Summertime, and the Leaving’s Easy: Where are People Moving in 2025?

In May, Delaware saw more than twice as many move-ins as move-outs. That’s a first for the First State.

This spring’s moving surge revealed a shift: this year’s most popular destinations aren’t necessarily the flashiest lifestyle states that have topped lists for the past few years. In May, tiny Delaware joined other surprising states like Maine and North Dakota to outpace even pandemic-era favorites like the Carolinas.

And because the surge occurred in May, it’s likely a bellwether of overall moves in 2025, representing the lion’s share of June’s annual moving peak and serving as a potential signal of what relocation patterns could look like all summer long, as well as beyond.

We analyzed thousands of searches from moveBuddha’s cost calculator to track which states are seeing the most inbound and outbound interest ahead of peak moving season.

Here’s what we’ve discovered: The 2025 moving season is already reshaping the migration map. Former magnets like Georgia and Arizona are slipping, while new winners like Delaware, New Mexico, and Minnesota are gaining ground, typically earning new moves from nearby states where prices, density, and burnout are pushing people to seek balance just over the border.

Key Takeaways

• • With 2.06 moves in for every exit, surprising and un-trendy Delaware leads a pack of more diversified popular destinations than in previous years, suggesting this summer’s moving season will look different from years past.
  • With 5 of the 10 top states new to May 2025 compared to all of 2024, there is a lot of churn in move choices right now. North Dakota shifts from the bottom ten to the top, joining top-ten newcomers Delaware, Oregon, Minnesota, and New Mexico.
  • Previously popular states like Virginia, Georgia, and Arizona join the top outflow states, each with fewer than .84 moves in for every move out.
  • Top winners are gaining due to migration from nearby states with higher densities and costs, such as Delaware, which is taking 44.9% of the move interest from those seeking to ditch Pennsylvania.
  • California (with 6.2 in-moves for every exit) is the most unpopular, joined by other high-cost, high-density coastal states. But movers aren’t looking to go too far away: they’re flooding Nevada, Washington, Utah, Arizona, Hawaii, and Texas.
  • New York to California is the most popular state-to-state move route in May 2025 per capita, and California to Texas is 2nd.

The Most Popular States for Summer 2025

1. Delaware
2. Maine
3. South Carolina
4. Oregon
5. North Carolina
6. Arkansas
7. Minnesota
8. North Dakota
9. Wyoming
10. New Mexico

Delaware, North Dakota Show Surprising Interest

In May, only one state had a move ratio over 2.0, with double the number of inbound move interest compared to outbound moves: Delaware. The First State hasn’t topped moveBuddha migration reports in years, suggesting a unique spring surge that could lead to a summer crop of newly minted Blue Hens. 

Today, Delaware’s interest is spiking. Its influx is 45% higher than #2 Maine’s and 42% higher than #3 South Carolina’s. On a per capita basis, Delaware’s spike is the most significant per capita, too. However, South Carolina’s 3.57 move ratio and Oregon’s new 3.57 residents for every outmove are also poised to impact their states’ current populations more compared to other top summer destinations.

Why? Although Delaware hasn’t surged on moveBuddha’s radar, it’s been quietly gaining momentum with retirees excited for strolls on the beach, those seeking tax relief or the employment opportunities that come alongside the nation’s incorporation capital, and families seeking outstanding schools. Delaware is also a stone’s throw away from crowded Philadelphia, so as remote workers are recalled, they may be looking to less expensive exurban locations closer to nature, but not too far from the office.

In one wild shift, North Dakota moved from one of 2024’s least popular states overall to one of the hottest in summer 2025, turning its .82 in-to-out move ratio around. Today, there are 1.87 newcomers interested in calling North Dakota home for every outbound inquiry.

Many States Make a Debut Appearance in the Top Ten, Others Lose Steam

While Delaware’s star is rising, other states are seeing cool-downs just in time for the summer moving season.

In 2024, South Carolina’s 2.05 in-moves for every one person out have cooled to 1.80. And some other 2024 darlings have stalled as well: Tennessee, Idaho, West Virginia, South Dakota, and Alaska have fallen out of the top ten. May movers replaced them with Delaware, Oregon, Minnesota, North Dakota, and New Mexico.

This summer, movers seem to be seeking out some of the usual suspects — states that have seen strong, sustained popularity. But they’re also looking to shake it up, with half the list representing a departure from 2024’s popular destinations. 

The differences? Popular states in summer 2025 are increasingly likely to be politically left-leaning (Oregon, New Mexico, Delaware, and Minnesota are all newcomers to the top ten, with only North Dakota breaking into the top ten as a red state). They replaced a slate of solidly right-leaning choices.

They also pushed popularity out of trendy, over-saturated former hotspots to quieter, more stable areas with moderate housing prices (for now). For example, none of the newcomers to the top ten list is known for its high-cost housing market (though Oregon’s is rising). 

The Least Popular States for Summer 2025

1. California
2. Rhode Island
3. Nebraska
4. New Jersey
5. Connecticut
6. Louisiana
7. Virginia
8. Georgia
9. Arizona
10. Maryland

Coastal and Saturated States Lose Residents

Six of the 10 losingest cities this May are located on the East or West Coast. And nearly all ten are high-cost or rising-cost locations — California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland are among the most expensive in the country. The trend suggests that people are still leaving crowded, expensive metros, a continuation of pre-pandemic era exits from cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.-adjacent counties.

Joining the bottom ten for the first time, Virginia, Georgia, and Arizona aren’t traditional outmigration states. Yet, in May 2025, they all saw less than .84 in-moves for every move out. It’s possible that once-affordable boom states (Arizona and Georgia) might be becoming victims of their own success, as residents see prices spike and traffic worsen.

Another possibility is that saturation, rather than price is changing their fortunes. Where once, sunbelt metros captured most Americans’ interest, today, movers are more interested in less crowded areas.

Former High-Outflow States are Still Losing Residents

While Massachusetts, Illinois, and North Dakota were all in the bottom ten overall in 2024, they’ve climbed out this spring. However, Massachusetts and Illinois both continue to see negative inflow — it’s not that these states have improved dramatically. 

Instead, they’ve simply been edged out by the sharper May 2025 downturn in interest in Georgia, Arizona, and Virginia. Massachusetts ranks #39 with .85 moves in for every move out, while #31 Illinois nearly broke even in May among the 20 states with negative inflow, seeing .98 moves in for every outbound move.

Overall, the least popular states show that traditional high-cost coastal cities are still bleeding residents, but newer pressures are pushing formerly hot migration states into the red zone. The threat that ties them all together? Perceived erosion of value for cost, whether that’s housing prices, politics, or crowds.

The Most Popular State-to-State Moving Routes for Summer 2025

Inflow Winners Pull From Their More Saturated Neighbors

Movers are looking to Delaware this summer, and nearly half are coming from right next door. According to moveBuddha move cost searches, 44.90% of Delaware’s inbound interest comes from Pennsylvania, its northern neighbor.

That’s a high concentration for such a small state, and it likely reflects both geographic convenience as well as economic push and pull factors between the two. After all, the Philadelphia metro area lies just a short drive from northern Delaware, making the beachfront getaway an easy hop for Pennsylvanians seeking lower property taxes, no sales tax, and a more suburban pace.

A similar pattern may account for other top summer destinations when analyzing their biggest inflows:

Maine is grabbing 47.70% of Massachusetts’ outbound movers.  They’ll need to hop over New Hampshire’s short coastline to get there, but Bostonians will gain access to scenic beaches and leave traffic behind — without sacrificing access to the city for hybrid work or occasional meetings.

And South Carolina? They’re gaining former North Carolinians, who make up 48.7% of their inbound move interest. Compare that to outbound traffic from South Carolina. They’re mostly flowing right back to North Carolina, but at a lopsided rate; South Carolina is only giving 24.7% of their outbound interest to their northern neighbor.

This kind of cross-border migration highlights a growing trend: movers want to stay tethered to economic hubs without absorbing their full cost. None of these movers are abandoning the East Coast entirely, but they’re seeking out smaller, more manageable alternatives.

Movers Leave Expensive, Crowded California, But Don’t Go Far

California is a prime example of this migration pattern in reverse: it’s a pricey, crowded outflow hub that’s seeing its population flee without venturing too far, geographically or culturally.

Those moving from California will find plenty of former Golden Staters in Nevada, Washington, Utah, Hawaii, Texas, and Arizona — these destinations see the biggest slices of new residents coming from the West Coast giant. In part, that’s due to California’s high ratio of out-moves. But it’s also due to size alone: California lost nearly 240K residents to out-migration from July 2023 to July 2024.

As with the most common paths into the most popular states this summer, California’s pathways outbound share cultural and geographic proximity as people leaving California often seek places that feel familiar but more livable, whether that’s in terms of climate, politics, cost, or amenities. 

For example, Nevada and Arizona offer similar desert landscapes and low taxes, while Washington and Utah promise access to the outdoors with tech-friendly economies. Hawaii straws those looking to keep the West Coast vibe but trade sprawl for serenity. And Texas, long marketed as California’s ideological rival, now hosts entire communities of former Californians, like Austin tech workers and Hill Country retirees.

In effect, California’s demographic footprint isn’t truly shrinking. It’s just spilling over and reshaping the character of multiple destination states.

The Most Popular State-to-State Routes for Summer 2025

New York to California is the most popular state-to-state move route, per capita, which is based on the average population per state. While the approach favors larger states, it’s a balanced approach that accounts for populations in both origin and destination states alike.

Interestingly, even on a per capita basis, New Yorkers are heading to the West Coast. While both states are high on the list of outflow states, this particular route is netting new residents for California, with 4.59 move requests (to moveBuddha) per 100K of population.

On the other hand, Californians are moving to Texas at a rate that’s 10.14% lower than for New Yorkers flowing the opposite direction. The 2nd-largest per capita route is perhaps less surprising, reflecting general population trends flowing out of dense, high-cost coastal cities to climes with more space and fewer expenses.

June Predictions

1. Move Volume Will Peak in May’s Search Locations

As school lets out, June sees the country’s annual peak in residential moves. In fact, June 1 and June 30 are two of the busiest moving days of the entire year. So, May’s searches will power June’s moves and cement even some of these surprising states like Delaware and North Dakota as top winners of 2025, even if their popularity turns out to be seasonal and fleeting.

2. While Inbound Winners Peak and Subside, Outbound Trends Continue

Lifestyle destinations, like states in the Southeast and Mountain West, typically see a flurry of spring interest, followed by waning move inquiries later in the season. 

But outbound trends are likely to continue through the summer. For instance, in May, the most expensive coastal and high-density states led outbound migration. That pattern isn’t seasonal; it’s driven by pressure from housing and costs. So expect June, July, and beyond to see high volume in outbound moves from California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and Rhode Island. 

3. Mid-Size Cities with Low Housing Pressure Will Continue to be Popular

Markets that are less saturated and less seasonally bound, with low housing pressure, won’t show the same spike, then dip, in interest. They’ll stay strong in June and even later in the summer, and continue to appeal to buyers as they’re increasingly pushed from bigger cities with more cost constraints. Expect Delaware, New Mexico, and Arkansas to keep showing strong interest.

In 2025, Movers Want Bigger Spaces and Smaller Price Tags

Is the Sun Belt finally clouding over?

Not exactly. However, this summer’s moving season does look different from previous years, as these once-hot states are losing ground to more cost-conscious, less densely populated alternatives. 

While high-cost coastal cities continue to see a mass exodus, it’s becoming apparent that doesn’t mean movers want to leave nature, large economies, or blue politics. May’s move data shows that’s leading to more diversification in popular destinations, with strong interest in mid-size second-cities, exurbs, and leafy alternatives to hub cities.

In place of Arizona or Texas, we’re seeing surges in once unlikely spots like Delaware, Maine, and even Minnesota, all states that offer a quieter version of the good life without overcrowding and price spikes. The result? It’s a moving map that’s still shifting south and west, but now with more emphasis on livability over hype. 

Methodology

We analyzed moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator from May 1, 2025, to May 31, 2025, for inquiries related to move costs across the U.S. in 49 states (Hawaii was omitted due to a lack of enough data needed for statistical significance). 

Our moving ratio compares inquiries for inbound versus outbound moves in any given location. We then compared those ratios to the population of each state to assess which states were seeing not just the highest move interest, but the most significant impacts on their existing culture and infrastructure.

While per capita move inquiries can only tell us how many inbound versus outbound moves are likely to take place (not how many overall moves, nor how many of these inquiries will result in moves), they’re able to compare proportional interest to and from locations, as well as assess the most popular destinations, origins, and routes.