Where Americans Are Moving in 2026 — And What It Means for Your Mortgage

South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida are among the states gaining the most residents in 2026, while California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois continue to see the largest population losses.

All this is according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, U-Haul's Growth Index, and United Van Lines' National Movers Study.

If you're weighing a move, the financing side matters as much as the destination. Getting pre-approved before you start house hunting in an unfamiliar state can help answer questions about affordability.

...in as little as 3 minutes – no credit impact

Which states gained the most residents in 2026

No single data set tells the full migration story, so it helps to look at a few side by side:

• Census Bureau (domestic migration, 2024 estimates): Texas gained roughly 85,000 residents through domestic migration, followed by North Carolina (about 82,000) and South Carolina (about 68,000).
• U-Haul Growth Index (one-way truck rentals, 2025): Texas ranked as the top growth state, with Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina rounding out the top five.
• United Van Lines National Movers Study (full-service household moves): Oregon led inbound moves this year, with South Carolina, Delaware, and North Carolina close behind.
• moveBuddha (search-interest data, 2026 so far): South Carolina again ranks first, with roughly two inbound searches for every one outbound search, extending a multi-year streak. Idaho and South Dakota are also climbing.

The overlap across these sources — South Carolina, North Carolina, and the broader Southeast — is a more reliable signal than any single ranking. Idaho and the Mountain West are also showing up consistently, often driven by households leaving California.

Which states are losing the most residents in 2026

California remains the state losing the most residents on a net basis, a trend Census and moving-industry data have shown for several years running. New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Massachusetts round out the group most consistently cited as net outbound. High housing costs, higher state taxes, and cost of living are the factors most often named across these reports.

One nuance worth discussing: even states with falling home prices can still see net outbound migration, because affordability is relative. A price drop in an already expensive metro doesn't necessarily make it cheaper than the alternative someone is moving to.

Why people are relocating in 2026

A few forces are driving this year's migration patterns:

• Affordability. Nearly half of recent movers nationally cite the South's lower cost of living and warmer climate as a driver, per National Association of Realtors survey data.
• Lower or no state income tax. Several of the top-gaining states, including Texas and Florida, have no state income tax.
• Job growth. Metro areas with expanding employment, particularly in tech and healthcare, continue to pull in movers, even in states with a longer commute-to-affordability tradeoff.
• A slowly thawing mortgage rate lock-in effect. For years, homeowners sitting on mortgage rates below 3% had little financial incentive to sell and take on a new loan at a higher rate. That dynamic is starting to ease as more of the outstanding mortgage market shifts toward today's rates. Read more about the mortgage rate lock-in effect.

Checking today's mortgage rates is a useful first step if a rate change is part of what's motivating your own move.

What relocating means for your mortgage

Moving to a new state doesn't just change your commute and your ZIP code. It changes how a lender evaluates your loan application.

Your income and DTI are measured against the new market

A lender calculates your debt-to-income ratio using your actual income and debts, but the loan amount you can qualify for is shaped by the home prices, property taxes, and insurance costs in the market where you're buying.

A budget that felt tight in a high-cost metro can look very different against a lower median home price elsewhere, but taxes and insurance vary too, so it's worth running the numbers for your specific destination rather than assuming affordability transfers directly.

Learn more about improving your debt-to-income ratio if you're not sure where you stand.

Documentation can look different when you're between states

Lenders still want recent pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements — but if your employer or income source is changing with the move, be ready to explain it.

Review what documents you'll need for pre-approval so nothing catches you off guard.

Pre-approval works even before you've relocated

You don't need to already live in a state to get pre-approved for a mortgage there. Getting pre-approved gives you a realistic budget and a document sellers and agents take seriously, which matters if you're house hunting on a short trip before a move.

...in as little as 3 minutes – no credit impact

How to plan your move and your mortgage together

Here are some steps to consider when you're facing a long-distance move and a mortgage at the same time.

1. Run the numbers before you fall in love with a listing. Use a mortgage calculator with the destination market's actual home prices, not a rough guess based on where you live now.

2. Decide whether to buy immediately or rent short-term first. Buying right away locks in your new market's current mortgage rate and stops rent payments that build no equity, but it also means committing to a home in an area you may not know well yet. Renting for a few months buys you local knowledge before a big financial decision, a reasonable tradeoff if your timeline allows it.

3. Look into down payment assistance in your destination state. Programs vary significantly by state and even by city. What is down payment assistance explains how these programs generally work.

4. Sequence a sale-and-purchase carefully. If you're selling in one state to buy in another, talk timing through with your lender early. The gap between the two closings is where most relocation stress shows up.

Frequently asked questions

I'm thinking about moving from California to North Carolina. Will my income go further when I apply for a mortgage there?

Likely yes, on the whole. North Carolina's median home prices and cost of living run lower than California's, which typically supports a lower DTI on the same income. Still, run your own numbers with a mortgage calculator using North Carolina prices and property tax rates. Cost of living isn't uniform city to city within either state.

Does moving to a state with no income tax actually help me afford a bigger mortgage payment?

It can help your overall budget, since more of your paycheck goes to housing and other costs rather than state income tax. But lenders qualify you based on your gross income and existing debts, not your after-tax take-home pay, so a no-income-tax state won't directly change the loan amount you qualify for. It can, however, make the monthly payment more comfortable to live with.

If my credit score is around 680, does moving to a cheaper state make it easier to qualify for a mortgage?

Your credit score itself doesn't change based on where you live, and a 680 score will be evaluated the same way by lenders regardless of state. What changes is the loan amount needed for a given home, since lower home prices in some destination states mean a smaller loan relative to your income. This could make qualifying easier even with the same credit profile.

Should I sell my house and move to a state with lower home prices, or is that too risky right now?

It depends on your local market and timeline. Selling into a market where prices are stable or rising and buying into one with lower prices can work in your favor, but timing a sale and a purchase in two different markets carries real logistical and financial risk, including the possibility your home takes longer to sell than expected. Talk to a lender about bridge options and realistic timelines before committing to a sequence.

Can I get pre-approved for a mortgage in a state I don't live in yet?

Yes. Pre-approval is based on your income, assets, debts, and credit — not your current address. You can get pre-approved for a home in a state you haven't moved to yet, which is useful for house hunting during a short visit before a longer-distance move.

The bottom line

Migration patterns in 2026 point toward the Southeast and parts of the Mountain West, driven by affordability, taxes, and job growth, while high-cost states continue to see net outbound moves.

But where you're moving matters only as much as whether your financing is ready for it.

Understanding how a lender will evaluate your income, debt, and credit against your destination market, and then getting pre-approved, puts you in a stronger position no matter which state you're headed to.

...in as little as 3 minutes – no credit impact from soft credit check