South Carolina tops list of favorite places to relocate

Many U.S. residents were either on the move last year or thinking about a move, and we know which states, counties and cities were the most popular destinations in 2025. Using online search data and accounting for population size, this U.S. News & World Report.  

research revealed the top 50 state, county and city destinations in the U.S. by their move-in to move-out ratios.

Not surprisingly, South Carolina was a popular move destination, with its city of Conway topping the list of migration interest. Also, Horry County, where Conway is located, landed in the second spot in our county list of popular move locations.

Other sought-after state destinations ranged from some in the Northeast to the South and West, with less interest in Midwest states like Ohio and Indiana.

Most Sought-After States: Six of Top 10 in South

The appeal of South Carolina is easy to understand, with its mild weather and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean coastline, but some of the other states in the top 10 offer much more rugged conditions, including Idaho, Alaska, Maine and South Dakota. Besides the Palmetto State, other Southern states attracting considerable interest in 2025 included North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas, with Delaware rounding out the top 10 in migration interest (the U.S. Census Bureau includes Delaware in the South region, specifically the South Atlantic region, though many in the U.S. would consider it a Northeastern state).

The 50 states in our research are shown below. Washington, D.C., is included, with the only state excluded being Hawaii, which came in at No. 51.

1. South Carolina

2. Idaho

3. Alaska

4. North Carolina

5. Maine

6. Tennessee

7. Delaware

8. South Dakota

9. Alabama

10.Arkansas

Most Sought-After Counties

Here are the top 50 counties with the highest migration interest:

1. Brunswick County, North Carolina

2. Horry County, South Carolina

3. Washington County, Tennessee

4. Sumter County, Florida

5. Marion County, Florida

6. Ellis County, Texas

7. Catawba County, North Carolina

8. Greenville County, South Carolina

9. Dorchester County, South Carolina

10. Gaston County, North Carolina

Most Sought-After Cities

The top 50 U.S. cities generating relocation interest in 2025 included:

1. Conway, South Carolina

2. Johnson City, Tennessee

3. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

4. The Villages, Florida

5. Ocala, Florida

6. Bend, Oregon

7. Portland, Maine

8. New Braunfels, Texas

9. Bluffton, South Carolina

10. Apex, North Carolina

Provided by U.S. News & World Report.