A recent analysis of American relocation trends has revealed the small Central Texas town of Dale, located between San Antonio and Austin, was the No. 1 hottest ZIP code for movers nationwide in October 2025.

Dale’s 78616 ZIP code topped MovingPlace’s new list ranking the U.S. cities with the highest number of new movers per 1,000 current residents during the month of October.

According to the study’s data, 961,650 moves took place across the nation last month. Dale saw 15.2 moves per 1,000 residents in October, the highest out of all U.S. cities.

Dale, an unincorporated community, is situated about 80 miles northeast of San Antonio in Caldwell County. It was praised as a highly sought-after locale for movers who want to live in between Austin and San Antonio while still reaping the benefits from a rural community with a small-town feel.

“The location means that residents see an overall cheaper cost of living and lower house prices, with a median house price of $369,000, as well as much more space than can be found in the surrounding metros,” the report said.

Maxwell, another unincorporated community in Caldwell County, and its 78656 ZIP code ranked as the 10th hottest ZIP code in America in October. It had 9.5 moves per 1,000 residents. Maxwell is about 17 miles away from Dale, and about 60 miles from Xan Antonio. The area was similarly touted as an “attractive” place to live for its spacious properties with new-build homes and a lower cost of living.

These are the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on moves per capita in October:

  • No. 1 – 78616 in Dale, Texas
  • No. 2 – 34987 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida
  • No. 3 – 37228 in Nashville, Tennessee
  • No. 4 – 80019 in Aurora, Colorado
  • No. 5 – 75166 in Lavon, Texas
  • No. 6 – 32461 in Inlet Beach, Florida
  • No. 7 – 10004 in New York, New York
  • No. 8 – 43137 in Lockbourne, Ohio
  • No. 9 – 30346 in Atlanta, Georgia
  • No. 10 – 78656 in Maxwell, Texas

“When looking at the top ZIP codes in each state, it’s clear that less populated ZIP codes often show dramatic month-over-month increases, sometimes exceeding 100 percent,” the report said. “Larger cities, by contrast, maintain consistently high move volumes without extreme spikes, because their larger populations dampen the impact of individual moves.”

The hottest U.S. ZIP codes by total move volume
Five Texas ZIPs ranked among MovingPlace’s separate analysis of the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on total move volume.

New Braunfels’ ever-popular 78130 ZIP code ranked No. 2 on the list after gaining 354 new residents last month, only 16 residents shy from No. 1-ranking Washington, D.C.’s new resident count.

This soaring San Antonio suburb also previously ranked as the No. 2 most popular ZIP for movers during the first five months of 2025.

The report said New Braunfels’ most attractive quality is that it’s located between two major cities, offering residents access to their “major job markets” while providing “somewhat lower costs for housing.”

“Homes in the area sell for a median price of $319K, up 1.2 percent since last year,” the report added. “It was also the third fastest-growing city in the U.S. between 2010 and 2020, with a 56.4 percent increase in population size.”

The top 10 hottest American ZIP codes in October based on total move volume were:

  • No. 1 – 20002 in Washington, D.C.

  • No. 2 – 78130 in New Braunfels, Texas
  • No. 3 – 78641 in Leander, Texas
  • No. 4 – 77433 in Cypress, Texas
  • No. 5 – 75071 in McKinney, Texas
  • No. 6 –32256 in Jacksonville, Florida
  • No. 7 –77493 in Katy, Texas
  • No. 8 – 85142 in Queen Creek, Arizona
  • No. 9 – 98052 in Redmond, Washington
  • No. 10 – 28269 in Charlotte, North Carolina