Wilmington and Myrtle Beach have topped the list of the most moved-to cities nationwide for the second consecutive year, according to moving and storage company PODS.
On Monday, the company issued the
2024 edition of its Moving Trends Report, based on the movement of around 80,000 PODS containers between Jan. 2023 and March 2024. This is the first time an area has claimed the list’s top spot twice, said Trent Brock, PODS manager of brand communications.
The company, which is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, has issued the annual report since 2021. The Wilmington-Myrtle Beach area ranked No. 7 in that first report and jumped up one spot in the 2022 report for a sixth-place ranking.
The latest findings illustrate a shift in where people are relocating. The PODS data suggests people are flocking to cities in the Carolinas and parts of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama while moving out of big cities and states like Florida and Texas that were top relocation spots before and during the pandemic.
North Carolina cities made up four of the top 10 of the most moved-to areas on the 2024 list.
Charlotte moved up from 16th place in 2023 to become the 5th most moved-to city while Raleigh moved from 20th place last year to rank 6th. Asheville also jumped up seven spots from 17th in 2023 to 10th this year. Cities in Florida, Texas, South Carolina and Arizona rounded out the list’s top 10.
PODS officials point to a lower cost of living and high quality of life as factors that are drawing more people to the Carolinas.
“Last year, we noted the Carolinas were worth watching, and this year, they’ve not only taken the trophy as the number one spot for new moves but also broken a record,” Rich Schwartz, PODS senior vice president of corporate operations, wrote in a news release.
“On the flip side, we’re continuing to see a throughline where expensive metro areas are prompting Americans to flock to cities and states where the cost of living is lower, and the lifestyle is more balanced.”
Brock said the Wilmington and Myrtle Beach areas are particularly attractive because of their coastal, often quiet atmospheres, lower living costs and growing economies. Both cities are also popular vacation spots, which can help introduce the areas to prospective permanent residents.
Both areas are also popular with retirees. Nationally, Wilmington and Myrtle Beach rank third among cities where more than 60% of movers are over the age of 56, Brock said. Data shows that the majority of PODS customers who moved to Myrtle Beach and Wilmington were over the age of 46 and 89% of PODS customers didn’t move to the area because of a job.
The report shows people are moving out of large metro areas, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and parts of New York City due to the climbing cost of living, overcrowding and “hefty tax burdens,” the report states.
“As a result, many residents find themselves priced out and seeking reprieve from major cities,” the news release states. “This mass relocation underscores the growing appeal among Americans in prioritizing access to nature and a more sustainable quality of life over the pace of city living.”
