Moving report: Florida remains top national destination, but cracks are forming

Sarasota nearly topped the charts — again — in a storage company's annual look at the top cities people are moving to in the U.S. 

After coming in No. 1 last year, the city came in No. 2 in the latest study released by PODS Enterprises, a Clearwater-based portable moving and storage company. The report’s results included data taken over a span of 15 months. 

In this year's report, the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Wilmington, North Carolina area beat out Sarasota for the No. 1 spot. 

The majority of the top 20 in the list were located in Southern states, which makes sense given demographic trends of late. Florida, unsurprisingly, had the largest influx of new residents with six Sunshine State locales — Sarasota, Orlando, Ocala, Jacksonville, the Tampa Bay area and Melbourne — earning a spot on the list. Five of those cities made the top 10. 

"Economics appear to be the largest factor influencing consumers' decisions to move, with low tax rates, warmer weather, and more affordable housing prices being the main motivators behind consumer choices," the report states. "This is different from the 2022 report, where people were primarily influenced by the opportunity to work remotely and moved to be closer to loved ones."

Despite Florida being one of the most moved to places in the past two years, the PODS report posits a warning. “It appears that the market is starting to take notice of significant cost increases in the Sunshine State, especially in housing. In response, movers may be looking for more affordable places to call home,” the report states. 

Looking forward to next year’s report, PODS is taking note of rising interest rates and inflation as well as rental and housing costs to see what impact that will have on where people moving go.