Scottsdale, Arizona, Named #1 City People Relocated to in 2019

[Melanie Johnston]

Those of us who live in and invest in Scottsdale, AZ, know why we love it. Great weather (3/4 of the year), outdoor lifestyle and activities, popular annual events (Phoenix Open, Major League Baseball Spring Training, etc., etc.), resort living all year round.

So when our city makes the news, as in this article from AZ Business Magazine, we have to share. And shout outs to other places highlighted in this article. You might want to share it, too:

"HireAHelper, the online marketplace for finding, comparing and booking moving transportation and services, today released its second annual study examining U.S. moving trends and the No. 1 hot spot for those relocating is Scottsdale.

This study is a unique and nuanced view of more than 25,000 moves booked in 2019 to identify exactly where people were migrating.

HireAHelper looked at the origins and destinations of each move to find out which states attracted the most new residents, as well as which had more people move out of them versus into them. It also examined which US cities were the most attractive to people, and explored the distance and timings of moves, measuring how far (and when) Americans moved in 2019.

The study resulted in several interesting findings, including:

• Most people moved to a place within the same county (62%)

• 1 in 6 (16%) people on the move chose to find a new home across state lines

• The top destination city was Scottsdale, AZ, with twice (108%) as many people moving in versus out

• The top destination state was Idaho with 48% more people moving into it than out of it

• 1 in 8 (13%) of all out-of-state moves were moves to Florida

• 20% of all moves in America happen on Saturday

• 35% of all moves took place in the Summer months

“This particular study stands out because HireAHelper’s data takes into account the small, do-it-yourself moves that are invisible to large moving companies that have traditionally published migratory figures,” says Dr. Wendy Parson, Ph.D. from the University of California San Diego and an expert in social dynamics at Varsity Tutors. “HireAHelper’s research offers a more complete and accurate reflection of society.”

According to the data, states such as Idaho, New Mexico, and Maine all registered at least 35% more people moving into them compared to people leaving them. Close behind are Arizona and South Dakota, where net gains were at roughly 25%.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is West Virginia followed by, curiously enough, some of the wealthiest states in the country: New York (-18%), Connecticut (-18%), and Illinois, California and New Jersey (all at -17%).

On the city level, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles all lost more residents than they gained in 2019. Meanwhile, smaller cities – many in southern states – saw great net gains in terms of people moving in. From Mesa and Scottsdale in Arizona, to Jacksonville and Sarasota in Florida, these four cities had 50% more people moving in than moving out.

To read HireAHelper’s full study examining US moving trends, visit: https://www.hireahelper.com/moving-statistics/migration-report/ . "

I talk to BiggerPockets members from across the country who have Metro Phoenix on their radar. Whether they are investors from California or Chicago, they see that it's a great time to be a landlord in Arizona.

Melanie