Research reveals cities where people really, really want to move to – and stay
Best cities for investment properties
Forget the rollercoaster of recent years. 2024 is shaping up to be the year of opportunities for forward-thinking real estate investors. Harvard?s recently released America?s Renting Housing 2024 suggests a stabilizing market, with rents still at record highs and demand remaining strong. Another bullish signal is the FED hinting at mid-year rate cuts. ?Bout time, right? It's a forecast duo that?s brewed up the perfect storm: less competition, high profitability potential, and sustainable growth.
A newly released survey reveals Americans’ satisfaction with the city they live in.
Design and architecture firm Gensler surveyed nearly 13,500 residents across 27 major U.S cities between July and November 2024.
Individuals answered about 50 questions about their city experiences, opinions, and preferences, along with factors that shaped their decisions to move to stay, or leave their current city.
San Antonio, San Diego among places residents are most satisfied
By the numbers:
Out of the 27 US cities in our study, San Antonio, San Diego and Raleigh were among the places where residents were most likely to say they are satisfied with their city, the findings, published in Gensler’s City Pulse 2025: The Magnetic City, revealed.
A skyline view in downtown San Antonio, Texas. (Credit: Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
Sofia Song, the Global Cities research lead, said that strong staying power was also found in U.S. cities like Minneapolis, San Antonio, San Diego, Raleigh, Chicago, Tampa, Portland, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Austin, where residents were especially likely to say that they were unlikely to move away.
What they're saying:
"But even if people do move out of their current city, 7 out of 10 people still choose city life," Song told FOX Local. "Americans are not abandoning cities. They’re moving to cities that feel affordable, safe, and vibrant."
Song added that the U.S. cities analyzed excelled in vibrancy and opportunity and also rated strong in the categories of culture, job opportunities, energy and diversity.
Meanwhile, the U.S. cities struggled most in reducing crime, addressing homelessness and investing in their neighborhoods.
Where residents are most satisfied living
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- Raleigh
- Minneapolis
- Tampa
- Austin
- Charlotte
- Houston
- Boston
- Washington D.C.
The data also found that many of the U.S. cities attracting the most newcomers were Tampa, Raleigh, Atlanta and Denver which offered a combination of relative affordability, strong job markets, and a good quality of life compared to the largest, most expensive cities.
Mid-size cities were still on the rise, as well. People still wanted urban life, but they often chose smaller, more affordable cities. These cities give residents access to jobs and culture with less congestion and lower costs, which made them feel like a better long-term bet.
Top 10 cities by percentage of new residents
- Tampa
- Raleigh
- Atlanta
- Denver
- Austin
- Charlotte
- Nashville
- Washington D.C.
- Columbus
- Seattle
People drawn to cities for security, stay for belonging
Dig deeper:
In particular, Song said that people are drawn to cities in search of security, whether it’s financial or physical.
In fact, across life stages, the top reasons people chose a city were due to cost of living, level of safety from crime, access to high-quality healthcare, job opportunities and level of taxes.
What they're saying:
But Song also noted that the things that get people to stay in cities may be entirely different than what draws them in.
"What gets people to stay is based on emotion and attachment," she explained. "Our analysis shows that the strongest predictors of staying in a city aren’t jobs, transit, or good schools."
She said they are feelings such as being proud of their city, not feeling bored , or feeling a sense of belonging where they live.
"So cities that combine affordability and safety and build experiences that instill energy, pride, and belonging are the ones that really become ‘magnetic,’" she added. "Cities need to provide both the practical and emotional sides to be successful."
Top 10 cities with staying power
- Minneapolis
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- Raleigh
- Chicago
- Tampa
- Portland
- Phoenix
- San Francisco
- Austin
Where people are moving to
Big picture view:
According to another recent moving tends report, the Southeast has emerged as a dominant draw, while megacities and coastal hubs are seeing a steady exodus.
RELATED: Where people are moving most in 2025 — and where they’re leaving
The data, drawn from PODS’ long-distance move records between January 2024 and March 2025, revealed that the Carolinas and Tennessee topped the list of move-in destinations, thanks to their affordability, access to nature, and smaller-city charm.
The Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Wilmington, North Carolina, region ranked No. 1 for the third consecutive year. This was followed by Ocala, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina and Dallas, Texas.
The Source: Data for the Gensler City Pulse 2025: The Magnetic City was gathered via an anonymous, panel-based survey of 33,000 total urban residents in 65 cities across the world. In the United States, 27 U.S. cities with just over 500 respondents per city ( 13,464 total) were surveyed.All respondents were demographically diverse by age, gender, education, and income levels. This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.