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2023 Study: 3 US Towns Have Dropped to 0 Citizens Since 2010, Which Ghost Town Is Next?

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Key Findings

  • Well over half (61%) of America’s “small towns” (<10,000 in population) have seen a drop in population since 2010
  • 82% of larger cities with >100,000 people saw their population increase over the same time period
  • Three towns with registered residents in 2010 declined to a population of 0: Mustang, TX, South Park View, SD, and Hoot Owl, OK
  • 39 American towns have fewer than 10 residents, according to the most recent population estimates
  • Corning, MO had the greatest percentage drop in population (-93%, 15 people in 2010, just 1 person in 2022)

ghost townsThe debate about the existence of ghosts is neverending, but here’s an easier question to answer: are ghost towns real?

In other words, are there places where people once lived, but today lack any citizens? In fact, three places in America have become ghost towns since 2010, and another 39 saw their population dip to below 10 people, according to the latest population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.

And these aren’t just outliers, but the mark of a trend. In America, as of 2010, 61% of towns with fewer than 10,000 residents have had a population decline. (Meanwhile, 82% of cities with at least 100,000 residents had increased their population during that same time period.)

Given this asymmetrical growth and decline, we are taking a closer look at America’s smallest cities, towns and communities to see what may have contributed to their decline, as well as highlight the fastest-emptying towns for every state.

Three New Ghost Towns, More in the Making: America’s Smallest Towns

Three towns have officially reached a population of 0 as per the most recent Census estimates. They are Hoot Owl, Oklahoma, South Park View, Kentucky, and Mustang, Texas.

While Hoot Owl, OK and Mustang, TX were incorporated with a very specific purpose (to prevent trespassing and to sell alcohol, respectively), South Park View, KY actually began as a “proper” town in 1961.

 

“As many as 92 towns in the United States have lost at least 50% of their population since 2010.”

 

After reaching a population of 196 in 2000, the town’s growth was hampered by the expansion of the Louisville International Airport, leading to serious noise pollution in the area. This development led most residents to relocate, leading the town to become virtually empty.

Apart from these three towns that have ceased to exist, a further 39 are close to disappearing off the map. Of these small towns, 32 have declined in population since 2010, with just five seeing an uptick in the number of residents.

Check out this interactive map to see the locations of America’s smallest towns.

Most of these almost-ghost towns are scattered around states in the middle of the country, forming a belt pattern from North Dakota to Oklahoma. North Dakota and South Dakota alone account for 15 of America’s towns which house fewer than 10 people. Six more such places exist in Missouri, while Oklahoma currently has five. 

Disappearing Fast: Towns With the Biggest Percent Declines in Population Since 2010

As many as 92 towns in the United States have lost at least 50% of their population since 2010. 

Leaving aside the towns where the population has officially gone to 0, the town with the steepest drop in population by percentage is Corning, MO (-93%), which by the books only has one official resident remaining, compared to 15 residents in 2010. 

Echoing the map of America’s smallest remaining towns, the states of Oklahoma (3) Missouri (2), and North Dakota (2) account for the majority of towns with the biggest population declines.
Little is known about most of these towns and why exactly their population declined in such dramatic fashion, but it’s likely a mixture of demographic, economic, and housing-related factors.

 

“…the town with the steepest drop in population by percentage is Corning, MO (-93%), which by the books only has one official resident remaining, compared to 15 residents in 2010.”

 

Why are people leaving these places?

Put simply, “fewer births, more deaths, and more people leaving than moving in” are key factors in population decline in rural areas, according to a 2022 study from the University of New Hampshire. 

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin point to the lack of housing in small towns, while an economist at Iowa State University highlights that bigger cities continue to have more and better-paying jobs, making small towns lose out in comparison.

To see all the towns and cities that lost at least 50% of their population since 2010, have a look at our interactive map. You can also see which town or city saw the highest percentage decline in population in your state by toggling “In Each State” on the interactive map.

See For Yourself: What Does Population Decline Actually Look Like?

Using statistics to describe cities, towns, and communities that see a decline in population is important, but numbers alone don’t tell the whole story.

Losing a significant share of the population has a tangible impact on a town, especially if it wasn’t that big to begin with. To capture some of those visible changes we used Google Street View to create visual comparison sliders. 

Granted, these are only singular street corners that may or may not capture the essence of a given town. Still, there is something eerie and unsettling about seeing such dramatic changes in these small towns that are similarly reflected throughout different parts of the country. Which town will cease to exist next?

Sources and Methodology
Population data was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates series and Decennial Census collection. Town coordinates were taken from the TIGER/Line Shapefiles available from the U.S. Census Bureau website.
Towns with the greatest percentage decline in the population between 2010 and 2022 (the most recent data available) were deemed “fastest disappearing” overall. For each state, a town with the greatest percentage decline in population among towns in the same state was selected as the “fastest disappearing” in that state.
Images of 10 towns were taken from Google Streetview from the nearest years to 2010 and 2022, respectively. Images are used for illustrative purposes only and do not represent a given town or city in its entirety.
Illustrations by Maria Trigueros

What It’s Like To Be a Woman in the Moving Industry

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In 2016, we reported on what it’s like to be a female mover in a majorly male-dominated industry. As you might expect, in addition to their success, the women we profiled dealt with a lot of preconceived notions about what it takes to be a successful mover from customers who questioned their abilities. 

Now, over five years later, we’re taking another look to see how things have changed (and how they haven’t).

The Power of Women in Business

Carmen Ball, co-owner of LeDoux Moving Solutions, LLC, a local moving company, believes that the moving industry is a great one to be in for women, despite public perception. 

“We’ve seen a lot of people come and go, only because they don’t pay attention to the little details, which I think women are good at,” she suggests. 

This is an oft-repeated belief about women, but in this case, her suggestion isn’t simply fleeting. A version of this sentiment is reflected in various peer-reviewed studies which investigated key personality traits to succeed in business that go beyond knowledge, technical ability and experience. One 2016 study financed by global consulting firm Korn Ferry found that women outperform men in 11 of 12 key emotional intelligence competencies which correlate to business performance and leadership. These competencies include emotional self-awareness, empathy, coaching and mentoring, influence, conflict management and more.

Another comprehensive peer-reviewed study found that despite the wide disparity in numbers, female-led organizations are more profitable, earn higher profit margins and perform better overall versus male-led companies.

“We really started the business to change how people view moving companies,” Ball said, explaining that at the time she and her co-owner began their business, the industry as a whole had a “really bad reputation.” (The Better Business Bureau receives an average of 13,000 complaints and negative reviews about movers each year.) 

 

“Another comprehensive peer-reviewed study found that despite the wide disparity in numbers, female-led organizations are more profitable, earn higher profit margins and perform better overall versus male-led companies.”

 

Ball is working to change this perception. Retelling stories of positive customer interactions that she describes as bucking the expectations of an old-school moving company, she gets as granular as even the sound of her voice over the phone. “We have a lot of repeat business because of that,” she noted.

In addition, she describes the mostly male staff she employs as responsive to her leadership. “The crew knows that I’m the one who’s keeping them going,” she said. 

Unfortunately, not all women at the helm of moving companies that HireAHelper spoke to have had it as easy when dealing with male crewmembers.

Trouble with Co-workers

Another local businesswoman, Tomika Holland, recently took over J. Holland Helpers & Researchers, LLC, a small moving business in Houston, Texas. She became a co-owner alongside her mother, Sandra, after her stepfather passed away in 2021. 

When asked about her relationship to men in the industry, she admitted that one of the toughest parts of her job is dealing with the male crewmembers. “They’re constantly trying you,” she explained.

“They wouldn’t do the same things with another man that they’ll do with a woman,” she added, citing repeated instances of male crew members she employs not striving for professional accountability. Holland said she feels like men in the moving industry often test her boundaries as their employer simply because she’s a woman. “It’s kind of like a child always trying their mother,” she joked.

While she’s able to make light of the situation, Holland’s experience is, unfortunately, closer to the norm than the exception. This may explain in part why so few women attempt to make their way into the moving industry. And statistics bear that out.

Moving Industry Still Dominated by Men

Despite ongoing social struggles, the share of female-owned businesses has been rising according to the U.S. Census Bureau, albeit very slowly. According to Ventureneer, a research and training group in the U.S., the number of female-owned businesses in the transportation and warehousing sector has risen by just 10% over the last five years.

Today, there are roughly 211,000 U.S. businesses operating in the transportation and warehousing sector, and only 9% (roughly 19,000) are owned exclusively by women. The cross-industry average share of female-owned businesses is only 13% nationwide.

Here’s a look at how women in transportation and warehousing compare to other industries, according to Census data.

Industry Percent of Businesses That Are Female-Owned
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 0%
Utilities 1%
Management of companies and enterprises 4%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 7%
Construction 7%
Transportation and warehousing 9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11%
Finance and insurance 12%
Information 12%
Wholesale trade 12%

Interestingly, there are statistical variances by geography.

Looking at the situation state-by-state, below are 10 states where the share of female-owned businesses in transportation and warehousing is highest.

State Percent of Transport Businesses Solely Female-Owned 
Tennessee 25%
Nevada 23%
Utah 22%
Indiana 21%
Georgia 21%
Virginia 20%
North Carolina 19%
California 18%
Mississippi 17%
New Jersey 17%

Tennessee tops the list, with every one in four (25%) transportation businesses being female-owned. In five other states — Nevada, Utah, Indiana, Georgia, Virginia — the share is at least 20%.

On the flip side, the share of female-owned businesses is lowest in Iowa, where businesses are just 3% female-owned. In nine other states, most of them on the East Coast, less than 10% of transportation businesses were female-owned by 2021.

State % of Transport Businesses Solely Female-owned 
Iowa 3%
West Virginia 6%
Nebraska 7%
Massachusetts 7%
Rhode Island 8%
Idaho 9%
Wyoming 9%
Kentucky 9%
Pennsylvania 9%
Vermont 9%

“You want to see some change, put a girl in it”

Shantel Jackson, a longtime female CEO of a local moving company located in Oceanside, California, has experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to establish oneself as a leader within the moving industry. But that hasn’t stopped her from doing just that.

In 2011, Jackson was living with her husband, Francis, in San Diego, California. He had been employed as a professional mover, but work opportunities with his employer were drying up in the wake of the financial crisis and The Great Recession. In response, he decided to resurrect an old moving business he originally founded in 2006. With the reopening of “Speed Loaders”, he would try his hand at running his own moving company, instead of working for one.

 

“Today, there are roughly 211,000 U.S. businesses operating in the transportation and warehousing sector, and only 9% (roughly 19,000) are owned exclusively by women.”

 

In a short amount of time, the Jacksons obtained a business license and started booking jobs. They joined HireAHelper, a national online marketplace where moving companies can list their local moving business. Shantel, who before helping her husband worked as a statistical analyst for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, changed careers and began handling things behind the scenes.

True Change Comes From the Top

The company was successful and grew steadily over a decade. But by 2016, Francis was experiencing health issues that left him unable to work.

To keep the company going, Shantel Jackson took over the business as its CEO. 

Shantel described to HireAHelper that taking over the business often meant 17 hours of work per day. Adding to the stress of the situation, the group of employees who worked for Speed Loaders at that time (which Shantel described as a “good ol’ boys club”) reportedly didn’t appreciate having a female boss, especially after having presumed they would be put in charge of the company after her husband stepped away. Jackson described her appointment as making them difficult to manage.

“So I got rid of every last one of them,” she said. 

Today, Jackson (and her new crew) have instilled a company culture and direction that have led Speed Loaders into solvency and customer acclaim; as of 2022, Jackson has directly overseen well over a thousand moves on HireaAHelper.com alone, all of which has been rated 4.7 out of 5 stars in aggregate.

In addition, Jackson encourages pro-bono work within Speed Loaders, telling HireAHelper stories of deeply discounted moves for higher-risk individuals such as single mothers and returning military members.

“We go the extra mile,” she said. “As my daddy would say, you want to see some change, put a girl in it.”

A Recurring Theme

Both anecdotal and economic evidence suggests the reason there are so few women in industries like moving and labor isn’t necessarily because it’s too difficult, but because there still seems to be a permeating anti-female culture. 

Studies find that some of the biggest challenges women face in male-dominated industries include societal expectations and beliefs about a woman’s ability to work  comparatively well to men, as well as pervasive stereotypes which often contradict research on effective leadership.

Further, in one 2017 Pew Research survey, 28% of women working in male-dominated industries said they had personally experienced sexual harassment, as compared to 20% of women working within female-dominated industries.

“It takes a very strong woman (to be successful in the moving industry),” Holland asserted. Indeed, women like Tomika Holland, Carmen Ball and Shantel Jackson have proven that they have the mental, emotional and physical fortitude to run a thriving company in a tough industry. Hopefully, the positive changes these women and others like them are making will help push the labor industry to be an increasingly welcoming one for women. 

And if not, signs show they’ll keep on trying. Despite the potential challenges, Holland said she hopes to pass down the business to her kids one day, just as her parents did for her.

Illustrations by Ana Jaks

2021 Study: Where Americans Moved To Retire in 2021

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Key Findings

  • Only 226,000 Americans moved to retire in 2021, the lowest number in seven years
  • Nearly half (47%) of Americans who moved after retiring this year went to a different state, compared to just 16% of all people moving
  • Early retirees (i.e., those younger than 65) were even more likely to leave their state (64%)
  • Tennessee (13%)—the state with one of the lowest tax burdens in the U.S.—is 2021’s top destination state for Americans retiring outside their home state
  • About 7% of Americans relocating for retirement in 2021 went to Pittsburgh, PA, more than any other city
  • Early retirees accounted for 40% of those moving for retirement in 2021
  • Retirees of color make up just 12% of those moving for retirement, as 88% of retirement movers are white Americans

 

According to recent estimates, COVID forced up to 3 million Americans to retire earlier than planned. This development pushed the percentage of people aged 55 and over who are retired to 50%, which is 2% higher than it was before the pandemic.

All things being equal, this means we’d expect to see a spike in the number of people who moved for retirement, but that didn’t happen. Quite to the contrary, the number of retirees who moved in 2021 dropped to 226,000—roughly 43% fewer than in the year previous. It’s also the lowest number of American retirees in the last five years!

More Retired, but Fewer Moved: The Decline in Retirement Moves in 2021

retirement moves

The trend for retirees this year is clear. But what are the causes? There could be a few plausible reasons for this discrepancy.

Why are fewer retirees moving?

1) COVID: It may seem like the pandemic is coming to an end, but it’s worth remembering that older Americans were the cohort hardest hit by the virus, with rates of infection, hospitalization, and death highest for folks over 65. It’s therefore conceivable that many would-be retirees had COVID, had to care for someone who had it or were otherwise affected by it. This may have undermined their willingness and ability to relocate. 

2) Housing market: After a turbulent 2020, to say that the housing market rebounded this year would be a huge understatement. Prices continue to climb at a record pace, especially in the desirable quiet, quaint, low-on-crime, high-on-sunshine neighborhoods retirees tend to seek out. Meaning, despite the fact that most retirees downsize, they may be getting priced out of places where they’d like to retire.

3) Lack of retirement savings: Many Americans lacked retirement savings due to having to spend them to sustain themselves or support their families even before the pandemic. This situation has arguably gotten worse in recent years, with one recent study finding that 14 million Americans stopped contributing to their pension plans.

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Most Stay Put, But Those that Go, Go Far: How American Retirees Moved in 2021

Despite dwindling numbers of retiring Americans deciding to relocate, those that do make that decision tend to travel a lot further than a typical person moving in 2021.

Americans moving for retirement were three times as likely to leave their state than of those moving for work, family, or any other reason (47% vs 16%).

This also constitutes a 10% increase on last year’s figures, where only 38% of people relocating for retirement decided to move out of their home state.

High Affordability, Low Taxes: Tennessee Top State Choice for Retirement Moves

Last year it was Virginia, this year it’s Tennessee; the Volunteer State was chosen by 13% of Americans moving out of state for retirement, the highest percentage of all U.S. states.

 

“Curiously enough, Tennessee was even more popular among early retirees. As many as one in five (20%) Americans under 65 who left their state for retirement moved to Tennessee.”

 

Tennessee is not only home to vibrant Nashville and Memphis, but is also the state with the lowest tax burden in the country, after Alaska. 

Meanwhile, Florida, the staple in any top destinations for retirement list, wasn’t that far off the top spot.11% of retirees who left their home state relocated to the Sunshine State in 2021. Pennsylvania (10%), North Carolina (10%), and South Carolina (9.4%) round off the top five.

Curiously enough, Tennessee was even more popular among early retirees. As many as one in five (20%) Americans under 65 who left their state for retirement moved to Tennessee.

Great Healthcare, Affordable Housing: Pittsburgh, PA Tops Retirement Destinations City List

pittsburgh

Technically speaking, areas outside cities and metropolitan areas were the most preferred destinations for retirees, as 26% of Americans who moved for retirement headed to smaller towns and cities far from urban areas.

The city attracting the highest percentage of retirees is in Pennsylvania, and it’s Pittsburgh. Once ranked as the best place to retire by Bankrate due to its low cost of living, excellent healthcare system, and a significant number of inhabitants being 65 or older, Pittsburgh was the top city destination of choice for 7% of all retirees in the U.S. in 2021

“An overwhelming majority of Americans moving for retirement in 2021 were white (88%); only 12% of those retiring and relocating were people of color.”

 

Three metropolitan areas from Tennessee also made the top 10. Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA was the destination of choice for 3.9% of Americans relocating for retirement. A further 3.5% chose Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro , while 3% opted for Johnson City, TN.

Two Florida metros featured in the top 10 with Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL representing the Sunshine State with roughly 3.5% of retirees moving to these metropolitan areas.

Worth noting that two of the most popular metropolitan areas to relocate for retirement were around Los Angeles and San Francisco in California.

Departing Delaware, Moving Out of Maryland: the States Retirees Were Most Likely to Leave

On the flip side, states which saw the highest percentage of retirees choosing to move out for retirement were Delaware and Maryland, where 22% of people moving to retire decided to leave. In Utah, which was top of our ranking last year had a share of 19% defectors.

Following them, a number of states, including Virginia and New Jersey, had 15% of their retirement moves headed outside the state.

Who Is Moving for Retirement in America: Retirement Moves by Demographic

In a year immediately following the pandemic, which cohorts of senior citizens were most and least likely to relocate for retirement?

Men (53%) are the majority among senior citizens relocating for retirement (47% are listed as women). Married couples accounted for 77% of retirement moves, while only 23% were single (which includes those divorced, widowed, and those never married).

An overwhelming majority of Americans moving for retirement in 2021 were white (88%); only 12% of those retiring and relocating were people of color.

Sources and Methodology
Unless otherwise stated, all the data behind the charts in this study was taken from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey and its Annual Social and Economic Supplements for 2021. 
To calculate the most moved-in and most moved-out states and cities, we took the percentage of all retirees in 2021 who moved or left a state or city. “Early retirees” was operationalized as any retiree younger than 65.  

The Cities with the Most AAPI Diversity in the US (Besides NYC and San Francisco)

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My partner is Chinese-American, so ideally he and I would like to put down roots in a city with a not insignificant Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population. (This rules out cities that might have made my list back when it was just me, my white self, and I.)

In the past, we’ve lived—both separately and together—in diverse places like Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Rockville, Maryland, and Portland, Oregon. Yet ultimately, we want to live in a city that currently has an Asian population significantly higher than the national average, which hovers right around 7%, according to Pew Research Center. 

The reasoning of course is for both comfort and safety reasons. But while we want a piece of that suburban pie, we’d also like to give ourselves a liiiittle bit of distance from big city life. (Ideally, we’d live just far away enough that we can watch House Hunters without stewing in shame over the amount we pay to live on the square footage of a postage stamp.)

But what is anyone’s option for a more suburban and affordable lifestyle within a city or town that isn’t exclusively white? I’m so very glad you asked, since we’re sharing all the research we did for ourselves.

Our search for an Asian community as an interracial couple

Really quickly before I dive in, I want to note a couple things.

First of all, I’ll be citing two statistics for each location: the “Asian alone” population percentage from the United States Census Bureau, which includes solely those responders who are “reporting only one race”. For living purposes, I’m also citing the median gross rent for 2015-2019, a representation of what a middle-of-the-bell-curve citizen pays every month in rent and utilities. (Basically, this is an all-inclusive housing cost, which for your reference is $1,664 in West Hollywood—a number that’s lower than our outright rent… so I guess take these with a grain of salt?)

 

“…we want to live in a city that currently has an Asian population significantly higher than the national average, which hovers right around 7%, according to Pew Research Center.”

 

I point out that first statistic to underline that these aren’t necessarily the most diverse cities overall, as we’re seeking solely the percentage of Asian populations for our particular situation.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Median Gross Rent: $1,745

A big part of my brain doesn’t think I’m allowed to live in a place like Hawaii, because it feels like a reward I haven’t earned. But if I can get past the mental block of whether or not I deserve to live and work on a tropical island, it actually seems like a great setup. In a reversal from every other city on this list, Caucasians are in the minority in Honolulu—people of solely Asian descent represent 42.9% of the population, as compared to 17.9% white people. And that doesn’t even include native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders (9.6%), or those who represent multiple races (22.8%), which boosts the numbers even higher.

Seattle, Washington

Median Gross Rent: $1,614

Across the pond and nestled snuggly into my beloved Pacific Northwest, we have chilly little Seattle, one of the few cities on this list that my partner and I have visited together. We stayed in a pretty industrial area during our visit, which neither of us was super keen on, but I’m still thinking about our day trip out to Bainbridge Island. I’m betting there’s a neighborhood that would check all our boxes.

At the end of the day, it’s hard to argue with the gorgeous views, fresh seafood, and younger-skewing demographics—plus it hits our checkboxes with an Asian-American population of 15.4%.

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Portland, Oregon

portland

Median Gross Rent: $1,248

Sooner or later, they all come crawling back. (At least, according to my social media-stalking of my former high school classmates.) I’ve so far resisted making the full move back to my hometown, but it always shimmers on the horizon. And now that I’m back on the same coast, it feels like just a matter of time. This is especially due to the fact that while Portland has a genuinely terrible record in terms of a lot of diversity, it does host a not-too-shabby Asian population at 8.2%, so it’s worth considering for us. Rents seem great at the moment, but once we’re looking to buy property, we’d probably steer clear of the Portland housing market for a few years, because it is going absolutely bananas right now.

San Diego, California

san diego

Median Gross Rent: $1,695

There are quite a few cities in California that match our requirements, but since I didn’t want to pull more than one option from any given state, the best choice is definitely San Diego. My partner and I visited earlier this year, and all I kept saying was, “Los Angeles wishes!” Same gorgeous weather as LA, same basic lifestyle vibe, similar diversity (with 16.9% Asian population), but cheaper, less sprawling, and way more laid back. (Sorry, LA, but you are a bit of a try-hard in the coolness department.) 

Chicago, Illinois

chicago

Median Gross Rent: $823

Continuing our jaunt eastward, we have to leapfrog a few particularly homogenous states before landing in the lovely little enclave that is Chicago. This is another city that I visited and just had an absolute blast in, although I’ll note that it was in summer, and I’m told that to really get a feel for it, I need to try my hand at Chicago in the winter. But I adored the energy. I found the public transportation system super intuitive, and I simply love to see a median gross rent in the triple-digits.

And while the Asian population currently registers at 6.6%, the midwest is currently home to the fastest-growing Asian American communities, so I’m betting that number will rise. Plus, my partner and I both do long-form improv (humiliating), so Chicago would be an excellent place to keep our comedic skills sharp.

Austin, Texas

austin

Median Gross Rent: $1,280

I gotta be honest, I initially thought the majority of the South would probably be out, but Texas went and surprised me! I’ve not had the pleasure of visiting the state in the past, but I always toyed with the idea of moving to Austin, which I’ve been told has similar vibes to Portland. With an Asian population of 7.6%, it’s just above the national average. But the fact that there’s a significant Latinx community (33.9%) is a nice boost to our search. So Barton Springs, here we (maybe) come!

Newton, Massachusetts

newton

Median Gross Rent: $1,940

After a decade in New York City, I’m a little hesitant to settle in a nearby city like Boston. I scooted next door to Newton to check out the scene and am very happy with what I found.

Once again, it’s close enough to the city that we wouldn’t have to quit urban sprawl cold turkey, but could instead take it in manageable doses. Plus, Newton actually has a significantly larger Asian population—14.8% compared with Boston’s 9.7%—along with great public schools, a suburban feel with great parks, coffee shops, restaurants and multiple awards for being one of the nicest places to live in the United States. (One con? It also has the prices to go with all those pluses.)

Rockville, Maryland

rockville

Median Gross Rent: $1,921

Alright, if my hometown can be on this list, so can his. Not only does Rockville boast a double-digit Asian population at 21.1%, but it’s truly a suburban dream. Rockville is both close enough to DC that it’s not a total nightmare to get to, but secluded enough that I can sleep through the night without getting jolted awake by car alarms or helicopters like we do in LA. Plus, my partner still has a tightly-knit community of friends out there that would be amazing to live nearby. 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA

Median Gross Rent: $1,042

Once again, Philly is just a sliver above the national average at 7.2%, but I’m leaving Philadelphia on the list because I’m intrigued, okay?

Personally, I visited the city once, back in college, and found it very approachable with locals who are very direct, which is a personality type I absolutely love. Plus, I feel like I can’t stop reading headlines about what a great place it is to live, with excellent historical and cultural institutions, and an impressive confluence of affordable housing and job growth. 

Fort Lee, New Jersey

fort lee

Median Gross Rent: $1,923

Does it feel absolutely counterintuitive for me to move all the way back to within eyeshot of New York City without actually moving into the city itself? Yes, yes it does, which is why Fort Lee is at the very end of the list. But it has an Asian population of 42.5%, which is exactly what we’re looking for!

But for me, I’ve already lived at one end of the George Washington Bridge and had about as great an experience as I’d imagine I could, living in a well-priced Manhattan studio for seven glorious years. Trying my hand at a life on the opposite side of the bridge feels like it would only invite—and suffer from—comparison. But truly, all the blessings in the world to everyone who does live there now.

Final protip

Those are the cities we have so far, but to add to the list, my partner had an excellent suggestion that you could potentially use as well: search H-Mart locations. (If a city has an H-Mart, you should consider moving there regardless, because it’s an incredible store.)

If you’re searching for “asian communities near me”, this can also tell you that the area has the population to support this kind of store, and is a great indicator for pockets of diversity that might not necessarily show up in the cold hard stats I’m relying on here.

Illustrations by Celine Lau
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I'm Moving

Moving? Thinking about moving? Whether your move is off in the distance or you already have one foot out the door, you'll learn about everything you should expect through our useful how-to's, cool articles and much more. It's all specially curated for you in our "I'm Moving" section.
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I'm a Mover

For rookies or veterans alike, our "I'm a Mover" section is filled with extensive industry news, crucial protips and in-depth guides written by industry professionals. Sharing our decade of moving knowledge is just one way we help keep our professional movers at the top of their game.
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