Where in the World Would People in Iowa Rather Live?

All of us have dreamt of a place we'd live in, if money weren't an option, and a new study shows that people all over the country have some exotic locations in mind, particularly Iowans.

The website Remitly conducted a survey that looked at where people in all 50 states would choose to live, in both the US and other countries. In order to achieve this study, they analyzed Google search volumes:

Over the last three decades, there’s been a continued increase in international migration, with the latest stats showing that an estimated 281 million people live in a country other than their country of birth as of 2020 — 128 million more than in 1990, and the equivalent of 3.6% of the global population.

Using a similar methodology to our previous study, we analyzed Google search volumes for the phrase ‘move to [city]’ for 164 countries around the world, and created an overall ranking based entirely on how many countries prefer a move to a specific city above all others. - per Remitly

Dubai Comes Out on Top:

Of all the countries, Dubai is one that appears most frequently on this list across all 50 states. It's definitely viewed as a desirable place to live, with a population reportedly having risen by almost 100,000 from 2022 to 2023.

Known for its ultramodern architecture, lively nightlife scene, year-round sunshine and plentiful employment opportunities, Dubai is clearly viewed around the world as an incredibly desirable place to live with its population having risen by almost 100,000 during the 12-month period between 2022 and 2023. For anyone wanting a fresh start in a new city where it's easy to meet and make friends from all corners of the world, Dubai appears to be the ideal relocation destination.

 

The Top 10 Places People Want to Move To:

Here it the top ten list of places people want to move to the most, per Remitly's survey:

As somebody who grew up just outside of Chicago, it is pretty cool to see it crack the fringe top ten. I'm surprised Italy didn't make the top ten list, however.

Where Do Iowans Want to Move?:

Here are the top five international destinations where Iowans would choose to live. I'm stunned to see Singapore rank #1. I would've never guessed:

1. Singapore
2. Dubai
3. Amsterdam
4. Vancouver
5. Naples

Here are the top five domestic cities Iowans in which would love to live. Here. unsurprisingly, Chicago not only cracked the top five, but topped the list. My next question, however, is why Charlotte of all places?

1. Chicago
2. Minneapolis
3. San Diego
4. Denver
5. Charlotte

See the full results of Remitly's study on their website.