Florida and other Sun Belt states may have a reputation for being retiree havens, but Americans of all ages are gaining interest in moving south. The pandemic and rise of remote work led many people looking for cheap housing and warm weather to move from expensive cities to lower-density Sun Belt communities in the American Southeast and Southwest.
Almost five years out from the pandemic, homeowner habits show that this phenomenon isn't simply a phase, as young Americans continue to move to the Sun Belt. They're also increasingly opting for suburban or even exurban locations instead of sticking to cities.
Real estate company Opendoor analyzed home listing data on its site to determine the most popular ZIP codes in the country for 2024 and found that the top 20 in-demand areas were all Sun Belt communities located further away from city centers.
Two Houston suburbs, Katy and Cypress, have topped the list for most popular ZIP codes for the last two years in a row, according to Opendoor. It's easy to see why: when it comes to the most populous US metro areas, Houston's housing costs are 18.8% lower than the national average, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research. Texas also has no income tax, making it an attractive location for those looking to cut down on their tax bills.
Danielle Kim, a 38-year-old realtor, is one of many Americans who was attracted to the Houston suburbs in recent years.
In 2020, Kim moved from Las Vegas to the Houston suburbs. As a resident of Cypress, Kim feels like she has access to more affordable amenities and a better quality of life. In Kim's experience, many people moving to the Houston area are moving straight to the suburbs, not Houston itself.
With more flexible work arrangements post-pandemic, it's often more feasible and cost-effective for Americans to move out of the city.
"Over the past three years, we've seen people choose to move away from city centers in favor of tighter-knit communities, but still live close enough to commute and be close to the action," Opendoor said.
A big factor that played into Kim and her husband's decision to move was having a child.
"We had just had our baby, and we wanted a better place to raise them," Kim told BI about her decision to move. "The Houston suburbs were a strong opportunity because it's a lot cheaper, the schools are highly rated, and just overall, it's a better place to live."
Kim feels that many millennials in their mid-30s or 40s are moving to the Houston suburbs. Indeed, many millennials, especially those with young children, are leaving big cities for the exurbs and suburbs, according to a report from the Economic Innovation Group.
The characteristics that drew Kim to the Houston suburbs are present in many of the other popular ZIP codes. Many Florida suburbs also made an appearance, as the Sunshine state also boasts no income taxes. In fact, three-quarters of the most popular ZIP codes on Opendoor were located in either Texas or Florida.
Listed below are the 20 most popular Opendoor communities of 2024, their ZIP codes, and their approximate distance from the nearest metro area.
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