The American moving landscape shifts faster than the sands of the Sahara. I mean, with literally thousands of cities to move to, and nearly 100 large metros, people in the U.S. have a ton of options for moving. And where they’ll go will often depend on the circumstances at that time, such as where housing is cheap, where jobs are plentiful, where a new tax law just went into effect.

So, where are people moving? Check out our moving map to see where people are moving. Here are some trends we’ve noticed, though:

• Sun Belt – A general trend is seeing people moving from the northern and eastern cities to the south and southwest. Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston… they’re all sucking up the populations of their northeastern counterparts, like a milkshake.
• Coast to Coast – San Franciscans move to LA and other California cities, but beyond that? New York. And visa versa. For some reason, the coasts’ two dense city centers share a lot of residents.
• Chicago to Phoenix Highway – A disproportionate number of people are moving from Chicago to Phoenix. I cannot say why this is, but I can say that a decade ago, I was a part of it.

Moving Map

Wondering “where should I move?” If you have the luxury of being able to pick up and move to a place of your pleasing, you’re in an enviable position. Take advantage of it! And let us help.

Our website has detailed information on 60 of America’s largest metros. We can give you the inside scoop on neighborhoods, demographics, contact information, pros & cons, and geographic information. Use our moving map to pick out a couple cities that interest you, and click on them to learn more. Or access city information through our directory pages, starting with the state the city is in.

If you’re wondering, “where should I move?”, our site can help you trim your options, so you can do some additional research, make a visit, or simply hire a moving company.

San Francisco is a good place – how about you start your search on our Moving to San Francisco page? (Click on the ‘City Guide’ tab for city info).

Are you thinking about ditching your car and banking on the bus and subway? Hey, it’s a great idea. It’s healthier, cheaper and safer (in terms of avoiding accidents, tickets and, gulp, DUIs). It’s also a great way to avoid the stress of a traffic-trapped commute.

However, not all cities have public transit. And for many of those that do, the public transit options are so poor that nobody uses them. These cities tend to rely solely on buses, which are often more time-consuming that just sitting in traffic.

If you want to move to a place with good public transit, your choices will be decidedly limited. Here are our top 10 cities with the best public transportation:

New York City – Its subway runs 24/7 and gets people from point A to point anywhere. Buses aren’t even necessary, though they’re there, as are trains. New York’s public transit system is tops in the US, and possibly the world. Over half of its population uses it on a daily basis to avoid driving, which is stunning, considering the next closest US city sees that number drop to roughly 1/3.

Washington D.C. – Washington, D.C.’s subway system is well-known as one of the world’s best and most extensive. The city also has Amtrak and a commuter rail known as MARC. In Washington, more people use public transit than anywhere else in the U.S., besides New York.

San Francisco / Oakland – San Francisco and nearby Oakland share the train/subway system known as BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). It is the lifeblood for many SF and East Bay dwellers, as well as people who fly into SFO and Oakland Int’l. SF is also fed by Caltrain, which runs all the way to San Jose, and the city has its own bus/subway system known as Muni. The city gets bonus points for its ferries and famous (albeit unduly expensive) trollies. Unfortunately, SF loses points, because every option besides the bus ends by 12:30 am.

Chicago – Chicago is serviced by Amtrak, which provides fast commuter service into the city from the outer suburbs. Once downtown, Chicago has a solid bus system and the L (short for elevated), an above-ground rail system. Chicago’s L-Train is famous for its very visible metal tracks, which run through the city’s center.

Phoenix – Phoenix makes not because its public transit system is particularly helpful, but rather because the city is leading the way for Sun Belt cities to ween themselves off of highway-centric layouts. Phoenix is dominated by highways, however, within the last five years, it introduced a light rail system that connects Scottsdale to Tempe to downtown Phoenix, the metro’s densest urban areas. The system is affordable, clean and reasonably fast, and it’s being expanded to other key areas (namely Westgate). Also, it stays open past 2:00 am, allowing residents to safely get from bar to bed. The system has rewarded the city’s efforts – it’s consistently breaking its own records for ridership.

Portland – Portland, like Phoenix, has a light rail system (MAX); however, its system is arguably even more extensive, and it gets people to the airport. It is also serviced by Amtrak, which is very useful for getting to Seattle.

Boston – Boston’s subway, train and bus system is very extensive, and has proven helpful to commuters for decades.

Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh has a subway/light rail system that feeds into the downtown area from the suburbs. It also has inclines, which carry people down surrounding hills toward the lower downtown area.

Philadelphia – Philadelphia, like Boston, has had a subway, train and bus system for many decades. It is firmly established as a great place for public transit, whether you’re going in city or out of it.

Cleveland – Cleveland had a heyday that saw it create four train routes, a trolly system and a bus system. Those systems all remain in effect today, bringing people from the outer suburbs into the city, and helping them get around once down there.

Thinking about moving? There are a lot of great cities to move to, depending on your specific interests and needs. However, there are a few cities that seem to top everyone’s list in this fine year of 2013. Here are our picks for the best cities to move to:

• Oakland – Oakland is topping lists, because it’s blossoming on many levels. Its arts and foodie scenes are exploding; its climate is perfect; it’s a great place to open a business; and it’s far cheaper than nearby San Francisco, though residents can still enjoy SF very easily.
• New York City – New York City should always make the cut, because it’s New York City. It has more opportunities and experiences available than anywhere else in the U.S. Sure, it’s expensive, but for those who can swing it, it’s the place to be.
• Houston – Houston was once just a big, sweaty, swampy sort of place. It still is, too, but now it’s got some culture. Houston is America’s energy capital, which attracts companies from all over the world, which attracts people from all over the world. Houston has become extremely diverse, and its restaurants and museums reflect that diversity. Move to Houston, enjoy the world.
• Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh is an up-and-coming city with a strong economy and a fun downtown. What else can you want? How about hills? Pittsburgh has those, too, and the northern suburbs feed into the city center via incline trains and stairways.
• Austin – Austin is hot right now. Not literally (though if it’s anywhere between April and October, it probably is), but in the sense that everyone wants to move there, from young folks, to entrepreneurs, to big-time tech companies. That Austin has a lot to do helps (South by Southwest, UT football, Dripping Springs…), and so does the weather, which, though sticky hot, is far better than bitter cold.
  

Austin, Texas, is one of the hottest places to move in America. It has music – lots of it – from lo-fi indie artists in five-dollar clubs to the big-time buzz of South by Southwest. It has food – unique menus made by tops chefs and a spicy local cuisine. And it has an exciting job market, fueled by the tech industry, arts and the local University of Texas.

All of this sounds good, right? The problem is, you’re not the only one it sounds good to. Many people are trying to move to Austin right now. If you want to beat them out for housing and a job, you need to learn how to move to Austin. Read on for tips:

Network – In a place like Austin, which is relatively small and home to a major campus, networking is key. Make sure to take the effort to rub elbows with people, so to speak. That will very significantly increase your chances of finding a job or a place to live. Because it’s Austin, try doing this at a UT tailgate, at a music venue, or at a diner downtown.

Save up – Austin rents regularly top $1,000/mo, especially in the downtown area. Try to move to Austin with a bit of a buffer, so you can live comfortably while looking for a job and/or settling in.

Check during the summer – It’s really hot in Austin in the summer, meaning people ar fleeing the city, proving you the best time to sneak in. Try early/mid summer, before the college kids come back.

Live away from campus – UT is located just off the downtown grid. Obviously many of its tens of thousands of students want to live near campus, pushing rents up. They have the student loans to pay for it (though they’ll pay it back later). You, however, don’t, so try to push outward into other cool neighborhoods, like Pflugerville and east East Austin.

Consider San Antonio – San Antonio is just over an hour away, and there is currently a train in the works that will connect the two. If you can’t find work in Austin, but you still want to live there, perhaps look for work in the northern area San Antonio, which are closer to Austin and have a less-saturated job market than Austin. Once the train is running, getting between the two will be much easier, too.

Learn more about Austin’s pros and cons, and check out some Austin movers.

Alaska, it’s really cold there, right? And dark? And isn’t Sara Palin from there? Why would anybody… I mean… why move to Alaska?

There are a lot of reasons to move to Alaska. Here are our top five reasons to pack up and move to America’s largest and northernmost state:

1. Snow Sports – Alaska is a great place for skiing, cross-country skiing, ice skating and snowboarding. Though the middle of winter might be dark and miserably cold, the snow hangs around deep into the spring, allowing people to enjoy snow sports of all kinds in fairly nice weather.
2. Isolation – Alaska is out there. What do we mean by that? Vancouver, Canada, is the closest large city to Juneau, Alaska’s southernmost city, and it would take 38 hours to drive between the two. It would take an additional 21 hours to drive from Juneau to Anchorage, and additional 6 to Fairbanks from Anchorage, and then that’s it; there’s really no other relatively large city in the state. There is a lot of nature and a lot of space to get lost in, and anyone moving to Alaska should kind of want that.
3. Summer – Summertime melts the snow. Fields of grasses sprout to life, animals flocks to the rushing rivers, and trees blossom. The Alaskan lands are considered some of the most awe-striking in the world. Because the days become long (over 20 hours of sun each day), residents have plenty of opportunities to explore the beautiful, grandiose landscape.
4. Adventure – Alaska does not have a club scene. It does not have a professional sports scene. It does not have a bustling shopping scene, or foodie scene, or pool/beach scene. Alaska specializes in adventure – hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, becoming one with a pack fo Grizzlies…
5. Aurora Borealis – During the winter, energized particles from the sun hitting earth’s magnetic field are clearly visible as ribbons of green and pink in the sky. Those who have seen the aurora attest to its alien beauty.

Moving to Oakland, unlike moving to San Francisco or Austin, does not require a lot of money and networking. Rather, it involves some street smarts and an intricate understanding of the area.

Oakland, California, is a place to live, especially for young people. However, it has many bad neighborhoods, which most people are unaware of. Additionally, if a recent transplant is going to fully take advantage of the bay area job market, he or she needs to pick a place near public transportation. Here are our top five tips for how to move to Oakland.

Avoid East Oakland – East Oakland is where the —- goes down. Sure, crime happens all over the city, like in every city, but south/east of Lake Merritt sees the majority of it. Try to live in downtown Oakland or just north of it, in Temescal, Grand Lake, Piedmont, Rockridge and/or the Oakland Hills.

Know the BART routes – BART is what makes the East Bay so awesome. Oaklanders who can use BART can get into San Francisco faster than most San Franciscans and anyone else who’s dealing with the bridges. BART cuts through Oakland in many areas – try to live within a mile of a stop.

Embrace other cultures – Whatever you are, your neighbors probably won’t be. Because rents are lower and it is a dense city, Oakland is a highly diverse place with people of all races and ethnicities rubbing elbows in just about every neighborhood. Be ready for this, and enjoy it. Hit up the famous Koreana Market for some Kimchi, the southern BBQ spot, the neighborhood Ethiopian restaurant, or Chinatown for some cheap, unique produce.

Embrace grit – Oakland is a dingy place in many respects. Expect graffiti, homeless, and dilapidated homes. However, if you can handle seeing those things, there is a lot of beauty in the area, especially up into the hills and near Lake Merritt and Jack London Square.

Look to the East – The far east bay, including Pleasanton and Walnut Creek, is very accessible to Oaklanders and has a healthy job market. Take advantage of these areas when looking for work, and use BART to your advantage.

Learn more about the pros and cons of Oakland, and check out some Oakland movers.

San Francisco is filled with awesome places, but few people who don’t live in SF actually know where they are. Fortunately, we’re here to help you out. Here are the best neighborhoods in San Francisco:

• North Beach – North Beach has great bars and restaurants, pretty housing, and many of SF’s iconic destinations, including the crookedest street, Fisherman’s Wharf, Coit Tower, and view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Russian Hill – Russian Hill and nearby Nob Hill have gorgeous homes located on some of the steepest streets in the city. The corner restaurants tend to be in the 4-5 star range in these neighborhoods.
• The Mission/Castro – The Mission is the place where 20 and 30 somethings go to play, and the adjoining Castro is the world center of the LGBT community. Where the two meet, near Dolors Park, is both very pretty and very fun.
• Lower Haight – Lower Haight is adorned with many pastel-colored homes, a nice part (Alamo) and a street dense with cool bars and great restaurants.
• Hayes Valley – Hayes Valley is located near the slums of the Tenderloin, but you’d never know it. It’s filled with posh boutiques and excellent restaurants. It also has plenty of nice places to walk and, of course, live.
• SoMa (near the ballpark) – SoMa is SF’s warehouse district, but the Giants’ baseball park, it has been transformed into a haven, filled with lively restaurants and new, upscale housing, notably along the South Park circular street.

Learn more about the pros and cons of San Francisco, and check out some SF movers.