The idea of “home sweet home” holds a special place in the hearts of many Americans, but for an increasing number, the search for the “perfect place” has become more challenging.
Over the past year, American satisfaction with their current homes has declined, as per a recent survey conducted by Home Bay and Allied Van Lines. In 2023, only 63% of Americans express contentment with their dwellings, a noticeable drop from the 80% reported in 2022.
Rising housing costs, deep-rooted political divisions, and a surge in natural disasters have left Americans wondering if better options await them elsewhere.
To further analyze the preferences of Americans in 2023, Home Bay joined forces with Allied Van Lines, one of the world’s largest moving companies, to uncover the most and least desirable places in the United States.
From January 1 to June 30, 2023, Chicago experienced more outbound moves than any other city. Although the criteria for an ideal location may vary, Americans generally agree on a few key factors: low crime rates (46%), affordable housing (43%), and low cost of living (41%).
Perhaps the number of relocations from Chicago is linked to the fact that Americans also ranked the city as the fourth most overrated in the country.
Once again, the desirability of a place is a matter of personal preference, but over one in three Americans do concur on at least four factors that render a city or state overrated:
- High crime (41%)
- High cost of living (36%)
- Expensive homes (34%)
- High taxes (33%)
So where are Americans relocating to instead? According to Allied Van Lines, the top five cities Chicagoans flocked to were Los Angeles, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; New York, New York; and Tampa, Florida.
See the full survey here.
