Report finds fewer people moving to Florida in 2024 — except to this city

OCALA, Fla. – A new report has found Ocala is the second most popular city Americans are moving to in 2024.

According to data from moving and storage company PODS, three Florida cities cracked the top 20 list of most moved-to areas in the country — a significant drop-off since last year’s list when the Sunshine State had six locations make the cut.

Joining Ocala on PODS’ top moved-to destinations are Jacksonville (ninth) and Orlando (18th). Tampa, Sarasota and Melbourne all dropped out of the rankings.

PODS data found a clear trend of movers swapping out previously hot markets like Florida and Texas for cities in Tennessee, Georgia and especially the Carolinas.

Cities with Highest Levels of Move-Ins:

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Wilmington, North Carolina (No. 1 in 2023)
2. Ocala, Florida (No. 4 in 2023)
3. Houston, Texas (ranked fifth in 2023)
4. Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (No. 10 in 2023)
5. Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 16 in 2023)
6. Raleigh, North Carolina (No. 20 in 2023)
7. Phoenix, Arizona (No. 18 in 2023)
8. Knoxville, Tennessee (No. 7 in 2023)
9. Jacksonville, Florida (No. 8 in 2023)
10. Asheville, North Carolina (No. 17 in 2023)
11. Boise, Idaho (No. 15 in 2023)
12. Portland, Maine (No. 13 in 2023)
13. Nashville, Tennessee (No. 11 in 2023)
14. Atlanta, Georgia (not ranked in 2023)
15. Johnson City, Tennessee (not ranked in 2023)
16. Huntsville, Alabama (not ranked in 2023)
17. Dover, Delaware (not ranked in 2023)
18. Orlando, Florida (No. 3 in 2023)
19. Savannah, Georgia (No. 19 in 2023)
20. Greensboro, North Carolina (not ranked in 2023)

The report also looked at the cities with the highest move-out numbers and the Miami area was third on the list. Los Angeles and San Francisco continue to lead the pack with the largest out-migration numbers.

Florida’s severe weather and insurance crisis are major factors contributing to the decline in move-ins, according to PODS. Homeowners in the Sunshine State had an average premium of nearly $11,000 last year, which is $8,500 higher than the national average.

Additionally, average home values in Florida have only increased 3.3% in the last year, according to Zillow, after spiking more than 40% between 2021 and 2023.

Cities with Highest Levels of Move-Outs:

1. Los Angeles, California (No. 1 in 2023)
2. Northern California, San Francisco area (No. 2 in 2023)
3. South Florida, Miami area (No. 5 in 2023)
4. Long Island, New York, serving parts of New York City (No. 4 in 2023)
5. Austin, Texas (not ranked in 2023)
6. Central Jersey, New Jersey (No. 6 in 2023)
7. Chicago, Illinois (No. 3 in 2023)
8. San Diego, California (No. 14 in 2023)
9. Stockton-Modesto, California (No. 9 in 2023)
10. Hudson Valley, New York (No. 11 in 2023)
11. Santa Barbara, California (No. 10 in 2023)
12. Denver, Colorado (No. 18 in 2023)
13. Boston, Massachusetts (not ranked in 2023)
14. Baltimore, Maryland (No. 12 in 2023)
15. Hartford, Connecticut (No. 20 in 2023)
16. Portland, Oregon (not ranked in 2023)
17. Fresno, California (not ranked in 2023)
18. Bakersfield, California (not ranked in 2023)
19. Northern New Jersey, serving parts of New York City (No. 15 in 2023)
20. Minneapolis, Minnesota (not ranked in 2023)

More details on PODS’ analysis can be found online.