Being closer to family and friends, followed by getting more home for the money were the main drivers for people to relocate in 2024, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

NAR’s 2024 Migration Trends report, which analyzes the motivators for homebuyers who move to different areas of the country, found that 30% of NAR clients identified being closer to friends and family as the main reason for moving. About 21% said the top reason they chose to move was to get more home for the money.

Realtors report that other motivators clients cited for moving to a specific area included more favorable taxes (16%), a safer area with less crime (16%) and being closer to their work location (15%).

Movers to the West were more focused on getting more home for the money (24%), movers to the South were more driven than others by lower or more favorable tax rates (19%), and movers to the Northeast were more motivated than others to move closer to their job location (22%).

U.S. Census Bureau data shows that of those moving, 46% moved to the South, while 25% moved to the West. Another 18% moved to the Midwest and 11% moved to the Northeast. The NAR found that among realtors who responded to the survey, 33% of their clients moved from the South, 30% moved from the West, 22% moved from the Midwest and 15% moved from the Northeast.

National migration patterns show the continued dominance of the Sun Belt as the area where most movers are relocating. Of the Census Bureau’s top 20 states with the highest net migration in 2023, the list is dominated by states in the South or the Southwest. Leading the way was Florida, which gained 372,870 residents from other states. It was followed by Texas, which gained 315,301 new residents from net migration. North Carolina was third, with 126,712 new residents, followed by South Carolina (91,853) and Georgia (88,325).

“It is no surprise that the Sun Belt states continue to attract movers within the U.S., but this report helps to highlight just how much the draw to be close to one’s friends and family drives a relocation,” said Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist and vice president of research. “Homebuyers continue to seek areas where their support systems are around them.”