2 in 3 Americans Are Unhappy with Where They Live in 2025 -- Here Are the Cities and States They'd Prefer to Call Home

With 68% of Americans frustrated with where they live—up from 59% in 2024—Clever asked 1,000 Americans where they'd prefer to live.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans say Nashville and Tampa are the most desirable cities to live in 2025, while Washington, D.C., is the least desirable for the third consecutive year, according to a new report from Clever Offers, a platform owned by Clever Real Estate that allows home sellers on tight timelines to explore their selling options.

Americans say good weather (67%), low crime (66%), and a low cost of living (64%) make a place desirable — yet many top-ranking destinations are far from affordable.

Americans say the most desirable of the 50 most-populous metros are:

1. Nashville, TN, and Tampa, FL (tied for No. 1)
2. Seattle, WA
3. San Diego, CA
4. Denver, CO
5. Charlotte, NC
6. Boston, MA
7. Orlando, FL
8. Raleigh, NC
9. New York, NY

Charlotte and Vermont ranked as the most underrated city and state, respectively. Meanwhile, Honolulu claimed the top spot among midsize cities, followed by Colorado Springs, CO, and Charleston, SC.

Conversely, the least desirable metros are:

1. Washington, D.C.
2. New York, NY
3. Chicago, IL
4. San Francisco, CA
5. Detroit, MI
6. Los Angeles, CA
7. Birmingham, AL
8. Baltimore, MD
9. Tampa, FL
10. Atlanta, GA

The most desirable states are Florida, California, Hawaii, Texas, and New York, while the least desirable are California, Alabama, New York, Alaska, and Florida.

Despite Florida, California, and New York ranking as desirable, all three also made the least desirable list — highlighting divided opinions among Americans.

Americans are nearly twice as likely to call where they live embarrassing (46%) rather than envy-inducing (26%). Still, 93% say something is holding them back from moving — with nearly half (46%) citing cost as the main reason.

Just 69% of Americans are happy with where they live, down from 73% in 2024. Nearly three-quarters (73%) would consider moving to a new state, and half (50%) are open to relocating to another country.

Read the full report at: https://cleveroffers.com/research/best-places-to-live-in-the-us-2025/ 

About Clever Offers
Clever Offers is a platform that empowers sellers who need to sell quickly or for cash to compare their options and make informed decisions. Clever Offers' free service connects sellers with vetted cash buyers and top local realtors, allowing them to evaluate traditional cash offers alongside options such as cash offers with a second payment upon resale, listing on the MLS for as little as 7 days, and standard open-market listings.

About Clever
Clever Real Estate's content reaches over 10 million readers annually, and its nationwide agent-matching service has a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 3,600+ customer reviews. Since launching in 2017, Clever has reached $13.8 billion in real estate sales, matched 171,000+ customers with realtors, and saved consumers over $200 million on commission fees. Clever's network spans 17,000 agents across all 50 states.

Contact:                                                                                                                                           
Nicole Lehman
Clever Real Estate
724-719-0406
[email protected]

SOURCE Clever Real Estate