Big City Exodus: Report Finds Majority of Shoppers Looking to Relocate for Budget and Lifestyle
AUSTIN, TX—With affordability still out of reach for many, a new report from Realtor.com released today found 58.9% of online home shoppers in the 100 largest U.S. metros looked outside their current metro in the second quarter of 2025, up from 48.1% in 2019, as buyers seek homes that better fit their budgets, job flexibility, and lifestyle needs.
“Affordability remains a primary driver of home searches, but evolving workplace policies, job opportunities and shifting local conditions also play a role. As regional housing trends diverge, home shoppers tapped the brakes compared to a year ago, but accelerated their searches elsewhere compared to 2019, across the 100 largest metros with sizable variation across markets,” said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com. “Despite the year-over-year step back, Americans continue to take a broader view of where they can live, often looking beyond their current metro areas in hopes of stretching their dollar and improving their lifestyle.”
Big cities dominated the top ten metros as current residents overwhelmingly searched out of their markets driven by affordability challenges. San Jose, CA, had the highest share of outbound search traffic, with 93.7% of shoppers looking at listings elsewhere. More than one-third of that activity was aimed outside California altogether.
Washington, D.C. (86.4%), Seattle (80.5%), and Salt Lake City (77%) also topped the list of metros with the most local residents eyeing an out of metro move. Notably, big cities New York (71.7%), Boston (72%), and Chicago (72.6%) joined the top 10 metros with the highest out-of-market search rates—reflecting a combination of rising home prices and growing unemployment.
Pandemic-Era Boomtowns Losing Steam as Affordability Wanes
Several cities which saw a surge in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic are now experiencing rising outbound interest as affordability erodes and return-to-office mandates take hold.
In Phoenix, the share of out-of-market views rose 28.5 percentage points over the past six years. Spokane, WA, and Fresno, CA saw similar jumps of 27.7 and 21.3 points, respectively. McAllen, TX. which once attracted pandemic-era buyers with its low cost of living, is now seeing an exodus as home prices rise and buyers redirect their attention to larger, higher-wage, high employment markets such as Austin and San Antonio.
High Home Prices and Rising UnemploymentDrive Out of Metro Searches
Metros with the biggest increases in outbound search activity often experienced large jumps in home prices and rising unemployment over the past six years. Nine of the top ten metros with the biggest loss in popularity also saw prices jump more than 27% since 2019, with Boston seeing home prices climb 42.5% and Spokane, WA, seeing home prices climb 47.9%. Chicago, the slowest growth market, saw prices grow 12.2%. The New York Metro region saw home prices rise more than 32% during that six-year time period.
Relative Affordability is the Trend for Cities Holding on to Their Residents
Even as many metros lose shoppers to other regions, a handful are seeing increased loyalty from local buyers. San Francisco stands out with a decline in outbound search activity, from 68.9% in 2019 to 62.9% this year. Despite its high cost of living, recent improvements in affordability compared to neighboring metros—and signs of urban revitalization—may be helping retain residents.
Other metros that gained in popularity with their local shoppers include Portland, OR; Houston; Detroit; and Honolulu, many of which offer a blend of economic opportunity, relative affordability and quality-of-life amenities.
Affordability Drives Searches Regionally
The Western U.S. had the highest share of out-of-market search activity, with 65.1% of shoppers in the region viewing listings elsewhere. However, the Northeast saw the largest increase over the past six years, rising from 45.4% to 58.8% as more residents in high-cost cities explored lower-priced alternatives.
While shoppers in the Midwest were more likely to stay local, with just 54% of views going to other metros, every U.S. region saw more than half of search activity directed out of the market—something that only the West saw six years ago.
