The 2025 Migration Report, released on Monday by the tech-enabled moving platform Wise Move, is based on an analysis of more than 15 000 moves facilitated through the platform in 2024, offering a nationwide snapshot of relocation trends, popular destinations and the reasons people are choosing to move.

“Since Covid-19, there’s been a noticeable shift back to city life,” says Chante Venter, co-founder and CEO of Wise Move.

“During the pandemic, people moved closer to family and sought out safety and space. But now, priorities are shifting again. Urban areas are drawing people in with career opportunities and the convenience of city living.”

Report highlights

Cape Town tops the list as the most popular destination city, with most of all inter-provincial moves headed to the Western Cape.

In contrast, 20.1% of people moving out of a province was recorded in Gauteng (out-migration).

Metro-to-metro moves made up 48.6% of all tracked relocations.

12.9% of moves involved people leaving cities for smaller towns – known as ‘semigration’.

The most popular day to move is Saturday, followed by Friday. Mid-week moves are less popular, meaning more savings for users if they can plan accordingly. And interestingly, people started planning their moves at 09:00 on a Monday!

Moves from two-bedroom flats to three-bedroom houses were among the most common upgrade patterns, often linked to growing families and improved financial conditions. However, with interest rate uncertainties, most people opted to stay in similar-sized homes, a one-bedroom being the most popular.

Migration trends

The report found that 70% of moves were within the same province, while 30% were between provinces.

Gauteng recorded the highest number of out-migration at -20.1%, but also the highest percentage of moves within the province.

The report highlights a reversal in migration trends, with more people now leaving Gauteng – a province that was traditionally the top destination. This change indicates a shift in economic dynamics driven by remote work opportunities and changing lifestyle preferences that are drawing people away from South Africa’s economic hub.

Movers’ demographics

When it comes to age, the report revealed that after you have passed the age of 25, it seems the older you get the less likely you are to move. People aged 65 and older were the smallest percentage to move (7.57%), while 18 to 25-year-olds came in second with 9.6%.  25 to 34-year-olds (31.19%) were the biggest movers in 2024. The report found that 56.98% of movers were women.

Most popular routes used

Data from the report revealed that residents from wealthy areas in Gauteng, like Sandton, are most likely to move to the Western Cape.

The full 2025 Migration Report is now available to download and includes insights into housing types, regional shifts and moving costs across the country.

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