Thinking about closing one chapter and opening another in a new city? Many people do, and migration trends help spotlight which cities make starting over easier.
According to an updated 2026 ConsumerAffairs analysis, the best cities to start over are those that balance economic opportunity, ease of relocation, affordability, quality of life, and safety — five categories that matter when you’re uprooting for a fresh beginning.
The report looked across the 100 most populous U.S. cities, assigning scores in each category based on publicly available data. Researchers evaluated job markets, rental availability, income growth, community engagement, and safety indicators…