Survey: Florida still the ‘dream’ state for relocation
Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville among most popular cities for moving relocation. Image via Suddath.

SUDDATH 2
Florida remains the top locale for relocation, despite some declines in people moving to the state.

Florida is still the most desired state to relocate to in America.

That’s according to a new study by moveBuddha, a personal advisory website offering services on relocations.

“Florida is the most desired state to move to in 2025, with residents in three of four U.S. regions naming it as the state they’d most like to move to,” the moveBuddha results showed.

The site surveyed 1,250 Americans about their plans on moving this year. While the survey showed 35% of Americans intend to move in 2025, moveBuddha officials tempered that result by noting historical trends show only 8% to 9% actually relocate annually.

But the survey suggested 1 in 4 people plan to move out of the state where they currently reside. Florida is the most desirable destination for those wanting to relocate, with California coming in second.

“When it comes to relocation dreams, affordability doesn’t necessarily correlate with desirability. People are generally drawn to large, economically rich states with favorable climates and abundant opportunities,” the study concluded.

Some 23.8% of those surveyed said Florida is the most desired state to relocate to. Another 23.3% preferred California.

For three out of four regions in the U.S., Florida was the top pick for relocation. Those living in the West preferred California. Those in the Northeast, Midwest and South all favored Florida.

The moveBuddha survey comes as some have raised concerns about migration to the state dropping going forward.

A Florida Chamber of Commerce migration report published in December raised alarms when the business advocacy group showed the pace of people moving to Florida is beginning to slow. The Chamber found that while people are still moving to Florida, the Sunshine State isn’t quite the favorite it used to be, and 2023 showed a notable drop in new residents.

“While this figure reaffirms Florida as a top destination for new residents, it also represents a nearly 50% decrease from the previous year and marks the first major decline in net migration in a decade. The report attributes this shift to two key factors: rising housing costs and perceived limited career opportunities for younger, early-career workers,” a Chamber news release said.

A U-Haul moving company study also concluded that Florida is a top relocation locale. But Florida slipped from the second-most popular relocation state in 2023 to the fourth-most popular in 2024.

Drew Dixon

Drew Dixon is a journalist of 40 years who has reported in print and broadcast throughout Florida, starting in Ohio in the 1980s. He is also an adjunct professor of philosophy and ethics at three colleges, Jacksonville University, University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville. You can reach him at [email protected].


4 comments

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    • Earl Pitts "Ron & Casey's Official "Un-Offical" 2028 POTUS Campaign Manager American

      January 21, 2025 at 6:45 am

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  • Earl Pitts "Ron & Casey's Official "Un-Offical" 2028 POTUS Campaign Manager American

    January 21, 2025 at 6:41 am

    Good Morn ‘Ting America,
    Thank you and kudos to Ron & Casey Desantis for keeping The Great State of Florida the #1 State for relocation.
    As we all know, Ron & Casey, will be Our Great Nation’s POTUS & 1st Lady for 8 Glorious Years following Trumps term in office.
    The above Truth, Justice, and The American Way Wisdom Golden Nuggets have been brought to you by Earl Pitts “Ron & Casey’s Official “Un-Offical” 2028 POTUS Campaign Manager American.
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  • Deplorable Pinellas

    January 21, 2025 at 7:39 am

    Florida is being destroyed by the influx of people. Wetlands becoming housing subdivisions. Watersheds being cut off by clear-cutting of land. We full. Stop moving here. All the things that make Florida great are being destroyed by the constant building with ZERO upgrades to key infrastructure and no regard to impact on schools, police or fire departments. Most counties don’t even assess an impact fee.

    Florida is becoming a concrete jungle with low paying jobs and outrageous rental market. Floods will only get worse with the lack of water mitigation. County commissioners and state legislation reps should be ashamed of themselves for making Florida an unaffordable metropolis. Florida is becoming California.

    Reply

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