“Fewer Americans are packing up each year, yet when they do move, they overwhelmingly stay in their home region,” the study said. “The big story isn’t a national reshuffle — it’s people trading one nearby city for another that fits their budget and lifestyle a little better.”
While Austin saw net population growth, it ranked fourth in year-over-year percentage growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, trailing several smaller Midwest metros. Its inbound and outbound migration patterns were strikingly similar. In other words, many of the same cities sending residents to Austin are also receiving people from Austin.
The study listed Dallas, Houston and San Antonio as top destinations for Austinites to move to. Of Austin residents who moved out of the capital city in 2025, 9% moved to Dallas, 7% moved to Houston and 5% moved to San Antonio.