Generally speaking, people want to live close to family, friends, and work, which is why most buyers choose a home relatively close to where they currently live. But there are many reasons somebody might have to move and sometimes they require traveling a greater distance – including to another state altogether. A recent analysis looked at people who left their home state to find out which states are most popular with long-distance movers. It found some established trends. For one, Americans are moving south. The top state for movers who crossed state lines in 2024 was South Carolina, which toppled Texas for the top spot after the lone-star state won in 2023. Other popular destinations that made 2024’s list included North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Southern states are popular for a few reasons but the most important may be affordability. After all, states with a higher cost of living are the ones losing the most residents, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California each of which landed near the bottom of the list. (source)
