The share of U.S. homebuyers and renters looking to move to a different metropolitan area ticked up to nearly 1 in 5 toward the end of 2025, driven by easing mortgage rates, an uptick in housing inventory and the enduring prevalence of remote work.
According to a report published Tuesday by Redfin, 18.8% of house hunters searched for properties outside their home metro in the fourth quarter of 2025. This marks a slight increase from 17.9% during the same period a year earlier, and a noticeable jump from 15.9% roughly five years ago, according to Redfin data.
While affordability continues to drive buyers toward the Sun Belt, migration into longtime favorite Florida is slowing down. However, the Sunshine State remains a popular relocation destination, with metro areas in Florida comprising 40% of the top 10 areas where homebuyers are moving to.
At the same time, pandemic-era boomtowns are experiencing a boomerang effect as residents depart for other markets, the report noted.
The overall uptick in relocation activity throughout 2025 was facilitated by a combination of easing mortgage rates and more homes coming onto the market, which allowed more buyers to successfully move, according to Redfin economists. Furthermore, the persistent nature of remote work has continued to allow U.S. residents to chase affordability and lifestyle changes without needing to switch employers.
When it comes to where these buyers are heading, Sacramento, Calif., and Las Vegas led the nation as the most popular migration destinations in the fourth quarter, based on net inflow data from Redfin. They were closely followed by four Florida metros: Cape Coral, North Port, Miami and Orlando. According to the Redfin report, all 10 of the most popular destinations offer relative affordability compared to the expensive coastal cities buyers are leaving behind.
The report also highlighted a growing “pandemic boomerang” effect. House hunters are increasingly moving away from Austin, Texas, and Charlotte, N.C. — two cities that absorbed massive influxes of new residents a few years ago. Redfin attributes this exodus to a combination of return-to-office mandates and the higher home prices and increased traffic congestion that are side effects of the earlier migration booms.
Meanwhile, expensive coastal job centers continue to bleed residents, though the pace has slowed in some key markets. Los Angeles and New York experienced the highest net outflows among major U.S. metros in the final quarter of last year, followed by the San Jose-San Francisco combined statistical area, Seattle and Chicago, according to Redfin.
At the state level, California saw the highest net outflow in Redfin’s analysis, followed by New York, Illinois, Washington and Massachusetts. On the receiving end, Florida, South Carolina and Arizona captured the highest net inflow of relocating house hunters.
