This scenic Southern city is the most popular place to move to in 2024

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‘The new American dream is to leave America’ says woman after moving from US to Bali

Andrea Elliott is one of many people on TikTok who believe “the new American dream is to leave America.” The 37-year-old fled the American “rat-race” and moved to Bali.

A recently-published report named a popular Southern beach destination as the most moved-to city in 2024.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, took the crown of most moved-to city in an analysis published by PODS, a moving and storage company. Wilmington, North Carolina, shared the same spot.

PODS found that more and more Americans are opting to move to Southern states, which has become a trend in recent years.

“We’re seeing more people move to the Southern Appalachian region, which includes states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama,” PODS explained. 

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, ranks as the most popular place to move to in 2024. (iStock)

“People are also continuing to move to select Florida cities and long-standing retirement favorites such as Boise, Portland (ME), and Phoenix.”

PODS credited the Carolinas’ popularity to its “low cost of living, access to the outdoors, and a solid quality of life.”

The Myrtle Beach area remains a popular place to move to, according to a survey. (iStock)

Interested in seeing which other locales made the cut? Here are the ten U.S. cities with the most move-ins in 2024:

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (spot shared with Wilmington, North Carolina)

2. Ocala, Florida

3. Houston, Texas

4. Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina

5. Charlotte, North Carolina

6. Raleigh, North Carolina

7. Phoenix, Arizona

8. Knoxville, Tennessee

9. Jacksonville, Florida

10. Asheville, North Carolina

Knoxville and Jacksonville were both knocked down one spot relative to their 2023 numbers, but still remain popular moving destinations.

The survey also analyzed which cities had the most move-outs in 2024 – and predictably, some of them are the most expensive places to live in the U.S.

1. Los Angeles, California

2. San Francisco Bay Area, California

3. South Florida (including Miami)

4. Long Island, New York

5. Austin, Texas

6. Central New Jersey

7. Chicago, Illinois

8. San Diego, California

9. Stockton-Modesto, California

10. Hudson Valley, New York

PODs says that the main reason people move out of these locations is money-related. 

Los Angeles remains an unpopular city to move to due to its costliness, the report says. (Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

“Rising rent prices, a housing struggle, high tax rates, and overcrowding are common issues in many of the cities that top this year’s move-out list,” the report explained. “Los Angeles returns in the number one spot, followed by major metropolitan cities (and repeat offenders) like San Francisco, Miami, and Long Island, NY (part of the greater NYC area that PODS services).”

“Unsurprisingly, these cities are also some of the most expensive metro areas in the country.”

Andrea Vacchiano is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. You can follow her on X at @andrea_vacch or send story tips to [email protected].