According to the latest LendingTree survey of nearly 2,000 Americans, 6 in 10 live in a region with their preferred climate. Of those who don’t, 20% say they’re eyeing a move to their preferred climate in the next year. Here's a closer look at our findings.

• 61% of Americans reside in a region with their ideal climate, with Westerners (72%) and Southerners (67%) the most content. For 37% of Americans, this was by design, meaning they factored in climate when deciding where to live.
• Among those who don’t live in their ideal climate, 36% cite proximity to family and 26% cite cost of living as what’s keeping them away. 
• 1 in 5 of those who don’t live in their preferred climate plan to move there in the next year, including a third of Gen Zers. However, 29% of Americans have previously moved for a better climate to later realize they didn’t like it.
• 39% of respondents who aren’t retired plan to relocate in their golden years to a different climate. Additionally, 32% of retirees have either already made the climate-driven decision to move or plan to do so in the future.
• 40% say they prefer somewhere with consistent weather, while 34% prefer to experience the four seasons.

You can check out our full report here: https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/climate-survey/

LendingTree's Senior Economist, Jacob Channel, says weather should never be the only factor in your decision about where to live.

"You always want to be sure that whatever area you settle in is affordable to you, and in that same vein, you’ll want to be sure you can work a steady, safe job there. You should also consider factors like how your location will impact your relationships with family, friends and romantic partners, and whether it’ll provide you with enough entertainment or recreational activities to keep you occupied."