12 U.S. Cities Americans Are Leaving And Where They’re Moving Instead in 2026
Across the U.S., relocation talk now sounds less like fantasy and more like math. In Redfin’s Oct.-Dec. 2025 migration snapshot, 30% of homebuyers searched outside their metro, with Florida and Arizona still pulling strong interest while California and New York remained major states people searched to leave.
Even so, the pattern is nuanced. Most shoppers in each city still looked within their home metro, and Redfin notes the figures track search behavior, not completed moves. What stands out is the direction of aspiration: lower costs, shorter commutes, and a pace that feels more sustainable. The emotional thread is practical hope.
New York City To Miami
New York remains magnetic for culture and careers, but the arithmetic keeps tightening. Redfin shows 32% of New York homebuyers searched to leave the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Miami ranked as the top destination. Even with that outflow signal, 68% still searched within the New York metro, which captures the city’s stubborn pull and layered loyalties this year at scale.
The move pattern reads less like rejection and more like rebalancing. Households chasing tax relief, more square footage, and warmer winters often test South Florida first, then decide whether the tradeoff in pace and price volatility is worth it over time.
San Francisco To Sacramento
San Francisco’s talent base is still deep, but daily costs push many searchers inland. In Redfin’s latest quarter, 25% of San Francisco homebuyers searched outside the metro, and Sacramento was the top destination. The majority, 75%, still searched locally, showing that the Bay Area remains a strong anchor even during affordability strain.
Sacramento keeps appearing because it offers a familiar California ecosystem with lower housing pressure than core Bay neighborhoods. For many households, it feels close enough for career continuity, yet distant enough to reset commute patterns, school options, and monthly housing anxiety.
Los Angeles To San Diego
Los Angeles has scale, weather, and industry gravity, yet many residents keep shopping for a calmer version of Southern California life. Redfin reports that 22% of Los Angeles homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and San Diego ranked first among destinations, while 78% still searched within Los Angeles, which signals both loyalty and strain.
That split explains the mood: the region is not being abandoned, it is being edited. San Diego appeals to people who want coast, jobs, and culture with a slightly different rhythm. In practice, families often frame it as a quality-of-life shift, not a full identity shift.
Chicago To Phoenix
Chicago’s core remains resilient, but outbound searches are tilting toward sunbelt flexibility. Redfin shows 18% of Chicago homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Phoenix led all destinations, with Milwaukee and Cape Coral also high on the list. A strong 82% still searched inside greater Chicago, underscoring a split mindset.
Phoenix keeps winning for households that want a major-job market, more newer housing stock, and a lifestyle reset without moving to a tiny city. The pattern suggests strategic migration rather than impulse: people keep one foot in big-city opportunity while testing a lower-friction daily routine.
Boston To Portland, ME
Boston’s education and biotech economy still draw talent, yet out-migration searches reveal a quieter preference shift. Redfin records 22% of Boston homebuyers searching outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Portland, Maine, ranked as the top destination. Even then, 78% still searched within Boston’s metro orbit.
Portland appeals to households that want Northeast proximity with a smaller-city cadence and coastal access. It’s close enough to preserve family and professional ties, but far enough to lower daily intensity. The throughline is clear: people are not fleeing ambition, they are redesigning how ambition fits into ordinary life.
Seattle To Phoenix
Seattle’s innovation economy remains a powerhouse, yet search behavior points to cost fatigue and climate preference shifts. Redfin reports 23% of Seattle homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Phoenix ranked first among outbound destinations. Still, 77% searched within Seattle’s own metro area.
Phoenix’s appeal is straightforward: relative affordability versus coastal tech hubs, strong air connectivity, and a housing mix that often feels easier to enter. The story is not one-way or absolute, but the direction is clear. Many households are testing whether professional upside can coexist with lower monthly pressure.
Philadelphia To Harrisburg
Philadelphia’s housing and lifestyle value remains stronger than many peer metros, yet relocation intent is rising at the edges. In Redfin’s Oct.-Dec. 2025 data, 27% of Philadelphia homebuyers searched outside the metro, and Harrisburg ranked as the top destination, followed by Salisbury and Allentown. Most, 73%, stayed local in their searches.
Harrisburg attracts buyers who want lower prices, shorter drive times, and a midpoint between city access and suburban breathing room. The pattern reflects a familiar Mid-Atlantic compromise: keep regional ties intact, reduce monthly strain, and seek neighborhoods where logistics stay less compressed.
Washington, DC To Salisbury
Washington, DC remains one of the country’s most opportunity-dense metros, but recent search patterns show selective outward movement. Redfin indicates 21% of DC homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, with Salisbury, Maryland, ranked first among destinations; 79% still searched inside the DC metro.
Salisbury’s rise points to a recurring calculation around space, pace, and budget, especially for households no longer tied to a five-day office schedule. Rather than a dramatic break, the shift looks surgical. People are trimming housing pressure while trying to retain access to the capital region’s employment network.
Austin To Killeen
Austin’s boom-era momentum has cooled into a more measured market, and migration searches show that adjustment clearly. Redfin reports 29% of Austin homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Killeen ranked as the top destination, ahead of Corpus Christi and Portland. A majority, 71%, still searched within Austin.
Killeen stands out as a value-oriented alternative for buyers who want to stay in Texas while lowering monthly housing stress. The pattern fits a broader post-surge phase: households remain drawn to Austin’s economy and culture, but many now prioritize payment stability over proximity to the city’s priciest areas.
Denver To Phoenix
Denver continues to attract newcomers, yet its own residents are also exploring exits in notable numbers. Redfin shows 33% of Denver homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Phoenix ranked as the top destination, followed by Breckenridge and Salt Lake City. Most searchers, 67%, stayed within metro Denver.
The Phoenix pull reflects familiar priorities: warmer winters, broader housing inventory, and perceived value compared with higher-cost mountain metros. Denver’s identity remains strong, but search behavior suggests households are weighing lifestyle perks against payment fatigue as they plan for long-term stability.
Miami To Cape Coral
Miami still attracts national demand, yet many locals are scanning for a less intense cost profile. Redfin shows 31% of Miami homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Cape Coral ranked as the top destination, followed by Orlando and Minneapolis. The majority, 69%, still searched within metro Miami.
Cape Coral’s draw is practical: comparatively lower home prices, familiar Florida amenities, and roomier suburban options. That combination resonates with households who want to remain in-state without carrying Miami-level housing pressure. It is a classic second-act move focused on monthly sustainability and calmer living.
San Diego To Portland, OR
San Diego remains highly desirable, but even premium markets generate outward search pressure when costs stay elevated. Redfin reports 26% of San Diego homebuyers searched outside the metro in Oct.-Dec. 2025, and Portland, Oregon, ranked first among destinations, followed by Nashville and Phoenix. Most, 74%, still searched locally.
Portland’s appeal blends relative value, established neighborhoods, and a different urban tempo that some households find easier to manage. The shift does not erase San Diego’s draw; it highlights a selective tradeoff. Buyers are comparing climate, cost, and career access more rigorously before choosing balance.
