US Cities That Can Expect To See A Massive Influx Of New Residents

If you’re thinking of moving cross country, you aren’t alone. 2020 and the pandemic created opportunities for millions of Americans to pick up and move. Whether it was due to the area’s high positivity rate or that people saw an opportunity since they’re now working from home, many U.S. cities have seen crazy growth, while others have seen thousands of people fleeing.

Whether you’re looking for wide-open spaces and more land to call your own or you have always had your eye on living elsewhere, but a job held you down, now is your chance.

If you’re looking to follow the masses, here are the top locations they’re headed to.

Why Are People Moving And Causing A Massive Influx Of New Residents?

It may seem strange that small town cities are suddenly seeing a large influx of new residents. What’s the point? COVID-19 is everywhere, so why move?

According to the USPS, since the start of the pandemic, 15.9 million people have moved. A majority of the movement is from large, heavily populated cities. It could be that people don’t want to live on top of others during this time. They want their space, freedom, and ability to feel safe.

But there are other reasons people are moving too.

College students especially are among the largest group of people moving. According to Pew Research, it’s mainly due to the remote format many colleges have gone to this year. College students aren’t tied down, so they’re using the opportunity to move where they’ve always wanted to live but couldn’t yet because of their studies. 

The study also found other people moved for the following reasons:

• Be closer to family
• Job loss or job-related reasons
• Get away from high positivity rates
• Financial reasons

With millions of people working from home or family becoming the #1 top priority with the scare that coronavirus created, it’s easy to see why so many people are picking up and moving, even families with kids who will have to start fresh in a new location.

With a large part of the country still doing e-learning, it’s easier for families to make a fresh start. When things get back to ‘normal,’ it will feel like everyone is new, and it won’t be so hard on kids who just moved to the area.

While millions of people stayed put, millions of others are picking up their roots and moving elsewhere. 

Where People Are Moving From

According to USPS data, people are fleeing the large cities - the cities where people are on top of one another, making it hard to social distance. 

Among the top areas people are leaving are:

• New York City
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• San Francisco, CA
• Los Angeles, CA
• Washington D.C
• Houston, TX
• Ft. Myers, FL

Not only are these areas highly populated, but they also have a high cost of living. Instead, Americans are moving to these areas with a lower cost of living.

But, they may not be moving as far as you think. For example, according to MyMOVE registration data, people are moving from large cities, like Chicago, but only a few hours outside of the large metro area. They’re moving to smaller cities like Evanston, Oak Park, and Naperville, all of which are no more than 50 miles away from Chicago but have ¼ of the population.

Similar things are happening in New York. While people are fleeing New York City and Brooklyn for obvious reasons, thousands of them are heading to the nearby East Hamptons, where it’s less populated and more relaxed.

Where Is Everyone Going?

If everyone is fleeing the big cities named above, where are they going? They can’t all go to the nearby little towns, or they’ll fill up just as quickly as the metro areas.

Instead, according to MyMOVE, they’ve all headed to smaller towns, of which six of the ten are in Texas.

Whether it’s the large open spaces, lower cost of living, or small-town feel, these Texas cities have seen the largest influx of people:

• Katy, TX
• Richmond, TX
• Frisco, TX
• Georgetown, TX
• Leander, TX
• Cypress, TX

Texas has been a place of solace for many. Its low cost of living, beautiful weather, and wide-open spaces make it easy for anyone to move there whether they’re used to rural living or the hustle and bustle of city life. 

Texas isn’t the only place people are going. According to Redfin, there seem to be trends in certain cities, where people are fleeing large cities, like New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and heading to the following areas.

People Leaving New York Head To These Areas

New York had a rough time with the coronavirus numbers. They were closed for a long time, and the positive case rate was high enough for many people to pick up and leave. While some people decided to stay in New York, many fled to the southern states for the warmth and lower cost of living.

Louisville, KY
Louisville has seen a large influx of people from New York. It seems like a crazy change from a big city to wide-open spaces, but that's what people today want. The pandemic opened everyone’s eyes, making them realize living on top of one another may not be ideal, at least for the foreseeable future.

Louisville has welcoming weather, a college town feel, and a low cost of living that’s a welcome reprieve for those coming from New York.

Buffalo, NY
Another area people from New York are fleeing is right in their own state - Buffalo, NY. Buffalo has a much lower cost of living while still giving that ‘New York vibe’ that true New Yorkers want. You can find plenty of Buffalo, NY homes on Roofstock Marketplace to see for yourself just how much lower the cost of living is there. 

Greenville, SC
Some New Yorkers have taken up residence in Greenville, SC. Its low cost of living, mild weather, and gorgeous scenery are among the main reasons people settle here. It’s also the halfway point between Atlanta and Charlotte, making it a great town for business people to move to and still have access to major metro areas should they need it.

Syracuse, NY
New Yorkers who aren’t quite ready to leave the state yet and want solace and safety during the pandemic are seeking homes in Syracuse, NY. The cost of living is lower, homes are cheaper, and there’s still plenty to do there.

People Leaving Los Angeles Head To These Areas

Los Angeles is another area people fled fast. The positivity rates were sky high, and still to this day, many places aren’t open, making it less than optimal to live there. People fled Los Angeles for areas in California and outside of it.

Santa Barbara, CA
Those who wanted to keep their residence in California and maintain a high living cost mainly fled to Santa Barbara. It’s just as expensive as Los Angeles, but its scenery and wide-open living spaces are what people wanted. Santa Barbara is located less than 100 miles outside of Los Angeles, so it’s easy to see why people stayed.

El Paso, TX
People fleeing the high cost of Los Angeles have found a place to call home in El Paso, TX. It may not seem like the most logical change, but the similar weather and much lower cost of living are what brought many people to El Paso. While it’s still a large city, its lower cost and wide-open spaces make it easier to live there safely or at least safer than Los Angeles made most people feel.

Little Rock, AR
Who would have thought Los Angeles residents would one day call Little Rock home, but they have this past year. The steady weather, plentiful sunshine, and low cost of living make it an attractive choice, albeit a drastic change.

Tulsa, OK
Tulsa, OK gives the large town feeling without feeling crowded, which today is so important. Many people from Los Angeles have moved to Tulsa due to the benefit of a much lower cost of living while maintaining Los Angeles’s feel.

People Leaving Chicago Went to Knoxville

Chicago wasn’t far behind New York in its positivity rate, but it had other issues that have caused people to flee, looking for more peaceful living, not to mention lower costs.

Most Chicagoans went south, primarily to Knoxville, TN. If you look on Roofstock Marketplace, you’ll see the amazing options available in Knoxville that are enticing enough to get people to live the cold winters and windy summers Chicago has.

Knoxville has plenty to offer Chicagoans, especially those who are tired of living on top of one another and want to enjoy wide-open spaces, beautiful water views, and outdoor recreation.

Other Metro Areas People Are Moving

It’s not all small towns and southern areas people are moving to, though. Millions of Americans want to stay in their same state and are just choosing other metro areas to live including:

• Sacramento
• Austin
• Las Vegas
• Phoenix
• Atlanta
• Dallas
• Tampa

How Long Will U.S. Cities See A Massive Influx Of New Residents?

This is what people want to know. How long will this go on? How long will people feel like they aren’t safe in their larger states and towns and flee for safer places to live?

While no one can predict 100% where people will go and for how long, as far as the CDC and Dr. Fauci are concerned, we won’t see normalcy until the end of this year or the beginning of 2022. This may mean we’ll see even more migration to other parts of the U.S. as more people flee the place they used to call home. 

Where Will You Go?

Are you thinking about moving in 2021? Whether it’s due to the pandemic or you’ve had plans to move in 2021, Roofstock Marketplace has thousands of listings all over the country. Whether you want small-town living in a southern state or you’re ready to live it up in a metro area (that’s safe), you’ll find just what you need to start your new life in the new year. 
 

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