They fled cities in the pandemic exodus, seeking a cheaper cost of living, safety, and more. Here's how it's panned out.
With no commute required, an emphasis on the home, and low interest rates,a wave of millennials and Gen Zers moved to suburban or exurban areas during the pandemic. These rural or metro areas with fewer than 250,000 residents made up the top 10 counties with the highest net percent population increase among this age group between 2020 and 2023, the latest years for which data is available. On the other hand, cities have seen stagnant or declining populations among the 25-44 age group. Of the 10 most populous US counties, five had declines, while two stayed the same.
Business Insider interviewed seven Americans who left big cities during the pandemic in search of more space, stability, or a different pace of life. Some moved across the country, while others stayed closer to home, trading New York City, Los Angeles, or Houston for Rockford, Illinois; Wayne, New Jersey; or Palm Desert, California.
Now, five years after the pandemic began, life outside big cities hasn't been perfect. It may be cheaper — though not in all cases — but it also can come with longer commutes, less satisfying food and culture, and distance from friends.
Here are their stories, in their own words. Their quotes have been edited for length and clarity.
Business Insider has heard from hundreds of Americans who have moved in recent years for personal and financial reasons. If you have a story to share, please fill out this quick form. Read more on the topic below:
Moving from NYC to Illinois came with career changes and a lower cost of living
Andrew Blevins, 35, is an insurance agent who lives in Rockford, Illinois, which has a population of 147,000 and a median home sale price of $175,000.
In 2020, my wife and I moved from New York City to Rockford, Illinois, where we bought our first home.
We were traveling nationally as part of the Broadway tour of Cats — I was the production stage manager, and she worked in the merchandise department. But we both lost our jobs due to the pandemic.
We decided to move to Rockford because we're both from the area and felt comfortable knowing that it would be a safe place to settle down. We appreciated the difference in cost of living and wanted to be closer to our family.
The cost to rent our one-bedroom apartment in the Inwood/Washington Heights area of NYC was about the same as the mortgage payment on our three-bedroom home in Rockford. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to buy before the market took off, as we were able to build equity in our home rather quickly. We leveraged that equity into a different home and now reside in something much more comfortable.
The move coincided with my career change to an insurance agent. I opened an agency in January 2021 in an effort to help establish our roots in Rockford. I grew up in an insurance family and worked in my father's office during college, even earning some initial licensing at the time. Around the time I lost my job, an insurance recruiter reached out to me. It felt like the right moment to return to something familiar. My wife is the office manager for our agency. We work side by side, building our business together.
We have no plans to leave anytime soon. We took this opportunity to rebuild our lives after COVID, and we set out to build a comfortable life. We found that and more in Rockford.
Family reasons made moving from LA to New Jersey the right choice
Francheska Stone, 36, is the founder of a podcast and consulting platform. She lives in Wayne, New Jersey, which has a population of 53,000 and a median home sale price of $1.5 million.
My husband and I relocated from Los Angeles to Wayne, New Jersey, in October 2021.
My mother-in-law was diagnosed with dementia, so we wanted to be closer to family support on the East Coast. One month after arriving, I learned I was pregnant with our daughter, which reinforced the decision to stay in New Jersey. I'd never even visited New Jersey before moving, but family ties have made it work.
The first year in New Jersey was tough. It was a new state, I was pregnant, and I had to adapt to East Coast winters. But I have no lasting regrets about the move.
In Los Angeles, I worked on-site as a paralegal, but the move nudged me into remote legal work with the same law firm and then into entrepreneurship. I eventually launched my podcast and consulting platform business, and earlier this year, I left my full-time job to focus on it full-time.
We're rooted here for now and have no immediate plans to move. We love that New York City is a short drive away while we enjoy suburban space.
Overall, the cost of living in New Jersey has felt comparable to LA. We're renting for now, but buying a home here is a goal once my business income fully stabilizes.
We didn't want to have a family in a big city like Houston, so we moved to suburban Texas
Blanka Molnar, 40, is a parenting coach who lives in Sugar Land, Texas, which has a population of 110,000 and a median home sale price of $500,000.
My husband and I moved in June 2021 from Houston to Sugar Land, Texas.
We were looking to buy a home and start a family, but we were unsure about raising a child in Houston. The area we lived in started to feel dirtier and less safe, we didn't have a backyard, and the schools were not as good as we'd have liked.
Overall, we think moving was a great decision. We have much more space, a better school system, and a beautiful neighborhood. There are plenty of green areas and playgrounds, and our daughter enjoys our lovely backyard with her little slide.
The downsides are that we drive more than we did in the city, the food scene isn't as good as Houston's, and we live further from the airport. My husband's commute is also about twenty minutes longer.
Our housing costs are also higher now. We do not regret buying — we wanted to buy our own home, and we like our purchase — but adding up all the costs and expenses, it's much more than our rent was.
After we moved, I resigned and left my corporate life behind due to medical reasons. I now work independently, and I'm happy with my current work situation.
Right now, we are satisfied with where we are. Unless my husband changes his job, we are not planning to move in the next three to five years.
We couldn't afford a home in the Bay Area, so we moved to Texas
Joscelyn Moen, 48, is an executive assistant who lives in Cedar Park, Texas, which has a population of 78,000 and a median home sale price of $491,000.
In October 2019, shortly before the pandemic started, we moved from Burlingame, CA — a town in the San Francisco Bay Area — to Cedar Park, Texas.
We moved because my husband found a new role with his tech company in Austin. While my husband initially wanted to live in Austin, I insisted on Cedar Park because the housing costs were lower. We would have never been able to purchase a home in our area of California, even though at the time, we both worked at tech companies and made over six figures.
We looked at housing, and before leaving California, I made it a goal that if we were going to uproot our family, we would buy a house in Cedar Park, which we did in June 2021 after renting for a while.
The cost of living is exponentially cheaper than in the Bay Area, and Texas's lack of state income taxes has made a huge difference.
I do miss the Bay Area's Asian food, but it's getting better here in Cedar Park. Texas is also massive, so driving out of state takes forever. Additionally, the beaches are further away, and the culture shock was real. The vibes from Texans are so different from Californians.
The move also affected my career. When we moved out here, I quit my job, and I don't have the same career I used to. However, I found I can make good money, have a work-life balance, and still enjoy a comfortable life.
Our NYC rent soared, so we moved to Phoenix
Maryia Jimenez, 30, is a publicist who lives in Phoenix, which has a population of roughly 1.6 million and a median home sale price of $450,000.
I moved in December 2021 from New York City to Phoenix with my boyfriend, now husband.
Several factors pushed us to leave, but the decision really began to take shape after we witnessed violence on the subway. It shook me to my core. I no longer felt safe in a city I had once loved.
Shortly after, our landlord tried to increase our rent by $700 a month. It felt like a clear signal: we were being priced out, and staying would mean compromising too much.
Overall, I don't have any regrets about the move. The home we're renting is more spacious, and it feels like we're actually getting our money's worth. While Phoenix hasn't brought the dramatic cost savings some people might imagine when leaving a major city, it still feels like a financial upgrade.
That said, my husband and I miss New York's culture and energy. If the right job opportunity comes up on the East Coast, we might be packing our bags. However, I don't see New York City itself being part of that plan again, at least not for the long haul.
We're trying to find the best of both worlds. Ideally, we want to live in a place that's not as crowded as a major city but still offers space, land, and strong job opportunities in our fields. That kind of balance is hard to come by, but we're still searching and hopeful we'll find that happy medium.
I realized I didn't need to live in LA to build my business, so I moved to Scottsdale
Toni Ferrara is the founder of a PR and talent management business. She's in her 40s and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, $810,000.
I moved in July of 2020 from Beverly Hills, California, to Scottsdale, Arizona.
It was one of those life-defining moments. The world was in lockdown, and I found myself sitting alone in my penthouse on my 40th birthday. That night, I realized LA no longer felt like home. The city no longer felt safe or joyful, and I had outgrown the glitz.
I now own a three-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a mortgage payment less than the rent on my old one-bedroom apartment in LA. While housing prices have risen with the migration boom, it's still far more affordable than California. My money stretches further, my home is more spacious, and I can still fly into LA anytime I want for business or a quick recharge. It's the best of both worlds.
When I first moved, people said I was sabotaging my career. "How can a PR and talent manager not live in LA?" they asked. But I've made it work. I do miss my LA inner circle and the beach — Scottsdale sand doesn't quite compare. But I'm in LA monthly for work, so it's a quick fix. And yes, Arizona's triple-digit heat is no joke, but I'd still choose peace in the desert over chaos in the city any day.
I'm not sure I'll stay in Scottsdale forever. I'm a single woman with no kids, which gives me freedom. If 2020 and the lockdown taught me anything, it is that happiness and safety are non-negotiable for me, but for now, I am staying in Scottsdale. There are way too many business opportunities to expand on the horizon.
We wanted a change from Hollywood, so we moved to a smaller town
Christopher D. Kaufman, 60, is a professor, consultant, and author who lives in Palm Desert, California, which has a population of 53,000 and a median home sale price of $549,000.
In March 2020, my wife and I moved from Hollywood to Palm Desert, California.
We moved to get more space during the pandemic, and we were having some issues with neighbors having all-night parties. We were also frustrated by how our HOA was run.
We're both very happy with the decision to move. The lower housing costs in our area allowed us to buy a home with a pool, build a new bedroom, add solar panels, and install a great new A/C system. Additionally, living in a more walkable town has helped us get healthier. It took a while for me to get professor gigs due to the pandemic, but I was able to once classrooms opened up.
After selling our home in Hollywood, we started by renting in Palm Desert. We rented for about a year while looking for a home, and we're very happy with the decision to rent in the new area before buying. We visited and loved the area, but that was a hotel experience. We needed to feel the environment and understand the community and local resources first. So I recommend always renting first and then buying if moving to a new place.
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