FRESNO, Calif. (Baywindowmcc)
PODS Moving and Storage released a report of where people are moving out of in greater numbers than into, with California leading the charge.
PODS provides moving containers that are left at your residence, where they are filled. They are then picked up and delivered to the new address.
Because of this system, PODS knows where people are moving from and where they are moving to.
According to recent data, California continues to experience a significant outflow of residents, with seven of its cities ranking among the top 20 for move-outs in the country.
Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area have maintained their positions as the top two most moved-out-of cities for the fourth consecutive year.
San Diego has climbed from eighth to fifth place, while Stockton-Modesto has dropped to 13th, and Santa Barbara is stuck at 11th.
Fresno and Bakersfield are also on the list in 17th and 19th.
PODS says the exodus is largely attributed to the state’s high cost of living, which it says is nearly 50 percent above the national average.
Housing prices are nearly double, according to California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office reports, with typical mortgage payments averaging around $5,500 per month — an astronomical ask when the median household income is $96,334 annually.
California also has one of the highest tax rates in the country.
A June 2024 Public Policy of California poll revealed that residents are concerned about state budgeting, housing affordability, homelessness, and economic challenges.
The state has also faced renewed fears over natural disasters, following two massive fires in January 2025 that burned for 24 days, destroyed approximately 40,000 acres, displaced over 100,000 residents, and resulted in nearly 30 fatalities.
So, where are people who are leaving moving to?
According to the report, “Two-thirds of overall moves are unpacking in states along the aptly named Sun Belt. The majority of the most moved-to states in 2025 are sunny states with warm weather. However, a deeper look reveals the most popular states to move to are overwhelmingly located in the Southeast.”
Cities in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina dominated our list this year, echoing moving trends from recent years.
