December 6, 2025 | Mark Luis Foster

Depending on where you’re consuming your news, you likely have a different understanding of how the population is migrating in the United States. In other words, if asked to opine on the cities that have the dubious distinction of the highest departure rates in the USA, what would you guess?  San Francisco? New York? Minneapolis?

According to a new report from Realtor.com, it’s likely not what you think:

“The markets with the highest turnover are typically more affordable and supported by robust for-sale inventory, particularly from new construction.”

Sales in many parts of the country are slow, furthering the dilemma of what to do during the holidays when you’re trying to sell the old homestead (we blogged on it HERE).  Interest rates and a buyers market have slowed home sales in and out of HOAs.

But some areas are seeing rapid sales and departures. Turns out 4 of the top 10 markets are in Texas, so markets like San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin made the cut due to significant building activity over the past five years, which has helped temper home price growth and expand options for buyers, ultimately encouraging more frequent home sales.” 

The story doesn’t really nail down where everyone is going, but they do make this point:

“A lot of it has been retirees moving to warmer climates. Maybe it’s those baby boomers hitting that age where they’re retiring, and so they’re just relocating to different parts of the country to spend their retirement years.”

Certainly doesn’t explain why the Twin Cities didn’t make the list. These temps are killin’ me…

The chart from Realtor.com is below, and rounding out the top 5 departure cities are Kansas City, San Antonio and Indianapolis.

Why Kansas City?

“Affordable home prices in Kansas City contribute to relatively high housing turnover,” says Hanna Jones [senior economist for Realtor.com]. “Kansas City has also seen strong demand that has supported that elevated turnover.”

And about San Antonio, home to the Alamo…

Job relocations motivate many to buy and sell in the San Antonio area, according to Daniel Cabrera, owner and founder of Sell My House Fast SA TX .”Corporate hiring and military rotations provide constant job openings,” he says, adding that “equity unlocking” is also a big move motivator.

The whole story with a write up on each market is HERE.