Most Popular Moving Routes and Destinations in the US in 2023

More than 23 million Americans moved in 2022. That is 4% more than in the previous year. In 2023, that number is expected to be even higher. So, what are the most popular moving routes and destinations in the US in 2023? Well, at the time this article was written, the year just entered its second trimester. Nevertheless, we could already see some trends that will most certainly show at the end of the year as well. If you are planning to move, or you are simply interested to follow migration patterns in the country, in the following article, Best Cross Country Movers shows what states people are leaving the most and where are they heading.

List of the most popular moving routes and destinations in the US in 2023

To determine the most popular moving routes and destinations in the US in 2023, we have found the states people are leaving the most and then we looked at their most common destinations. In the end, we came up with the following list:

• California to Texas
• New York to Florida
• Illinois to Florida
• Pennsylvania to Florida
• Massachusetts to New Hampshire

Moving from California to Texas

Even though California is a beautiful and pretty attractive state, it is also a state that people are leaving the most. And that has been the trend in the last couple of years. Simply the high cost of living, housing costs, high taxes, complicated bureaucracy, and political climate are simply too much for some people.  That is why so many people are leaving California. According to data from California’s Department of Finance, more than 500,000 people left California between July 2021 and July of 2022.

The three-year average is around 275,000 people.  For a state that, in 2023, has a population of 38,915,693, that doesn’t seem much. However, if this trend continues, we might witness a total disaster. So, where are those people moving to? Well, when people are leaving, they use the help of cross country movers in California. And according to their data, the most popular destination is Texas. Now, let’s take a look at the reasons why people are leaving the Golden State and make a comparison with the Lone Star State.

The appeal of the Lone Star State

The state of Texas is the fastest-growing state in the country right now. In 2023, the population of Texas is 30,500,280. In a two-decade span, the state’s population number increased by 9,085,073. This is more than any other state in the country.  But, why do so many people use the help of cross country movers in Texas to relocate here? Well, there are more than a few reasons for this. First, of course, is the cost of living. Then, there is a highly competitive real estate market. Then there is a lack of state income tax. And when we see just how many big companies decided to move to Lone Star State in recent years, we can easily see why a route between these two states is one of the most popular moving routes and why Texas is one of the most popular destinations in the US in 2023.

California vs. Texas cost of living comparison

The number one reason why so many Californians are moving to Texas is the cost of living. First of all, with a cost of living index of 142.2, California is the third most expensive state to live in in the US. Just behind Hawaii and New York. On the other hand, Texas is the 36^th most expensive state with a cost of living index of 92.1. The cost of living for one person in the state of California is $2,417, while in Texas it is $1,875. A family of four in California needs around $5,321, per month. On the other hand, in Texas, they need around $4,387. The difference is obvious. Now, let’s take a look at real estate and rent prices.

Housing costs

Another big reason why moving between these two state is one of the most popular moving routes and why Texas is one of the most attractive destinations in the US in 2023 is housing costs. The median home value in California in 2023 is $758,600. This is a drop of 5.7% since 2022 but it only shows that demand for houses in this state is slowing down. When it comes to renting, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in California is $2,405. As far as Texas is concerned, the median home value here in 2023 is $289,255, which is a 6,9% increase since 2022. Again, this shows that Texas is experiencing increased demand. But what about rent? The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Texas is $907 – almost three times lower than in California.

Moving from New York to Florida

The state of New York is the state with the most outbound moves after California. Currently, the state of New York has a population of 19,496,810, which is a 0.92% decrease since 2022. Between July 2021 and July 2022, New York’s population decreased by 180,341. Again, the reasons why this state’s population is in decline since 2013 are the same as with California. High cost of living, costly housing, high taxes, complicated bureaucracy, etc. But when people hire interstate movers in New York, where do they go? Their main destination is the state of Florida.

The state of Florida is the eighth fastest-growing state in the country and the number one destination for people leaving New York. In the last 13 years, between 2010 and 2023 the state’s population increased by 18.92%. In 2023 alone, the estimated population increase is 1.24%. Many of those people will be coming from the state of New York. Currently, the population of Florida is 22,661,577. But why do so many people hire cross country movers in Florida to relocate here from New York? Let’s compare the two states in cost of living and housing costs and you will get a better understanding of why this is the case.

Cost of living in New York and Florida

With a cost of living index of 148.2, the state of New York is the second most expensive state to live in the country. On the other hand, the state of Florida has a cost of living index that is slightly higher than the national average – 100.3, however, the difference is more than obvious.  The average cost of living for one person in the state of New York is $2,848, while in Florida that number is $2,066. A family of four in New York needs around $6,032 per month, while on the other hand, that same family would need only $4,686 after moving to Florida. The difference is staggering, but what about the housing costs?

Housing costs

The median home value in the state of New York is $405,327. Not that high you would assume. However, when we look at home prices in New York City, where most of the state’s population lives, we can easily see why so many people decide to leave. The median home value in NYC is $749,000 – 14.9% lower than in 2022, which again proves that NYC’s real estate market is slowing down due to a decreased demand for properties. When it comes to renting, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in New York State is $2,451 while in NYC it is around $5,450. On the other hand, Florida’s median home value is $385,700 while the average rent is $1,733.

Illinoisans are also moving to Florida

The state of Illinois also made it to our list of most popular moving routes and destinations in 2023. Unfortunately, as one of the states that people are fleeing.  In 2023, Illinois’ population is 12,477,595, which is a 0.83% decrease since 2022. It is estimated that in recent years, 104,437 left Illinois. But why is that? Illinois is not among the most expensive states to live in. The cost of living index here is 94.3, which is among the lowest in the country.  When asked by their interstate movers in Illinois why are they leaving the state, people cited job opportunities, lifestyle, retirement, and harsh winters. Their destination in the majority of cases was Florida.

Are job opportunities really the main reason why people are fleeing Illinois?

Most people stated job opportunities as the main reason why they are leaving Illinois. And, when we look at the unemployment rates, we see that this state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. In November 2022, the unemployment rate in Illinois was 4.5% which puts this state in 46^th place among all 50 states. Still, the average household income is $95,115, which is the 15^th highest in the country. So when we compare median household income, with a median home value of $234,000 it remains unclear why people stated job opportunities as one of the main reasons for leaving Illinois. But when we put the unemployment rate into the perspective, things become clearer.  Unemployment rates with a combination of weather and lifestyle differences are probably why Florida is their main destination.

The Sunshine State is once again the preferred destination, but this time among Pennsylvanians

The next place on our list of the most popular moving routes and destinations in the US in 2023 is reserved for Pennsylvania. In 2023, the population of Pennsylvania is 12,931,957, which is a -0.31% decrease since 2022. In the last year, 40,051 people left the state out of which many contacted interstate movers in Pennsylvania to get some much-needed assistance. And, again, their main destination is Florida. In 2019 alone, 34,965 people moved from Pennsylvania to Florida, which is more than 13% of all people that moved that year. The main reason for this is, similarly to Illinois, job opportunities. The state still recovers from the recent pandemic when it suffered major job losses.

Job opportunities are the main reason why people are fleeing Pennsylvania

Similarly to Illinois, the main reason why people hire cross country movers in Pennsylvania to move cross country is job opportunities. The unemployment rate here is 4.4%, which places this state right behind Illinois, in 45^th place. Still, the median household income is not bad here. It is around 87,262, which puts this state in 21st place in the country. However, it looks like the inability to find work is a major problem here and the reason why this state made it to our list of the most popular moving routes and destinations in the US in 2023. Their main destination is also Florida. In 2019, 34,965 people moved here from Pennsylvania.

Moving from Massachusetts to New Hampshire

Massachusetts is also one of the most moved-out states. In 2023, the population of Massachusetts is 6,974,258, which is a 0,11% decrease since 2022. In fact, last year, cross country movers in Massachusetts were quite busy since 7,700 people relocated out of this state, and naturally, many of them asked professionals for help. And their main destination was New Hampshire. The main reasons people from Massachusetts cite for leaving the state are the high cost of living and housing costs. Now let’s compare Massachusetts with New Hampshire to get a better understanding of why this moving route is so popular in 2023.

New Hampshire is the main destination for people from Massachusetts and one of the states that are increasing their population numbers. The population of New Hampshire in 2023 is 1,402,957.  Same as their colleagues from Massachusetts, cross country movers in New Hampshire were also busy, but more with helping people settle into the NH, rather than helping them move out.  But why is this state the main destination for people from Massachusetts?

Cost of living in Massachusetts and New Hampshire

With a cost of living of 135, Massachusetts is the fourth most expensive state in the country.  On the other hand, New Hampshire is also considered an expensive state. However, with a cost of living index of 109.9, it is clear that the situation in this state is much easier to bear. According to the latest data, the average cost of living for one person in Massachusetts is $2,233, while in New Hampshire, that same person would need only around $1,989. A family of four in Massachusetts needs $4,955 while in New Hampshire they will need $4556 – $1,500 less.

Housing costs

When it comes to home prices, the state of Massachusetts is one of the most expensive in the country. The median home value in 2023 here is $607,000, while in Boston it is nearly $800,000. The average rent in Massachusetts is $3,200. On the other hand, the median home value in New Hampshire is $402,800 while the average rent is $1,950. Now it’s clear why moving to New Hampshire is the main choice of people leaving Massachusetts.

Finances are the main driving force for interstate relocations in 2023

Those are the most popular moving routes and destinations in the US in 2023. As you can see, finances are the main reason why people are leaving their states. The cost of living differences between certain states are simply too big to ignore. On the other hand, some people also move because of weather and lifestyle changes as we see in the case of Illinois.