor lower-cost regions offering employment opportunities and a lower overall cost of living, while some of the nation's most expensive metropolitan areas continue to experience population outflows, the report said.
