A new study by Do-It-Yourself moving market leader PODS Enterprises has highlighted the dominance of Florida and Tennessee as the most popular destinations for consumer relocation activity.
In its sixth annual Moving Trends Report, the containerized moving solutions company highlighted the U.S. cities with the most move-ins and move-outs. In total, the Sun Belt region claimed 80% of the most popular destination cities, up from 75% in 2025. For the fourth consecutive year, the Myrtle Beach (South Carolina) and Wilmington (North Carolina) area claimed the top spot for move-ins, with Ocala (Florida) ranking second and Dallas-Fort Worth third.
In terms of states with the most move-outs, California led the United States for fifth consecutive year with seven cities on the exodus list. Los Angeles has now been the top spot for move-outs for five years running. Miami and the San Francisco area were in second and third place.
“As economic uncertainty continues to shape decision-making, people are moving to Sun Belt states perceived to offer a more sustainable cost of living without sacrificing job opportunities, community, or quality of life. Persistent move-outs from high-cost metro areas underscore the growing pressure many households face, seen time and time again in cities like Los Angeles and Miami, which continue to surface at the top of our move-out list,” said James Shively, Chief Operating Officer at PODS
IAM Member Impact: While not an exact reflection of the professional moving market, the volume of data gathered by PODS does provide indicative trends of consumer activity in the United States.
Source: PODS Press Release