Popular Spots in the USA for Ex Pats

With immigration to the USA being notoriously difficult for UK citizens, it is often surprising how many people manage to get permanent residency there each year. With around 8 out of 100 emigrants moving to the USA through different visa streams annually, the UK expats population in the USA continues to soar even with difficulties in obtaining Green Cards and other permanent residency status. Typically, most British citizens will choose similar locations to settle in the USA, some obvious and some less so.

The Big Cities

The glitz and the glamour of the big cities will always appeal to overseas migrants when they make their choice to move to the USA. With the promise of plentiful work, culture, diversity and lifestyle, the big cities in the USA continue to be some of the most popular places to settle. The most common are:

• New York City – The bright lights of NYC have long been the first stop for migrants in the USA. With a thriving expats population, NYC offers newcomers plenty of options for jobs, accommodation, lifestyle and more. A mere 6 hour flight from the UK, NYC celebrates it's many migrants with a number of different parades and festivities – from St Patrick's Day to Scottish Day.
• Chicago – An often overlooked city in the USA, Chicago is becoming more popular with expats. The city has cleaned up its act considerably in recent times and housing is still relatively affordable there compared to some other big cities. With it's relative closeness to the UK, Chicago is an option for those who want to meet plenty of other expats, but don't want to go to NYC or LA.
• Los Angeles – The draw of LA for many UK citizens is understandable. The warm weather, beach, movie star lifestyle, all add up to the dream for most and there is a thriving expats community is Los Angeles. Whether you're looking for fish and chips, football or pubs, LA has it all and there are no shortage of migrants there to make you feel at home.
• Seattle – One of the most up and coming cities for expats is Seattle. Previously thought of as too far away for many, Seattle is now seen as a hip, trendy, upwardly mobile city for a lot of migrants. With it's eclectic culture, laid back lifestyle and good job prospects, Seattle is a city to consider if you're looking to meet others from the UK and still get a real sense of USA life

Tourist Spots and Forgotten Cities

Many UK citizens first taste of the USA is as tourists, so it's no surprise that when they move there permanently they relocate to an area they're familiar with. This means that a high number of migrants end up in places like Florida, where they already feel comfortable and familiar. There are a few spots throughout the USA that are popular with UK nationals, including of course the aforementioned Florida.

• Orlando - With one of the largest expats populations based on size in the USA, Orlando continues to be the dream location for many Britons. Having visited on holiday, most people fall in love with the weather, big open roads, leisure activities and inexpensive lifestyle in Florida and Orlando is full of expats with events, groups and more to keep you feeling at home.
• Austin – Texas has a reputation as a big state with a small town heart, but Austin proves to be popular with expats due to it's outstanding culture, green space, global corporations and laid back ways. The expats population of Austin is considerably larger than in some other cities in Texas and there are plenty of organised events where locals and expats mix freely.
• Washington – Washington is a great spot for expats due to it's high number of political groups, jobs and events. Many expats have settled in Washington after being sent there for work and the tradition of getting together socially has continued. Washington has the advantage of being relatively close to other highly populated expats areas such as NYC and Boston.