Americans are predicted to move to this Tennessee city in droves in 2026: Study

More American homeowners are looking to move south next year.

Nearly half of the top 25 cities on movers’ radars were concentrated in the American South and Southwest, according to a new study by Move Buddha. The moving technology company surveyed search data from 2019 through 2025 to forecast the country’s most sought-after locales in 2026.

One Southern city easily proved the most popular, while other US hotspots fell to the wayside.

Brokers in Knoxville, Tennessee have a lot to look forward to next year.

Knoxville, situated at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, maintained its popular streak among homebuyers this year, trailing Savannah, Georgia in movers’ search queries.

The mid-sized Appalachian city may just usurp Savannah in 2026, with 1.61 newcomers predicted to move in for every one local headed out.

Tulsa, Oklahoma and Vancouver, Washington tied for second place. A five-year spike in mover interest could bring Tulsa waves of new residents in the new year, putting it neck-and-neck with the increasingly popular Portland suburb of Vancouver.

Mid-sized, university-anchored towns, particularly in Southern and Southwestern regions, dominated the rankings. These up-and-coming cities offer homeowners a youthful, thriving cultural scene and steady job markets.

Despite its college town status, however, former hotspot Austin, Texas documented a 40% decline in mover interest since 2019. Move Buddha predicted the Lonestar city will average move outflow than in-moves in 2026.

The capital city’s recent housing boom flipped the script on its competitive real estate market, paving the way for major discounts for renters and buyers alike.

Up in the Midwest, comeback kid St. Paul, Minnesota racked up 122% growth in mover interest since 2019 — the highest in the country, according to the study.

Interest in Minnesota moves outpaced both Milwaukee and Chicago, both of which enjoyed more than 40% spikes in move-related searches over the past five years.

The bright lights of New York City will always attract newcomers, but the analysis documented a nearly 28% decline in interest since 2019. Still, the Big Apple is expected to welcome 1.12 moving vans onto its jam-packed streets for every one van headed out in 2026.