Sarasota has second-highest number of new residents in US

Sarasota is the No. 2 market in the country for relocating, according to Clearwater-based PODS Enterprises. The portable moving and storage solutions company identifies the top 20 cities people are moving to with the release of its annual relocation trends report.

The report analyzes consumer movements throughout the past 15 months. Sarasota slipped one spot from the No. 1 position in last year’s report, replaced at the top by Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Wilmington, North Carolina, which jumped up five positions from No. 6.

Florida saw the largest increase in new residents among all states, with six markets earning a spot on the list. Other Florida markets in the top 20 are Orlando, No. 3; Ocala, No. 4; Jacksonville, No. 8; Tampa Bay, No. 9; and Melbourne, No. 12.

Economics appear to be the largest factor influencing consumers' decisions to move, with low tax rates, warmer weather and more affordable housing prices providing the primary motivation. This is a change from the 2022 report, when movers were primarily influenced by the opportunity to work remotely and moved to be closer to loved ones.

The top 20 markets with prior-year ranking, if ranked, in parenthesis, are:

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina/Wilmington, North Carolina (6)
2. Sarasota (1)
3. Orlando (9)
4. Ocala (5)
5. Houston, Texas (12)
6. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas (2)
7. Knoxville, Tennessee (7)
8. Jacksonville (11)
9. Tampa Bay (4)
10. Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (14)
11. Nashville, Tennessee (3)
12. Melbourne (15)
13. Portland, Maine (20)
14. San Antonio, Texas (13)
15. Boise, Idaho (19)
16. Charlotte, North Carolina (18)
17. Asheville, North Carolina (17)
18. Phoenix, Arizona (10)
19. Savannah, Georgia
20. Raleigh, North Carolina