The Best States to Move To in 2026
Millions of Americans vote with their feet every year, and the pattern is unmistakable: out of high-tax, high-regulation states and into places with lower costs, better schools, and more freedom. We ranked the best states to move to using real migration data, tax policy, cost of living, and the values a family can expect to find when they arrive.
Where America Is Moving · 2025
Where Americans Actually Moved Last Year
Opinions are cheap; moving trucks are not. Two independent data sets — the Census Bureau's state-to-state migration estimates and U-Haul's one-way rental index — tell the same story.
Top 5 states for net domestic migration
Census Bureau, July 2024 – July 2025
| State | Net movers in | U-Haul rank |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | +84,100 | #3 |
| Texas | +67,300 | #1 |
| South Carolina | +66,600 | #5 |
| Tennessee | +42,400 | #4 |
| Arizona | +31,100 | #7 |
Bottom 5 states — the exodus
Census Bureau, July 2024 – July 2025
| State | Net movers out | U-Haul rank |
|---|---|---|
| California | −229,100 | #50 |
| New York | −137,600 | #47 |
| Illinois | −40,000 | #49 |
| New Jersey | −37,400 | #48 |
| Massachusetts | −33,300 | #46 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates (net domestic migration, July 1, 2024 – July 1, 2025); U-Haul Growth Index 2025, ranking all 50 states by net one-way truck, trailer, and U-Box arrivals. U-Haul's full top ten for 2025: Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Alabama, Georgia.
What Makes a State Worth Moving To
Taxes
Nine states levy no tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Several more are cutting toward a low flat rate — Arizona at 2.5%, and Mississippi on a path to phase its income tax out entirely. Use our state tax savings calculator to see your number.
Cost of living
A paycheck in Tennessee or Texas buys a great deal more house than the same paycheck in New Jersey or California. We weigh median home prices, property taxes, insurance, and everyday costs — not just the headline income tax.
Schools and school choice
Florida, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, and a growing list of states now fund universal or near-universal school choice, letting families direct education dollars to the school — or homeschool — that fits. See our school choice home buying service.
Jobs and growth
People follow paychecks. Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Arizona have led the nation in job creation, and employers are relocating to the same states their workers are.
Safety and freedom
Constitutional carry, strong property rights, limited regulation, and local law enforcement that is funded and supported. Our gun friendly states and pro-life states guides break these down.
Culture and values
Numbers matter, but so does whether your neighbors share your values. We weight the everyday culture — faith, patriotism, family — because that is what most of our clients tell us they are really moving for. See the most conservative states.
The 10 Best States to Move To in 2026
Our picks, balancing where Americans are actually moving against taxes, cost, schools, jobs, and values.
Texas
U-Haul's #1 growth state for 2025 and #2 for Census net migration. No income tax, a massive job market from DFW to Austin to Houston, new universal school choice, constitutional carry, and a culture that still says "sir" and "ma'am." Housing has cooled from its 2022 peak, making this a good window to buy. California to Texas remains the single most common move we handle.
No income tax#1 growthSchool choiceNorth Carolina
The #1 state for net domestic migration in 2025 with more than 84,000 net arrivals. A flat income tax that keeps falling (3.99% in 2026, scheduled lower), the Research Triangle and Charlotte banking economies, mountains and coast within a day's drive, and a cost of living well below the Northeast it is drawing from. New York to North Carolina is one of our fastest-growing routes.
#1 net migrationFalling flat taxFlorida
No income tax, universal school choice, constitutional carry, and a governor and legislature that lead the country on conservative policy. Insurance and coastal housing costs are the real caveats — which is why many of our clients choose the inland and northern parts of the state. New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Massachusetts families lead the way.
No income taxSchool choiceTennessee
No tax on wages, a cost of living that lets one income work, Nashville's booming economy, and a deep church and music culture. Consistently top-five in both Census and U-Haul data, and the most popular destination for families leaving Illinois and California.
No income taxLow costSouth Carolina
#3 for net migration in 2025 with 66,600 net arrivals — remarkable for a state of five million. Low property taxes, a military-friendly tax code, Greenville's manufacturing boom, and coastal living at a fraction of Florida's price. Permitless carry arrived in 2024.
Top in-migrationLow property taxIdaho
The Mountain West's conservative anchor: top-ten U-Haul growth, one of the freest homeschool states in the nation, constitutional carry, and a strong economy around Boise. Where families from Washington, Oregon, and California go when they want space and like-minded neighbors.
Homeschool freedomTop-10 growthArizona
#5 for net migration, the nation's lowest flat income tax at 2.5%, universal education savings accounts, constitutional carry since 2010, and 300 days of sunshine. Maricopa County alone absorbs more new residents than most states.
2.5% flat taxSchool choiceGeorgia
Top-ten U-Haul growth, a flat income tax cut to 5.19% in 2025 and scheduled to keep falling, Atlanta's job market, and some of the South's best small towns and suburbs. A practical choice for families who need a major airport and big-city employers without big-city politics.
Falling flat taxJobsAlabama
#9 on U-Haul's 2025 index, among the lowest property taxes in America, Huntsville's aerospace and defense boom, and a cost of living that makes a modest income feel comfortable. Military retirement pay is fully exempt from state tax.
Lowest property taxHuntsvilleWyoming
For families who want out of the city entirely: no income tax, no corporate tax, constitutional carry, the smallest population in the country, and a state government that stays out of your way. Not for everyone — winters are real — but unbeatable on freedom per capita.
No income taxFreedom
Also worth a look: Montana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Utah, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Not sure which fits? Try which red state fits your family.
Best States to Move To If You Are…
Retiring
Tennessee, Florida, Texas, and Wyoming tax no retirement income at all, and South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi exempt most of it. Weigh property taxes and healthcare access too. See the most conservative states to retire.
A veteran or military family
Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma pair no tax on military retirement with full property-tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans. See our best states for veterans.
Homeschooling
Texas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Missouri, Alaska, and Indiana require no notice, no testing, and no teacher credentials. See homeschool friendly states.
Working remotely
With no office to report to, income tax is pure savings. A remote worker earning $150,000 who leaves California for Texas or Tennessee keeps roughly $10,000 or more a year in state income tax alone. Run your own number with the tax savings calculator.
Leaving a blue state
We publish step-by-step guides for the most common moves: California, New York, Illinois, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Minnesota.
A gun owner
Twenty-nine states now have constitutional carry. Texas, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Arizona lead our ranking of the most gun friendly states.
Best States to Move To, Answered
What is the best state to move to in 2026?
For most families we work with, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina top the list — they combine the strongest in-migration in the country with low or no income tax, affordable housing relative to the Northeast and West Coast, school choice, and conservative governance. The right one for you depends on climate, job, and how close you want to be to a major city.
Which state are the most people moving to?
By raw net domestic migration, North Carolina led the nation from mid-2024 to mid-2025 with roughly 84,000 net arrivals, followed by Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Arizona. By U-Haul one-way rentals, Texas was #1 and Florida #2.
Which states are people leaving?
California lost about 229,000 more residents to other states than it gained, followed by New York, Illinois, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. These five have been the bottom five for several years running.
What are the cheapest states to move to?
Among conservative states, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Missouri have the lowest overall cost of living. Tennessee and Texas are slightly higher but offset it with no income tax.
Which states have no income tax?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Note that Washington taxes capital gains and has moved sharply left on other policy, which is why it is the only no-income-tax state our clients tend to leave rather than move to.
How does Conservative Move help?
We match you with a vetted conservative real estate agent to sell your current home and another to buy in your new state, coordinated so the timing works. Our agents pay our referral fee when your transaction closes; you pay nothing extra.
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