Study: Asheville top 10 highest move-in rates in US; Carolinas displace Florida as top destination
According to data gathered by moving and storage company PODS, Asheville is among the top 10 for highest move-in rates in the country.
In fact, Asheville was one of four North Carolina cities that made the top 10, living up to last year's report from PODS that advised the Carolinas were "worth watching" for increased moving rates. The PODS post praised the combination of beaches, forestlands, mountains and metro cities offered by the Carolinas.
The cost of living, which ranks slightly below the national average, was also mentioned, along with a growing economy and lower tax rates than many U.S. states.
More: Asheville ranks No. 2 in the country for highest planned move-in vs. move-out ratio
US cities with highest number of move-ins
The full list from PODS was:
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Wilmington, North Carolina (1st in 2023)
Ocala, Florida (4th in 2023)
Houston, Texas (5th in 2023)
Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (10th in 2023)
Charlotte, North Carolina (16th in 2023)
Raleigh, North Carolina (20th in 2023)
Phoenix, Arizona (18th in 2023)
Knoxville, Tennessee (7th in 2023)
Jacksonville, Florida (8th in 2023)
Asheville, North Carolina (17th in 2023)
The PODS post noted that in 2023, Florida claimed half of the top 10 spots, while this year, the same stat has moved to the Carolinas. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, shared the top spot. Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, climbed six spots on the list, while North Carolina cities Charlotte, Raleigh and Asheville climbed from rankings under 15 to make it into 2024's top 10.
More: Asheville in top 20 in US News & World Report's Best Places to Live in US: What to know
Asheville moving trends
As many in the WNC area know, Asheville has been seeing increased attention for years. Census data shows records of 13.4% population growth in Asheville between 2010 and 2020. Most recent census data showed that the population as of July 1, 2022, was roughly 93,776.
Previous reporting from the Citizen Times covered a study from moving cost estimate aggregator moveBuddha in which the city ranked No. 2 in the country for highest in-to-out move ratio. According to the study, for every every 329 planned moves to Asheville in 2024, there are only 100 current residents planning to leave the city.
In the same article, Chief Operations Manager of Asheville Area Movers Kyle Donoughe told the Citizen Times that his team has seen an increase in clients over the years — but some things changed as housing prices in the area increased.
“Recently, with the interest rates being extremely high on purchasing new homes, we’ve seen a little less into homes and more into apartments,” Donoughe said.
The recent PODS report described the Carolinas and Appalachians as "new hotspots" in the wake of the pandemic, with the Southern Appalachian region in general receiving droves of movers seeking the "quiet life."
Sean Lallouz, owner of Dry Ridge Moving, reported a similar increase in clients, and made a connection between lasting effects of the pandemic and rising moving rates. He said that, due to high cost of living and difficulty finding suitable jobs, he believes that an increase in remote work opportunities nationwide has drawn more people to the area.
“It’s a lot easier if you can 'bring your own job' has been the refrain, and I think that’s gotten easier in the last few years,” Lallouz said.
Iris Seaton is a trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: PODS 2024 move-in rates: Asheville, NC, SC dominate top 10 in US
