The top ten cities Americans are fleeing have been revealed, with two glamorous seaside towns taking the top spot for newcomers.
Moving company PODS revealed its data showing which cities in the country attracted the most new residents and which saw the most pack up and leave.
Topping the list of cities with the most moves was Los Angeles, California, which took first place for the second year in a row.
While Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, held the title of having the most moves in the last year.
The company said in its findings that they are seeing more and more people moving to the Southern Appalachian region.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, seen here, and Wilmington, North Carolina, held the title for having the most moves in the past year.
Topping the list of cities with the most moves was Los Angeles, California, which took first place for the second year in a row.
According to their findings, the cost of living was the main reason people fled cities and expensive metropolitan areas.
Los Angeles rounded out the top five along with crisis-hit San Francisco, the Miami area, New York’s Long Island and Austin, Texas.
The company said the higher expenses have “squeezed residents” who are now fleeing to states with lower overall costs.
Across the country, the data found that California had the highest concentration of moves among U.S. states, with seven cities in the top 20.
The Golden State has been battling issues of increasing homelessness and open drug abuse in recent years in its major cities.
Homelessness rose 6 percent to more than 180,000 people in California last year, federal data shows. Since 2013, the numbers have skyrocketed by 53 percent.
Californians have left the state in droves in recent years because of this and the high cost of living.
In 2023, the population of the state of California increased by 0.17%, marking the first year of growth since the mass exodus that began in 2019.
Meanwhile, San Francisco saw many people and businesses flee the area last year to escape the city’s “doom cycle.”
The city, like Los Angeles, has been plunged into crisis in recent years with skyrocketing levels of homelessness and addiction.
Last year was the deadliest year on record for drug deaths, thanks in large part to the proliferation of fentanyl.
Progressive “harm reduction” policies that do not criminalize hard drug use have been blamed for worsening the crisis.
Pictured: Map of California and counties that have experienced population loss in the last five years.
Homeless people are seen as the city battles widespread fentanyl addiction in San Francisco, California, United States, on May 16, 2024.
Authorities have struggled to control the situation in San Francisco, where rising crime rates have forced many well-known names to close their businesses in the city.
According to PODS, the Golden State also “has a reputation for imposing high sales, income and property taxes.”
Their findings said home values in California increased 6.4 percent over the past year, two percent below the national average.
High rents are also forcing residents to look elsewhere, with the company citing the average rental price for a one-bedroom to be $2,525 in the state.
Austin, Texas, rounded out the top five this year, which was a first for the city after experiencing unprecedented growth during the pandemic.
Businesses and residents flocked to the city at the time, but the U.S. Census Bureau now reports a decline in migration to the city.
The report cites declining affordability and lack of space for new construction as major factors.
Other cities with the highest level of moves rounding out the top ten are Central Jersey, New Jersey, Chicago, Illinois, San Diego, California, Stockton-Modesto, California, and Hudson Valley in New York.
Meanwhile, Houston, Texas, is seeing an increase in the number of new residents coming to the city, ranking third among cities where PODS experienced the most moves.
Houston ranked fifth in last year’s findings, but now joins Charlotte, North Carolina, Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, Ocala, Florida, as well as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, among the top five.
Aerial view of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, during sunrise
Wilmington, North Carolina, held the title for having the most moves in the past year.
In its analysis, PODS said, “Moving companies appear to be learning about the many advantages of living in the Carolinas, making them two of the states most likely to move to in 2024, according to data from our clients”.
‘Both states offer beautiful beaches, forests, mountains and vibrant metropolitan cities.
‘The cost of living is just below the national average and the quality of life is good.
‘The four-season climate, southern charm, history and dynamic arts, culture, food and wine scenes are also big draws.
“Residents can also expect a growing economy (particularly in North Carolina) and lower tax rates than in many other U.S. states.”
It came after a LinkedIn finding that showed the 10 fastest-growing cities in the United States were all in the South, including four in Florida, three in Texas and two in North Carolina.
Sarasota, Florida, topped the list, with a net gain of 107 new workers per 10,000 LinkedIn members in January from a year ago.