Important points
Deciding where to live requires balancing your priorities. While affordability is the number one requirement among home hunters today, other factors such as school quality, weather, and commute times are also important. Today, it is common for Americans to move away from cities with high climate risks and move to sunny, more affordable places to live.
Deciding where to live means weighing day-to-day details like coffee shops, dog parks, and community against bigger priorities like affordability, jobs, and climate.
There is no one “best” place to live. It all depends on your personal priorities, including affordability, availability of work, and access to the outdoors. Whether you’re staying locally or moving across the country, imagine your life in the next few years and think about how your needs and values will change over time.
Here are 10 important questions to ask yourself when deciding where to live, from cost and commute to community and climate.
Where are people choosing to live today?
Migration patterns have changed significantly since the pandemic. With remote work, quarantine, and rising prices, 2020 motivated more people to rethink where they live. Many homebuyers chose to prioritize sunshine and affordability, driving migration to Sunbelt cities like Austin and Miami to record highs.
These trends continue, but are slowing due to rising prices and economic uncertainty. As of early 2026, the Sunbelt region continues to lead the nation in homebuyer migration, even as many of the region’s housing markets have slowed or adjusted. The Midwest and Northeast are also popular for their affordability and growing employment centers.
Climate change is also becoming a bigger part of the equation. Flood-prone areas of the Sunbelt will actually lose residents in 2025 as Americans gradually move away from cities at high climate risk.
1. Can you afford to live there?
“Affordability has been a hot topic in the housing industry since the pandemic, and will likely be the first consideration when deciding where to live,” said Darryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “Rising costs, soaring home prices, and rising mortgage rates have put significant strain on budgets over the past five years, making affordability a top concern for the majority of Americans. In fact, people are increasingly sacrificing security and long-term goals to afford their mortgage or rent payments.”
You also need to take into account not only the price of the home or rent, but also property taxes, insurance, utilities, transportation, groceries, childcare, and other day-to-day expenses. Can you live comfortably there with your income? If not, what other options do you have? A local real estate agent can also help you understand market conditions.
“Still, affordability is only one piece of the puzzle,” Fairweather continued. “The best place to live is one that fits both your budget and the life you want to build.”
2. Do you want to rent or buy a home?
Deciding whether to rent or buy will help you narrow down where you should live. For many people, this decision comes down to cost. Currently, the difference between renting and buying varies widely by market, but renting is usually the cheaper option. In some cities, buying a home requires significantly more income than renting, while in other cities the difference is much smaller.
If buying a home is a priority and you’re on a tight budget, consider the Midwest and Northeast. If your goal is to rent, the Midwest and South typically offer more affordable options. With metro costs high, renting may be a more viable option, especially if you’re looking for flexibility or plan to move again in the next few years. Check out Redfin’s Rent vs. Buy Calculator to determine which option makes more sense financially.
Other considerations will depend on your lifestyle and long-term goals. Does renting or purchasing make more sense for you?
>> Read: Should you rent or buy a home? Things to consider when renting vs. buying a home
3. Is it easy to move?
Transportation is essential to daily life and affects everything from your commute to your budget. Moreover, it goes even further. Research shows that more navigable cities—those with better walking, biking, and public transportation infrastructure—tend to have happier residents and stronger economies than car-dependent areas.
Check your area’s walking score, bike score, and traffic score. Are there many sidewalks and paths? Next, plan what your daily routine will actually look like. Consider whether you need a car, how long your commute will be, and whether there are grocery stores, parks, etc. nearby. A low-cost home far from necessities may not be a bargain if it significantly increases your commute time.
Check Redfin.com’s rental and sale listings to see commute times to important locations.
>>Read: Top 10 Most Walkable Cities in the United States
4. Am I close to the people and community I care about?
Think about the necessities of life. Think not only about the places you need to go, but also about the people who make those places feel like home. If you move, will you be close enough to family, friends, cultural groups, religious communities, or other social networks to meet your needs?
Consider:
How often you want to see your family and friends Is it close to schools, daycares, healthcare, or other important locations Is there community spaces, events, parks, libraries, or local groups in your area that align with your interests How easy it is to build new relationships if you move to a new place
No matter which part of the city you choose, visit at different times of the day and pay attention to the atmosphere and people. A strong sense of community can be difficult to measure, but it’s often easy to feel.
5. Are there enough employment opportunities?
Whether you already have a job, work remotely, or aren’t even looking for a job, it’s worth thinking about the job market before you move home or to town. Cities with strong job markets offer more flexibility if your role changes or you decide to pursue something new.
It is also important to keep in mind the cost of living in the city. Consider the local economy, major employers, prevailing wages, and whether remote work is practical for your lifestyle.
6. Is the climate comfortable and safe?
When you step out of your new home, you want to feel like you’re at home. Think about the seasons, climate risks, and how you spend your time outdoors. Do you prefer hot summers or cold winters, or do you prefer a warm climate? Do you prefer rain and snow, or sunshine all year round?
Another factor of increasing importance is climate risk. Heat waves, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, smoke, and more are increasingly impacting society and influencing how people decide where to live. It is also worth comparing climate risks to housing and insurance costs. If your monthly insurance premium payments are significantly higher, a lower home price may not be a bargain.
Redfin listings include detailed information about the area’s climate and hazards such as floods, fires, and heatwaves. The list also includes the area’s average monthly temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours.
>> Read: Climate change and the housing market
7. What will my daily life look like?
Imagine a normal weekday instead of a perfect weekend. Where do you go to get coffee, walk the dog, meet friends, take the kids to the park, or run errands?
A place that looks great on paper may not apply in real life. Before you decide where to live, think about the small conveniences that make commuting, running errands, socializing, and everyday life possible.
8. Is it located near green space?
Are there parks or open natural areas in your future town or neighborhood? Are they easily accessible on foot or do you need to drive? Are they well-maintained and conducive to spending time outdoors?
Easy access to green space is critical to people’s mental and physical health and has been shown to lead to stronger, closer-knit communities. Both dogs and children love spending time outside.
9. Will the school and medical care meet my needs?
If you’re considering buying a home, whether you have children or not, school quality and school district boundaries can be key factors. Schools can influence housing values and local demand, especially in the spring and summer when families want to move.
Access to health care is also important, especially if you or your family have ongoing medical needs.
10. Can I stay here for a long time?
Even if you don’t plan on staying forever, it helps to think a few years ahead. Will this place continue to work as your family evolves, your job changes, your community grows? Can you see yourself putting down roots here?
Consider the region’s long-term affordability, housing supply, job market, climate risk, school options, and resale potential. A location doesn’t have to be perfect forever, but it does need to be flexible enough to build the next chapter of your life.
Try online tools to clarify your priorities
There are many online quizzes and tools to help you figure out where to live. These are useful because they provide criteria you may have missed and force you to rank them.
The New York Times has built a great tool that provides a very objective way to decide where to live. Similarly, Dan Waters has created a fun and detailed quiz to help people weigh their priorities and narrow down their options.
These tools won’t make decisions for you, but they can help you clarify what you value most and uncover places you might not have considered otherwise.
Final thoughts: Find the best fit for your next chapter
Where you ultimately live depends on your priorities, budget, and lifestyle. No city or town is perfect for everyone. That’s why it’s important to focus on the factors that are most important to you. It’s also worth considering whether now is the right time to move, both personally and financially.
After all, you may need to visit the area to see what it’s really like. Taking quizzes online, making a list of pros and cons, and creating a budget are great first steps, but it’s hard to know what a place is really like without standing on the grass, breathing its air, talking to its residents, and perhaps staying overnight.
There are tens of thousands of cities and towns across the United States, each with their own amenities, climate, and culture. With know-how and effort, you’re sure to find a place you like.
