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Everyone's still moving to Houston: It's the third most desirable city in America
People continue to flock to Houston.
It's still one of the very top moving destinations in America, according to yet more new data.
Houston ranks third in United States in the United Van Lines 2013 Post-Peak Season Moving Trends Summary. The report tracks city-to-city moves between May 1 and August 31, including almost 45,000 interstate moves performed by United.
Residential moves are up 8.5 percent over last summer, and Houston isn't alone.
The company reports that residential moves are up 8.5 percent over last summer, and Houston isn't alone among Southern or Texas cities as being a desirable destination. Washington, D.C. ranks first overall, followed by Atlanta. Chicago and Seattle round out the Top 5; Dallas comes in sixth.
Strangely, Washington also leads the list of cities people moved away from, followed by Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and Phoenix. Houston only ranks 13th on that list — another sign of the city's remarkable growth and desirability.
Overall, the Pacific Northwest lead the nation, driven by its expanding tech sector. Michael A. Stoll, economist, professor and chair of the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, provided some context for the moves.
"The continued growth in the tech sector is drawing people to Northern California, but the high cost of living in Silicon Valley is causing tech companies and workers to migrate north to Seattle," he said in a statement. "Portland is also experiencing unprecedented growth attracting a range of millennials and retirees relocating for amenities such as public transit, green space, local arts and a vibrant urban culture."
None of that really explains why Houston is so popular. It probably has something to do with the city's low unemployment and consistently excellent restaurant scene.
But that's nothing Houstonians haven't known for a long time. Guess the secret's out.
