Is Philadelphia the New Hot Spot for New Yorkers?

New York Times

06-03-2025

Moving to New York City is often aspirational, with many newcomers drawn to the arts scene, nightlife and career opportunities. But it's also expensive — which is why so many New Yorkers are looking to move out. But both groups have something in common, according to a StreetEasy report.
To find out who might be moving in and out of New York City in 2025, researchers analyzed search data on Zillow (which owns StreetEasy), tracking the number of page views for sales listings in each metro area in 2024, as well as the metro areas the searches originated from.
Philadelphia topped the list with the most residents looking for homes in the New York City area. The Washington, D.C., area was second, followed by Miami, Boston and Los Angeles.
Philadelphia took the top spot from Miami in 2023, but the difference between the two was a 'close call,' said Kenny Lee, a senior economist at Zillow and StreetEasy. Much like New York City and Philadelphia, Miami and New York have a 'revolving door' relationship, he said.
Little surprise, then, that Philadelphia was also the most searched destination for New Yorkers thinking of leaving, again unseating Miami from the 2023 results, according to the report. Atlanta, Boston and Tampa, Fla., followed.
Why is Philadelphia so popular with New Yorkers? Affordability is a factor, along with lifestyle and the job market, Mr. Lee suggested. This January, New York City's median asking rent was $3,600, and the median asking price was $1.1 million, according to StreetEasy. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia the typical rent was $1,721 and the typical asking price was $216,914, according to Zillow data. (Mr. Lee said the data for median rent and Zillow's data on 'typical' rent is the most comparable.)
Philadelphia's proximity can bring other perks for New Yorkers, like anyone more interested in a great cheesesteak than a great slice of pizza, or a halfway decent football team.
To and From New York City
A StreetEasy study of internet searches found the metro areas that New Yorkers were most interested in moving to, and the metro areas where the most residents were interested in moving to New York.
Metros New Yorkers are most interested in
Philadelphia
Miami
Atlanta
Boston
Tampa, Fla.
Washington, D.C.
Orlando, Fla.
Los Angeles
Charlotte, N.C.
Houston
Where interest in New York is greatest
Philadelphia
Washington, D.C.
Miami
Boston
Los Angeles
Atlanta
Chicago
Dallas
San Francisco
Tampa, Fla.
Metros New Yorkers are most interested in
Where interest in New York is greatest
Philadelphia
Miami
Atlanta
Boston
Tampa, Fla.
Washington, D.C.
Orlando, Fla.
Los Angeles
Charlotte, N.C.
Houston
Philadelphia
Washington, D.C.
Miami
Boston
Los Angeles
Atlanta
Chicago
Dallas
San Francisco
Tampa, Fla.
Source: StreetEasy
By The New York Times
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