Brunswick County named most desirable place to move in the US

By: Charlie Kingree Wilmington StarNews
Feb. 23, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ET

If you feel like more and more transplants are populating the Wilmington area, the research says you wouldn’t be wrong.

Inward migration has been a prominent theme behind the Wilmington area’s recent population growth. Both Wilmington and the state of North Carolina have been highlighted as top moving destinations over the past few years.

Recent data from U.S. News and World Report found that North Carolina was the fourth most sought-after state to move to, reflecting the general trend of more and more migration to the South.

U.S. News’ research examined online search trends and population-adjusted move-in-to-move-out ratios to reveal which states, counties and cities Americans are actively considering for relocation. 

But the real kicker comes from U.S. News’ list of counties with the highest migration interest.

Brunswick County topped the list of all counties across the United States, making it the most desirable county to move to, according to U.S. News.

Is Brunswick County the best place to move to?

Brunswick County’s No. 1 ranking can be attributed to several factors.

For one, trends show that people across the country are migrating to the South at a far higher rate than anywhere else. Forty-five of the top 50 counties in U.S. News’ report were in the South, and six southern states were in the top 10.

Leland in Brunswick County was also the No. 12 most desirable city to move to. But Brunswick County’s top ranking was also carried by its proximity to other major metros that were incredibly popular in the rankings. This includes Conway, South Carolina (Ranked No. 1), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (No. 3), and Wilmington (No. 24).

U.S. News attributed the South’s popularity to mild temperatures, coastal living and year-round outdoor activities — all factors that Brunswick County shines in.

Is North Carolina the best state to move to?

The report ranked North Carolina as the No. 4 most popular state to move to. Looking deeper, North Carolina also had nine cities and 11 counties in the top 50 of their respective categories.

According to U.S. News, many of North Carolina’s strong qualities are a mirror of Brunswick County’s, including mild weather and natural beauty.

READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE: https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/local/2026/02/23/brunswick-county-nc-ranked-as-most-desirable-place-to-move-to-in-the-us/88627269007/