Top states people are moving to in 2022

Due to the events that happened over the past few years, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have found themselves with many new opportunities and challenges. Many U.S. residents decided that this is the perfect time to relocate to another state and change their lives for the better. The best interstate moving companies have welcomed this new influx of relocations and offer a mostly stress-free way for their clients to make the transition. But where are all these people going, what are the top states people are moving to? You will soon find the answer!

Top states people are moving to in 2022

As promised, here’s the list of the most popular states to relocate to in 2022, in no particular order:

• Florida
• Utah
• Texas
• Arizona
• South Carolina
• North Carolina
• Washington
• Georgia
• Nevada
• Idaho
• Tennessee

We were considering two major factors when forming this list. First is the most recent U.S. Census report. This report shows which states experienced the highest population growth in recent years. While the fact is that relocations do not account for the entire population growth, they are a significant factor. Therefore, the higher the growth, the higher the number of relocations.

The second metric that we took into consideration is the USPS address change request data. This shows how many people have submitted a permanent address change in the last few years, indicating that they are moving to another state.

Both the Census report and USPS data show similar results, with a few “outliers”. For example, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Nevada, and Idaho are present in both sources, whereas Utah and Washington are on the Census report alone. Similarly, Arizona, North Carolina, and Tennessee were in the top 10 states when it comes to USPS address change requests. And there is one state where the Census report and USPS data clash: Colorado. The data from the postal service indicates that Colorado is actually one of the states people are moving out of in droves but the Census report indicates otherwise. Either way, there’s no doubt that all of these states are trending in 2022, and that more and more people are arriving to live within their borders. Let’s take a look at why that might be the case.

Florida

The Sunshine State has always been one of the most popular states to relocate to. With all the sunshine, tax situation, and affordable housing, there is a lot that drives people to move to Florida. Moreso, Florida is usually the number one state for retirees. Add to the fact that remote work is on the rise and that the younger people have started to realize that they can spend their time on sandy beaches, and you have a strong contender for the #1 spot in the 2022 moving trends. Florida is not without its faults, of course, but many people consider it to be their state of choice. And the data backs up this claim, too. Florida is #2 in the USPS data and #8 in the Census report.

Utah

The state of Utah is the #1 state when it comes to population growth, according to the Census report. Utah experienced a whopping 18.37% growth in 2020! The state offers plenty for the new arrivals, such as low housing and living costs, low crime rate, amazing landscape, and excellent skiing opportunities. In fact, the proximity to the mountains and recreational opportunities that they offer is one of the main reasons why people move to Utah. Another reason lies in excellent job opportunities. Utah is one of the states with the highest median income, after all. Despite the state collecting income tax, property tax, sales tax, as well as alcohol tax, most residents enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.

One of the top states people are moving to – Texas

Texas is close to Florida when it comes to one of the best states to move to in 2022, perhaps even “better”. The state experienced a population growth of 15.91% in 2020, as well as the most address-change requests in 2021 (12,700). Texas offers low taxes, low living costs, a very robust economy, as well as a conservative political environment. Not to mention great weather all year round.

Also, when families get to plan a long-distance moving process, Texas is often considered one of the destinations, due to the fact that more than a tenth of the top 100 high schools in the U.S. come from Texas. Lastly, there’s the fact that the state of Texas is one of the best states for jobs in the tech sector. And since this sector experiences the most remote work opportunities, it stands to reason that The Lone Star State is one of the most popular destinations.

Arizona

In the last few years, Arizona was one of the top states people are moving to. It is still true in 2022, but the population growth and the number of relocations have started to dwindle a bit. Nevertheless, The Grand Canyon State is still one of the best states to relocate to. The sunny climate, low living costs, growing job market, pet-friendliness, and amazing scenery coupled with affordable housing and excellent outdoor opportunities are going to drive people to look up nationwide moving tips and relocate to the state for years to come. As one of the states that do not tax social security retirement benefits, Arizona is extremely popular with the retiree population, as well.

South Carolina

The main driving force behind the influx of new residents to South California, aside from similar reasons to move to Florida, is that people are searching for more green space. The remote work opportunities allow people to spend more time outside and the Palmetto State delivers one of the best outdoor experiences in the country. The job market is very strong as well, meaning that the existing residents have few reasons to leave the state as well. According to the USPS data, SC gained more than ten thousand new residents in 2021.

North Dakota

With a population growth of almost 16% in 2020, North Dakota remains one of the top states people are moving to. The state frequently tops many of the lists for the “happiest” state, providing its residents with great employment rates, low sales taxes, better air quality, and low living costs. The residents of The Flickertail State are also, on average, quiet and friendly people, eager to welcome new arrivals.

Washington

The state of Washington is another state that experienced very high population growth in 2020 (14.58%) but has recently been plagued with skyrocketing living costs. It is one of those states that are really popular to move to but have some issues. According to the USPS data, The Evergreen State lost over 13 thousand families last year alone. But if we look at Washington’s Office of Financial Management report, the state’s growth between 2021 and 2022 has risen to 83,300, with net migration accounting for 86% of it. It all serves to show that there is always another side to the story. But the facts still remain, Washington remains one of the most popular relocation destinations in 2022.

Georgia is also one of the top states people are moving to

Georgia is one of the states that offers an amazing combination of tropical summers (and mild winters), beaches, mountains, low housing costs, and a very strong job market. These are just a few of the reasons to hire professional movers and relocate to Peach State. Others include laid back culture, clean air, and good food. It is the perfect place for young people to build their lives, and for families looking to raise their children. According to the USPS, Georgia received a bit more than 5,000 change-of-address requests in 2021.

Nevada

Both the USPS data and the 2020 census report agree that Nevada is one of the most popular states to relocate to in 2022. The state received a population boost of almost 15%, as well as received more than 3,100 families within the last year. Most people that are looking to settle in the Battle Born State do so to avoid humidity and to enjoy dry weather. Nevada also features low living costs and proximity to some of the most adventurous locations in the entire country, making it quite enticing to the younger population. And, of course, Vegas, baby!

Idaho

Idaho is a state that is close to the water but without the living expenses that come with living on the coast. In fact, low living costs are one of the main reasons why people choose to relocate to the state, alongside the booming job market. Other people may choose Idaho for all four seasons, low crime rate, and shorter commute time. Either way, both the Census report and USPS data agree that the Gem State is one of the most popular destinations in 2022.

Colorado

The last state on our list, Colorado, is a somewhat dividing case. The Census data shows that the state received a population boost of almost 15% in 2022, but the USPS data states that more than 12,000 families left Colorado in 2021. Similar to Washington, Colorado features high living costs and an expensive housing market, so those might be some of the reasons. But one of the main reasons for people leaving the Centennial State has to do with politics. Meaning that the 2021 data might be somewhat “skewed”. Colorado is still an extremely popular state to relocate to, even one of the top states people are moving to, even in 2022.

If you are looking for more moving information, feel free to peruse the Consumer Opinion Guide knowledge database, curated by experts in the moving industry, where you will be able to find answers to all your questions, as well as all the best long-distance moving companies the country has to offer!