Key Takeaways
Deciding where you should live requires balancing your priorities.
Affordability is a top requirement among home searchers today, but other factors like school quality, weather, and commute times are important.
Americans today are more commonly moving to sunnier, more affordable places to live, and away from cities with a higher climate risk.
Deciding where to live means weighing big priorities like affordability, jobs, and climate alongside everyday details like coffee shops, dog parks, and community.
There is no singular “best” place to live—it all comes down to personal priorities like affordability, job availability, and outdoor access. Whether you’re staying local or moving across the country, picture your life over the next few years and think about how your needs and values might change over time.
Here are ten important questions to ask yourself when deciding where you should live, from cost and commute times to community, climate, and more.
Where are people choosing to live today?
Migration patterns have shifted significantly since the pandemic. Remote work, quarantine, and skyrocketing costs incentivized more people to rethink where they were living in 2020. Many homebuyers chose to prioritize sunshine and affordability, pushing migration to Sun Belt cities like Austin and Miami to record highs.
These trends continue today, although at a slower rate due to higher prices and economic uncertainty. As of early 2026, the Sun Belt continued to lead the nation for relocating homebuyers, even though many of the region’s housing markets have been slowing or correcting. The Midwest and Northeast have also become popular for their affordability and growing job centers.
Climate is becoming a bigger part of the moving equation, too. Flood-prone parts of the Sun Belt actually lost residents in 2025 as Americans slowly moved away from climate-risky cities.
1. Can I afford to live there?
“Affordability has been the headline story in housing since the pandemic, and so will likely be one of the first things you consider when deciding where to live,” said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin Chief Economist. “Rising costs, ballooning home prices, and elevated mortgage rates have seriously strained budgets in the last five years, making affordability a top concern among a majority of Americans. In fact, people are increasingly sacrificing safety and long-term goals in order to afford mortgage or rent payments.”
You should also look beyond the price of a home or rent and factor in property taxes, insurance, utilities, transportation, groceries, child care, and other everyday costs. Can you afford to live there comfortably with your income? If not, what other options do you have? A local real estate agent can help you understand market conditions, too.
“Even so, affordability is only one piece of the puzzle,” continued Fairweather. “The best place to live is the place that fits both your budget and the life you want to build.”
2. Do I want to rent or buy a home?
Deciding whether to rent or buy can help narrow down where you should live. For many people, this decision comes down to cost. Today, renting is typically the cheaper option, though the gap between renting and buying varies significantly by market. In some cities, buying a home requires substantially more income than renting, while in others the difference is much smaller.
If buying a home is a priority and you’re on a budget, consider the Midwest and Northeast. If renting is your goal, the Midwest and South typically offer more affordable options. In higher-cost metros, renting may be the more practical 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 gauge which option might make more sense for you financially.
Other considerations come down to your lifestyle and long-term goals. Does renting or buying make more sense to you?
>> Read: Should I Rent or Buy a House? What to Consider When Renting vs. Buying a Home
3. How easy is it to get around?
Transportation is critical to daily life, affecting everything from your commute to your budget. And it goes further than that: Research has shown that more navigable cities—those with strong walk, bike, and public transit infrastructure—tend to have happier residents and stronger economies than more car-dependent communities.
Look at an area’s Walk Score, Bike Score, and Transit Score. Are there plenty of sidewalks and trails? Then, map out what your daily routine would actually look like. Consider whether you’ll need a car, how long your commute would be, and whether things like groceries and parks are nearby. A lower-cost home farther from necessities may not be a bargain if it adds significant time to your commute time.
You can check commute times to locations that matter to you on rental and for-sale listings on Redfin.com.
>> Read: The 10 Most Walkable Cities in the U.S.
4. Will I be close to the people and community I care about?
Think about life’s essentials—not just the places you need to get to, but the people who make a place 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 family and friends
Whether you’ll be close to schools, child care, health care, or other important places
Whether the area has community spaces, events, parks, libraries, or local groups that align with your interests
How easy it would be to build new relationships if you’re moving somewhere unfamiliar
If you’re choosing between neighborhoods within a city, visit at different times of day and pay attention to what the vibe is like and what people are doing. A strong sense of community can be hard to measure, but it’s often easy to feel.
5. Are there enough job opportunities?
Even if you already have a job, work remotely, or aren’t looking for work, it’s worth thinking about the job market before moving to a home or town. A city with a strong job market can give you more flexibility if your role changes or you decide to pursue something new.
A city’s cost of living is also important to keep in mind. Look at the local economy, major employers, typical wages, and whether remote work is realistic for your lifestyle.
6. Is the climate comfortable and safe?
You probably want to feel at home when you step outside of your new home. Think about the seasons, climate risks, and how you like to spend time outdoors. Do you like hot summers and cold winters, or do you prefer a more temperate climate? Do you like rain and snow, or year-round sunshine?
Another increasingly important factor is climate risk. Extreme heat, flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, smoke, and more are playing a growing role in society and are shaping how people decide where to live. It’s also worth comparing climate risks alongside housing and insurance costs. A lower home price may not be a bargain if monthly insurance payments are significantly higher.
Redfin listings have detailed information about an area’s climate and hazards, such as flooding, fire, and extreme heat. Listings also contain the area’s average monthly temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours.
>> Read: Climate Change and the Housing Market
7. What will my day-to-day life look like?
Picture a regular weekday, not just a perfect weekend. Where would you get coffee, walk the dog, meet a friend, take your kids to the park, or run a quick errand?
A place that looks great on paper may not fit your actual routine. Before choosing where to live, think through your commute, errands, social life, and the small conveniences that make daily life possible.
8. Is it near green space?
Does your prospective town or neighborhood have parks or open natural areas? Can you easily walk to them, or would you need to drive? Are they well-maintained and useful for the way you like to spend time outside?
Easy access to green space is crucial to people’s mental and physical health and has been shown to lead to stronger, closer communities. Dogs and children love the time outside, too.
9. Do the schools and health care meet my needs?
School quality and district boundaries can be major factors if you’re looking to buy a home, regardless of if you have kids. Schools can affect home values and local demand, especially during the spring and summer when families want to move.
Health care access also matters, especially if you or your family have ongoing medical needs.
10. Can I see myself staying here long term?
Even if you’re not planning to stay forever, it’s helpful to think a few years ahead. Will this place still work if your household evolves, your job changes, or your community grows? Could you see yourself putting down roots here?
Consider the area’s long-term affordability, housing supply, job market, climate risks, school options, and resale potential. A place does not need to be perfect forever, but it should give you enough flexibility to build the next chapter of your life.
Try an online tool to nail down your priorities
There are dozens of online quizzes and tools that can help you think through where you should live. These can be useful because they can provide criteria you might have missed and force you to rank them.
The New York Times built a great tool that provides a very objective way to decide where to live. Similarly, Dan Waters created a fun, in-depth quiz that helps people weigh their priorities and narrow down their options.
These tools won’t make the decision for you, but they can help clarify what you value most and reveal places you may not have otherwise considered.
Final thoughts: Find the right fit for your next chapter
Where you should live ultimately depends on your priorities, budget, and lifestyle. No city or town is perfect for everyone, which is why it’s important to focus on the factors that matter most to you. It’s also worth considering whether now is the right time to move, both personally and financially.
At the end of the day, you may have to visit an area to see what it’s really like. Taking online quizzes, making pros and cons lists, and budgeting are great first steps, but it’s hard to know what a place truly feels like without standing in its grass, breathing in its air, talking to residents, and maybe staying a night.
There are tens of thousands of cities and towns across America, each with their own unique amenities, climates, and cultures. With the know-how and effort, you’re bound to find somewhere you love.
