The 5 Most Popular Long Distance Mover Destinations In 2023

We took a cross-country trip through our vast and beautiful nation (not literally) and researched which states gained and lost the most population. The adage that voters 'vote with their feet' is certainly applicable, but far from the only reason newcomers would look to greener pastures and new horizons. For many, it may be the post-COVID remote work that never rebounded to what it was in the years past, or the desire to raise a family in a suburban environment. Whatever the cause, we review and speculate some of the main reasons why these 5 states have either gained the most citizens, money, and opportunity in 2022-23.

Our Methodology: For this blog, we did not take a single number into account, but rather the confluence of several key indicators of growth or reduction. These include both domestic and international migration, business relocation, and economic growth. 

Florida

Florida gained the most people, and arguably the largest transfer of wealth during the COVID and immediate Post-COVID years. While the state always offered an alternative to New Yorkers looking for a summer home or greener pastures in general, the COVID crackdown and dichotomous examples showed many which state was the better place to be. Beyond the obvious tax and weather advantages, the crime wave seen in places like New York City and Rochester was the final straw for many seeking to live somewhere new. 

Texas

Texas competes with Florida as the fastest net gainer in terms of populace, business relocations, and new talent heading to the state. For similar reasons to Florida, Texas, namely its capital Austin, have gained many citizens from places like California, Washington, and Oregon. For Pacific Northwesterners, Texas is a closer destination and offers a closer comparison to life at home than Florida. For its part, Austin has set itself up as a "Silicon Valley South," attracting the likes of Elon Musk among others moving personnel and headquarters to Texas.

Idaho

Idaho is a more bucolic landing space for Californians than Texas, much to the chagrin of the lake folk and bowhunters who prowl the land. Idaho offers a quieter, cleaner, much, much safer alternative than the city life of California. Idaho joins Montana as places many Californians have chosen to relocate. Thanks in part to the harsh policies during the COVID pandemic that destroyed the future of many small businesses and their families, many have chosen a fresh start in nearby states offering similar environs and a far different quality of life. 

South Carolina

South Carolina gained the third largest population by percentage between 2020 and 2023. The Carolinas present a similar quality of life to neighboring states Tennessee and North Carolina but sit a little lower on the radar than the latter two states, both of which have the notoriety of professional sports and larger state universities. Yet, South Carolina preserves the qualities of low taxation, greater public safety, and fewer social anxieties than places like New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. 

Tennessee

Tennessee gained a significant quantity of relocating professionals from a wide spectrum of industries. From artists, to actors, schoolteachers, and tech-y startups, Nashville is a new nexus for business and family planning. Tennessee offers new residents a similar release from social contagions and the stressed-out atmosphere of the COVID and Post-COVID northeast while presenting similar opportunities for economic growth that Georgia and the Carolinas do. Tennessee offers a medium for new residents heading south from the north and east from the west. The more temperate weather allows for an easier adjustment to the local climes than the heat of South Florida does, while the speed of life is a bit slower and more manageable than the uber-wealthy and glamorous South Floridian coast.

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