Moving is still a major component of the American Dream, according to a recent analysis by moveBuddha. This is because people are looking for better lifestyles, more affordable housing, and financial security. But as migration rates continue to decline, fewer Americans than ever before are able to fulfill their aspirations of relocating.
Despite historically low rates of movement, a large percentage of Americans say they would like to move. Americans are asked in the study if they intend to relocate in 2025, where they would like to relocate, and why.
Why Do Americans Want to Relocate?
The “American Dream” vs. reality: While more than one-third of respondents wish to move in 2025, less than 10% actually will. Up to 35% of the 1,250 poll participants said they were planned to migrate in 2025. In line with the decades-long trend of declining migration, the actual rate of movements will most likely be closer to 8 or 9% after the year is out.
Note: This is a survey regarding moving intent and is not the same as actual relocation.
Out-of-state moves make up around one in four planned moves. Respondents who are making plans to relocate are searching farther for more “novel experiences”. About 28% of potential movers said they will move out of state, according to the research.
More than half of those potential movers—some 12% of all respondents—plan to remain inside the same municipal limits, and 68% of those who are considering a relocation in 2025 want to remain in-state.
| Response | % of all respondents | % of respondents moving |
| Yes, within the same city | 12% | 36% |
| Yes, same state, new city | 11% | 32% |
| Total in-state moves | 24% | 68% |
Additionally, an estimated 4% intend to relocate abroad. After presidential elections, there is always a spike in interest in emigration, although it usually subsides within a few weeks.
On the other hand, the majority of Northeasterners are not planning to relocate, but those who are have a 50% higher chance of doing so than those in the West. In 2025, roughly 71% of respondents who live in the Northeastern part of the United States say they have no intentions to move.
Of the four U.S. regions identified in the poll, this is the greatest retention rate; 57% of Westerners, 63% of Southerners, and 67% of Midwesterners intend to remain in their current location this year. However, those who are planning to relocate are the most likely to cross state boundaries, with 32.8% intending to settle in another state, whereas residents of Northeastern states are the least likely to declare that they intend to relocate in 2025.
The majority of people contemplating a move in 2025 are from Western states. Only 22.5% of potential movers in the West intend to move out of state, making them the least probable group of people with the intention of moving. Indeed, the Northeastern states are significantly smaller geographically than their Western counterparts. In the Northeast, potential movers might only need to relocate a short distance from their existing home to cross state lines.
These numbers indicate a change from recent patterns of individuals moving away from expensive coastal locations and heavily populated areas. While Westerners who are moving prefer in-state relocations, Northeasterners say they are more inclined to remain in their current location. This change raises the possibility that the enormous migration out of these areas is now slowing off.
Where’s the ‘Most Desirable’ Moving Destination?
Affordability and desirability are not always related when it comes to relocation aspirations. Large, economically prosperous states with pleasant weather and lots of opportunity tend to attract people. Regardless of whether they intended to move in 2025 or not, we asked respondents which state they would most like to move to. Florida and California were the most popular choices, followed by Hawaii in third place.
| Most desired states to move to | Least desired states to move to | ||
| Florida | 23.8% | Kansas | 0.9% |
| California | 23.3% | North Dakota | 1.1% |
| Hawaii | 15.4% | Nebraska | 1.1% |
| North Carolina | 14.6% | Mississippi | 1.2% |
| Texas | 13.9% | Iowa | 1.4% |
Florida is the most popular choice in three of the four areas, although those in the West favor California.
With the exception of the West, where California is the obvious choice, Florida is the most popular move-to state in every area. Western respondents have a preference for California (48%) that is equal to the combined preferences of the second and third most popular states, Arizona (23.9%) and Oregon (23.7%).
The aspirational nature of the data is shown by Hawaii’s high placement on this list of the states that are most desirable to relocate. Although the idea of living on an island is quite alluring, the Aloha State actually has annual net migration rankings that are close to the bottom, coming in at number 42 in the country in 2021.
| Northeast | Midwest | South | West |
| Florida: 23.5% | Florida: 21.0% | Florida: 33.9% | California: 47.9% |
| New York: 22.5% | California: 18.6% | Georgia: 23.3% | Arizona: 23.9% |
| Pennsylvania: 21.2% | Michigan: 17.6% | North Carolina: 21.6% | Oregon: 23.7% |
| North Carolina: 18.7% | Hawaii: 15.3% | Texas: 20.0% | Hawaii: 21.3% |
| California: 15.9% | Tennessee: 14.5% | California: 17.6% | Washington: 21.2% |
Americans Still Hanging Onto Suburban Dreams
Approximately 29% of respondents said they would give priority to suburban locations in a hypothetical transfer, regardless of whether they intend to migrate in 2025. Rural places (21%) and large metro areas (14%) would follow. In this case, survey participants’ migration goals and reality coincide.
Additionally, some 53% of Americans aged 12 and over live in suburbs, according to the 2020 census. Further, since 2010, the likelihood of living in a suburb as opposed to a city has increased for all main racial groups.
For the ideal living situation, respondents in all four U.S. regions selected “a suburb with a friendly community” as their top choice. The suburbs outperform both options combined, despite the fact that the Northeast region of the U.S. has the highest concentration of both small and major urban centers.
Northeasterners were actually the most likely demographic to express a desire to live in the suburbs, at 34%. In the South, the desire for rural living is very similar to that of suburban living. Suburban areas continue to be the most popular choice (26%), while rural peace and quiet comes in second (24%), which is the biggest percentage of any region.
The only area where urban life surpasses rural preferences is the West. In this case, 17% of respondents stated that they would rather live in a major city than in a rural location, compared to 14% who indicated the opposite.
Survey participants were asked what factors would motivate them to relocate this year, regardless of whether they intend to move in 2025. So, what should homebuyers anticipate given that American home prices increased twice as quickly in 2024 as they did the year before?
The cost of housing in the country’s economic centers has increased so sharply that any potential income advantages from relocating there are outweighed. Because it rated ninth out of eleven reasons for migrating, the notion that people move for better employment prospects is becoming less popular. Rather, promises of self-preservation outweigh the prospect for greater income that may accompany job chances, according to 60% of respondents. Respondents to the survey would relocate sooner if it meant avoiding natural disasters (62%), or living in a safer neighborhood (79%).
Meanwhile, when Americans are thinking about moving, they are more and more driven by a variety of lifestyle aspects. These include the social (being close to friends and family, 67%) and cultural (64%), as well as the environmental (having more access to nature, 76%) and living space (70%), as well as a warmer climate (67%).
According to the study results, Americans in 2025 are more interested in relocating where their money will buy them a higher quality of life than they are in relocating to earn more money. And, even though more Americans are thinking about moving, fewer are actually doing it.
Americans’ desire to relocate this year dwarfs even the highest documented rates of real migration, which included a consistent pattern of over 20% yearly displacement during the 1950s and 1960s. This year is by no means the first year where the desire to relocate has greatly surpassed the pace of actual relocation. For example, a national survey conducted in 2020 found that over 65% of respondents said they intended to move in 2021, although the year-over-year migration rate was the lowest ever.
But why?
For nearly 40 years, the number of American moves has been declining due to a number of factors, including an aging population, distant employment, an increase in the number of young people living at home, the difficulties of moving two-income households, and high housing expenses.
According to a 2024 National Association of Realtors research, the typical home buyer actively searches for a new residence for ten weeks before starting the buying process. This could take even longer in home areas that are especially competitive.
However, it is unlikely that many more people who might want to relocate this year would really start the relocation process. In addition to personal circumstances, ambitious movers may face challenges balancing work, family obligations, and finances during an inflationary and turbulent economic period.
The American Dream is still advancing in 2025, but more slowly than in the past.
To read the full report, including more data, charts, and methodology, click here.
