The top ten cities Americans are fleeing have been revealed, with two glamorous beach towns taking the number one spot for newcomers.
Moving company POWDERS unveiled its data showing which cities across the country were attracting the most new residents, and which were packing up and leaving the most.
Topping the list of cities with the highest number of moves was Los Angeles, California, which ranked first for the second year in a row.
While Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, both retained the title for having the highest number of moves in the past year.
The company said in their findings that they are seeing more and more people moving to the Southern Appalachians.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, seen here, and Wilmington, North Carolina, both retained the title for having the highest number of moves in the past year
Topping the list of cities with the highest number of moves was Los Angeles, California, which ranked first for the second year in a row.
According to their findings, the cost of living was the main reason why people fled cities and expensive metro areas.
LA rounded out the top five, alongside crisis-hit San Francisco, the Miami area, New York’s Long Island and Austin, Texas.
The company said higher spending has “put pressure on residents,” who are now fleeing to states with lower overall costs.
The data showed that California had the highest concentration of moves among US states nationwide, with seven cities in the top twenty.
The Golden State has struggled in recent years due to rising homelessness and open drug abuse in major cities.
Homelessness rose 6 percent last year to more than 180,000 people in California, federal data show. Since 2013, the numbers have exploded by 53 percent.
Because of this and the high cost of living, Californians have been leaving the state in droves in recent years.
In 2023, California’s population 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 loop.”
The city, like Los Angeles, has plunged into crisis in recent years, with homelessness and addiction skyrocketing.
Last year was the deadliest on record for drug deaths, thanks in large part to the spread of fentanyl.
Progressive ‘harm reduction’ policies that do not punish hard drug use are blamed for worsening the crisis.
Pictured: Map of California and the counties that have experienced population loss over the past five years
Homeless people are seen as the city struggles with widespread fentanyl addiction on May 16, 2024 in San Francisco, California, United States
Officials are struggling to get a handle on the situation in San Francisco, with rising crime rates forcing many household names to close their stores in the city.
According to PODS, the Golden State also “has a reputation for imposing high sales, income and property taxes.”
Their findings show that California home values increased 6.4 percent over the past year, which is two percent below the national average.
High rents are also forcing residents to look elsewhere, with the company citing an average one-bedroom rent of $2,525 in the state.
Austin, Texas, rounded out the top five this year, marking a first for the city after experiencing unprecedented growth during the pandemic.
Businesses and residents flocked to the city at the time, but the US Census Bureau now reports a decline in migration to the city.
The report cites a decline in affordability and a lack of space for new construction as leading factors.
Other cities with the highest number of moves rounding out the top ten are Central Jersey, New Jersey, Chicago, Illinois, San Diego, California, Stockton-Modesto, California and New York’s Hudson Valley.
Meanwhile, Houston, Texas, is seeing a wave of new residents coming to the city, which ranks third among cities where PODS saw the highest number of 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, in the top five.
Aerial view of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, during sunrise
Wilmington, North Carolina, retained the title with the highest number of moves over the past year
In their analysis, PODS said, “It appears that movers are catching wind of the many benefits of living in the Carolinas, making them one of the most moved states in 2024, according to our customer data.
‘Both states offer beautiful beaches, forest areas, mountains and vibrant metropolises.
‘The cost of living is just below the national average and the quality of life is good.
“Four-season weather, Southern charm, history and dynamic arts, culture, food and wine are also big draws.
“Residents can also look forward to a growing economy (especially in North Carolina) and lower tax rates than many other U.S. states.”
It came after a LinkedIn finding showed that the top 10 fastest growing cities in America 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 hires per 10,000 LinkedIn members in January compared to a year ago.