Best States to Move to in 2026, Ranked by Where People Went
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated October 2026.
"Best" depends on your family, so we start with the one measure nobody can spin: where people actually moved. The Census Bureau counts net domestic migration every year, the people who moved in from other states minus the people who moved out. Then we put each state's price level and home prices beside it, because a state can be popular and still expensive.
The states gaining the most people, 2024-25
| Rank | State | Net moves from other states | Price level | Median listed home | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | +84,064 | 94.3 | $400,000 | $2,198 |
| 2 | Texas | +67,299 | 97.1 | $355,765 | $1,955 |
| 3 | South Carolina | +66,622 | 93.7 | $359,945 | $1,978 |
| 4 | Tennessee | +42,389 | 91.9 | $429,450 | $2,360 |
| 5 | Arizona | +31,107 | 100.7 | $459,900 | $2,527 |
| 6 | Georgia | +27,333 | 96.3 | $389,750 | $2,142 |
| 7 | Alabama | +23,358 | 88.8 | $325,000 | $1,786 |
| 8 | Florida | +22,517 | 103.4 | $409,950 | $2,253 |
| 9 | Idaho | +19,915 | 95.5 | $593,000 | $3,259 |
| 10 | Nevada | +14,914 | 100.0 | $480,000 | $2,638 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | +14,492 | 87.8 | $296,643 | $1,630 |
| 12 | Arkansas | +14,475 | 86.9 | $318,743 | $1,752 |
Migration: US Census Bureau population estimates, July 2024 to July 2025, via Maryland Department of Planning. Price level: BEA regional price parities, 2024 (US = 100). Median listing: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Monthly payment: principal and interest, 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).
What the top of the list has in common
Of the top 12, 10 have everyday prices below the US average. The four biggest gainers and their price levels: North Carolina at 94.3, Texas at 97.1, South Carolina at 93.7, Tennessee at 91.9.
The pattern runs the other way at the bottom. The states losing the most people are among the most expensive in the country, led by California (-229,077) and New York (-137,586).
The states losing the most people
| State | Net moves from other states | Price level |
|---|---|---|
| California | -229,077 | 110.7 |
| New York | -137,586 | 107.9 |
| Illinois | -40,017 | 100.0 |
| New Jersey | -37,428 | 108.8 |
| Massachusetts | -33,340 | 105.8 |
| Louisiana | -14,387 | 88.2 |
Five years of moves
One year can be noise. These states gained the most from other states over the five years from July 2020 to July 2025 combined.
| State | Net moves, 2020 to 2025 | Net moves, 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | +828,686 | +22,517 |
| Texas | +760,233 | +67,299 |
| North Carolina | +468,133 | +84,064 |
| South Carolina | +364,272 | +66,622 |
| Tennessee | +277,999 | +42,389 |
| Arizona | +252,762 | +31,107 |
| Georgia | +221,265 | +27,333 |
| Alabama | +131,598 | +23,358 |
| Idaho | +130,972 | +19,915 |
| Oklahoma | +103,396 | +14,492 |
Where in those states
A state is a big place. Start with the cities we cover in the states people are choosing:
- North Carolina: Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Wilmington
- Texas: Austin, Texarkana, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio
- South Carolina: Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Spartanburg
- Tennessee: Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga
- Georgia: Atlanta, Savannah
- Alabama: Huntsville
Or go straight to the rankings: best places to live in North Carolina, Tennessee, and the cheapest states to live in.