According to Redfin News, Americans continue to leave areas at high risk of poor air quality, but the trend is slowing dramatically from pandemic peaks. In 2025, about 277,740 more people moved out of high-risk counties than moved in, which is less than half the exodus that happened in 2021. Meanwhile, low-risk counties are still attracting more people than they're losing, though that inflow has also declined significantly since the pandemic years.
The story reveals something interesting though: some places with high air quality risk are actually gaining residents. Boise, Lake Tahoe, and Provo are among communities bucking the outmigration trend and adding thousands of people. This suggests that for many Americans, affordability and lifestyle appeal matter more than air quality concerns when deciding where to move.
Housing costs are the real driving force behind these migration patterns. The counties losing the most residents, like Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Orange County, happen to be some of the most expensive places in the country. In contrast, high-risk counties that are gaining people, such as Boise and parts of Colorado, tend to be more affordable. The data shows that the post-pandemic rush to leave major job centers has also lost momentum significantly.
According to Redfin's analysis, clean air is becoming a priority for homebuyers. Over a third of house hunters surveyed said a home with quality air and water filtration systems is essential, making it the top priority ahead of other features like views or luxury amenities. This reflects how wildfire smoke has become more intense and frequent across the country, with recent events like the Spokane Complex fires blanketing multiple states in hazardous smoke.
The counties attracting the most residents despite air quality risks tend to offer a mix of advantages. Ada County in Idaho, Riverside County in California, and Placer County near Lake Tahoe are leading the way. These places offer outdoor recreation, resort appeal, and median home prices averaging around $522,000, which is significantly lower than expensive coastal markets.
What I am seeing locally here in the Bay Area and across the East Bay tells a similar story. Yes, people are still concerned about air quality, especially after smoky summers, but the reality is that housing costs and lifestyle factors usually win out. Santa Clara County itself lost residents in 2025, though at a much slower rate than during the pandemic. For sellers in our region, this means the market is stabilizing after years of dramatic movement. For buyers, the good news is that we're starting to see some relief from the intensity of pandemic-era competition, though affordability remains the conversation most clients want to have when they call my office.
