Where to Live in the USA: A Guide for British Families and Professionals

Choosing where to settle in the United States is one of the most consequential decisions you will make in the entire relocation process, and it is one that connects in ways that are not always immediately obvious. Your choice of state determines your income tax position, your children’s schooling options, your commute, your climate, and the British expat community available to support your transition. Your choice of neighbourhood within that state determines the quality of your daily life more intimately than any other single factor.

The United States is not one country in the way that the United Kingdom is one country. It is fifty states with distinct tax environments, climates, cultures, and economies, and within each state a further range of cities, suburbs, and communities with their own identities. A guide that tells you only that New York, Florida, and California are popular destinations for British expats is providing a starting point, not an answer. This guide goes further, addressing the specific considerations that matter most to the British families and professionals making this decision, and the neighbourhoods and communities within each major destination that are most likely to feel like home.

A note on the relationship between where you live and your tax position: the state you choose as your primary US residence has a direct impact on your total income tax burden. We have addressed this in detail in our separate guide on UK tax and financial considerations when moving to the USA. For those at an early stage of the location decision, understanding the state tax landscape should be part of the process from the beginning, not an afterthought.

Most British families approaching the question of where to live in the USA begin with a shortlist of cities they already know, often from business travel or holidays. New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco are the most common starting points. These are excellent cities, and for many people they are the right answer. But the decision deserves a more structured approach than familiarity alone.

The most useful framework is to work through the following questions in order. First, what is driving the move? If it is an employer relocation or a specific job offer, the destination may already be partially fixed. If it is a lifestyle or investment decision, the field is open. Second, what are the schooling requirements? For families with children in the UK education system, the availability of a British-curriculum or IB school in the target city is often a constraint that immediately narrows the field. Third, what is the tax environment of the candidate states? At higher income levels, the difference between settling in Florida or Texas rather than California or New York represents a meaningful annual sum. Fourth, what is the lifestyle priority? Urban energy, suburban space, waterfront living, proximity to nature, cultural life, and community warmth all vary significantly across the destinations most popular with British expats.

With those questions answered, most families find the field narrows naturally to two or three serious candidates. The sections below address each of the major destinations in terms of what they actually offer the British professional or family making this decision.

New York City accounts for more UK-to-US relocation enquiries than any other destination. The draw is clear: unmatched career opportunity in finance, law, media, and the arts; a cultural life that rivals London; and a pace and energy that many British professionals find immediately familiar. The city has been home to a large and well-organised British community for generations, with the British American Business Association and a network of British-founded social and sporting clubs providing ready-made connections on arrival.

Manhattan is the obvious first thought, and for those whose budget and lifestyle suit it, it remains extraordinary. The Upper East Side is consistently popular with British families, combining proximity to Central Park with access to some of the city’s best private schools, including the British International School of New York in Manhattan and Harrow International School on Long Island. The Upper West Side offers a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. Tribeca and the West Village attract a younger professional demographic.

For families who want more space without sacrificing access to New York, the Connecticut commuter towns of Greenwich, Darien, Westport, and New Canaan have become the natural landing point for British families relocating to the New York metropolitan area. Greenwich in particular has an established British community, excellent private schooling options, and a quality of life that Manhattan cannot match at the family level. The Metro

North train puts Midtown Manhattan within 45 to 55 minutes. New Jersey’s Short Hills, Summit, and Ridgewood serve a similar role for those working in lower Manhattan or Midtown West.

The honest caution on New York is cost. Rent in Manhattan is among the highest in the world, and the combined federal, state, and New York City income tax burden can reach 14.776% at the top bracket. For those committed to New York, the quality and opportunity are unmatched. For those for whom the tax position matters, Florida and Texas offer a compelling alternative.

Florida has been the most popular US state for British retirees for decades, and it has grown substantially as a destination for working families and professionals over the past several years. The absence of state income tax, the warm climate, and a cost of living that is lower than the East Coast cities make it an increasingly compelling choice for those who are not tied to a specific employer location.

Miami and South Florida

Miami offers a cosmopolitan culture, a world-class arts scene anchored by the annual Art Basel Miami Beach, excellent private schooling, and a property market that remains more accessible than New York or San Francisco. The design-forward neighbourhoods of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove attract families who value architectural character and proximity to good schools. Brickell appeals to finance and technology professionals who want urban living with the convenience of a walkable city centre.

Palm Beach, forty minutes north of Miami, is a distinctly different proposition. A small island community with a strong British presence, exceptional private schooling, access to private clubs, and a lifestyle centred on waterfront living, equestrian activity, and the arts. For families relocating with significant wealth and a preference for a more contained and established community, Palm Beach deserves serious consideration.

Naples and the Gulf Coast

Naples, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, has emerged as one of the most sought-after destinations for British families and retirees seeking a quieter, more private lifestyle without sacrificing quality. The city is consistently ranked among the best places to live in the United States for quality of life. Property values are high relative to other Florida markets, but the lifestyle on offer, white-sand Gulf beaches, a thriving arts community, excellent private dining, and proximity to natural preserves, more than justifies the premium. The British community in Naples is smaller than Miami but tightly knit and welcoming.

Orlando and Central Florida

Orlando is a growing metropolitan area with a strong economy, lower cost of living than coastal markets, and good schooling options. It is less fashionable than Miami and less exclusive than Palm Beach, but for families focused on practical quality of life at a more accessible price point, it warrants consideration.

Texas has experienced remarkable growth as a destination for British professionals and families over the past decade. The absence of state income tax, combined with a dynamic economy, lower cost of living than the coastal cities, and a quality of family life that regularly surprises British arrivals, makes it a destination worth taking seriously even for those who did not initially consider it.

Houston

Houston is the largest British expat community in Texas and home to the British International School of Houston in Katy, part of Nord Anglia Education, providing seamless continuation of the British curriculum through to A-Level equivalents. The energy sector remains Houston’s economic backbone, but the city has diversified substantially into healthcare, technology, and professional services. The neighbourhoods of River Oaks, West University Place, and Memorial are established, leafy residential areas where the British community is well represented.

Dallas and Fort Worth

Dallas is a more corporate, more formal city than Houston, with a strong financial services and professional services economy. The Park Cities neighbourhoods, Highland Park and University Park, are among the most sought-after residential addresses in Texas, combining excellent private schooling with an established, affluent community feel. Preston Hollow offers more space and privacy for larger households. The Dallas International School provides an IB and French Baccalaureate curriculum for families already within those educational frameworks.

Austin

Austin has transformed from a music and university city into one of the fastest-growing technology hubs in the United States, attracting significant investment from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and many others. The city is younger, more informal, and more culturally eclectic than Houston or Dallas, with a strong quality of life for professionals in their thirties and forties. The rapid growth has pushed property prices up substantially. Austin suits those drawn by the technology economy and a less corporate culture.

California receives more UK-to-US relocation enquiries than any other state. The combination of climate, career opportunity, natural beauty, and cultural life makes it uniquely compelling, and the British expat communities in Los Angeles and the Bay Area are large and well-established. The significant caveat is the tax position: California levies state income tax at rates of up to 13.3%. For those whose employer or career requires California, or for whom the lifestyle genuinely outweighs the tax consideration, it remains a wonderful place to live.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles attracts the largest number of British expats of any US city, with an estimated 200,000 UK-born residents in the greater metropolitan area. The entertainment, media, and creative industries are the primary draw, but the technology and finance sectors have grown substantially. British families tend to cluster in Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, and the Hollywood Hills. The International School of Los Angeles offers IB education across multiple campuses. A car is non-negotiable: Los Angeles is not a walkable city, and traffic is a significant feature of daily life.

San Francisco and the Bay Area

San Francisco and the wider Bay Area remain among the most expensive property markets in the world. The technology sector, anchored by Silicon Valley to the south and a growing cluster in San Francisco itself, is the primary driver. British professionals in technology, venture capital, and finance find a natural home here. Families tend to look to Marin County, Palo Alto, or Menlo Park for a more spacious, lower-density alternative to the city itself, with strong public and private schooling options.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston is the natural destination for British professionals in education, medicine, life sciences, and finance who want an American city with a distinctly European scale and sensibility. Home to Harvard, MIT, and a constellation of world-class hospitals and research institutions, the city draws senior professionals from the UK across all three sectors. The British community is well established, and the city has a rhythm that many Britons find immediately comfortable: walkable, architecturally coherent, and centred on neighbourhood life in a way that Manhattan is not.

Families tend to settle in the leafy suburbs of Newton, Wellesley, Brookline, or Lexington, all offering excellent public and private schooling, good commuter access to the city, and the kind of settled community feel that is harder to find in the larger coastal cities. Massachusetts levies a flat income tax rate of 5%, with a 4% additional surcharge on income above $1 million. It is not the most tax-efficient choice, but for those whose career or personal circumstances place them in New England, Boston is an outstanding city in which to live.

Seattle, Washington

Seattle is the primary destination for British professionals in the technology sector, working for companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, and the broader ecosystem that has grown up around them. Washington State has no state income tax, placing it alongside Florida and Texas as one of the most tax-efficient major British expat destinations. The lifestyle is distinctive: the Pacific Northwest offers dramatic natural scenery, a strong outdoor culture, and a city that balances genuine urban energy with proximity to mountains, forests, and water in a way that few American cities can match.

British families in Seattle tend to settle in the neighbourhoods of Queen Anne, Magnolia, and Madison Park, or cross Lake Washington to the suburbs of Bellevue, Kirkland, and Mercer Island, which offer more space, excellent schooling, and easy access to the major technology campuses. The British expat community in Seattle is growing steadily, and the city’s cultural institutions, including the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Symphony, provide a cultural life considerably richer than the city’s relatively recent prominence might suggest.

Beyond the four dominant regions, a number of cities across the United States are growing steadily in appeal for British professionals and families. Each offers a distinct proposition in terms of career opportunity, lifestyle, schooling, and cost of living, and each deserves consideration depending on your priorities.

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta has become an increasingly significant destination for British professionals with multinational company backgrounds. The city hosts a large number of global corporations with UK connections, including Intercontinental Hotels Group, NCR, and many others, and the British Consulate in Atlanta serves as a community anchor for expats throughout the Southeast. The cost of living is considerably lower than New York or California: a three-bedroom family home in the established neighbourhoods of Buckhead or Morningside costs significantly less than an equivalent property in comparable New York or California suburbs. Georgia’s state income tax rate of 5.39% is meaningfully lower than New York or California. The international school provision is growing, and the city’s cultural life, anchored by world-class institutions including the High Museum of Art, is increasingly impressive.

Washington DC and the Virginia Suburbs

Washington DC attracts British professionals in government, policy, international development, defence, and related fields, as well as those working for international organisations based in the capital. The city has strong private and international schooling, an exceptional cultural offer, and a well-established British community. The Northern Virginia suburbs, particularly McLean, Great Falls, and Arlington, offer a more spacious family environment within easy reach of the city. A caution: Virginia is considered a sticky state for tax purposes, meaning it continues to assert taxing rights over former residents for some time after departure, which is worth factoring into the decision for those who may subsequently move on.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is the natural destination for British professionals whose careers take them to the American Midwest, as well as those drawn to a genuinely world-class city that offers more space, more affordable property, and a richer community character than New York or Los Angeles. The city has a remarkable cultural life: the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and a restaurant scene of global reputation make it one of the most rewarding cities in the United States in which to live day to day.

The neighbourhoods of Lincoln Park and Lakeview, and the North Shore suburbs including Winnetka, Lake Forest, and Glencoe, are the most popular with British families, combining good private schooling, lake access, and a settled community feel. The honest caveat on Chicago is Illinois’s tax position: the state levies a flat income tax rate of 4.95%, and effective property tax rates in some suburban areas approach 2% of assessed value annually. For those whose career or lifestyle points towards Chicago, it is a city that rewards commitment.

Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona

Phoenix, and its upscale neighbour Scottsdale, has grown substantially as a destination for British families and retirees seeking Arizona’s warm, dry climate alongside strong economic fundamentals and a cost of living that compares favourably with the coastal cities. Arizona levies a flat state income tax of 2.5%, one of the lowest rates of any income-tax state in the country, making it meaningfully more tax-efficient than California, New York, or Massachusetts.

Scottsdale in particular has an established British community and a quality of life that consistently surprises first-time visitors: excellent private dining, a strong arts scene, world-class golf, and a landscape of dramatic desert beauty. The neighbourhoods of North Scottsdale and Paradise Valley attract a professional and executive demographic looking for larger properties at prices well below equivalent homes in New York or California. Families benefit from strong private schooling options, and the city’s proximity to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport makes international travel straightforward. The climate is extreme in summer, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, which is a genuine consideration for those accustomed to the British climate.

For families with children already established in the British education system, the availability of an appropriate school in the target city is not a secondary consideration: it is frequently the deciding factor. The good news is that British-curriculum and IB schools are available in all of the major British expat destinations. The less good news is that the most sought-after schools in each city have application processes and waiting lists that require advance planning, sometimes a year or more before your intended arrival date.

The British International School of New York in Manhattan offers the English National Curriculum through to IGCSE and A-Level equivalent qualifications, and is the most direct continuation of a UK education for children already within the British system. The British International School of Houston, operated by Nord Anglia Education, provides the same curriculum in Texas. The International School of Los Angeles offers the IB Diploma Programme. The Dallas International School offers both the IB and the French Baccalaureate. In addition, the USA has more IB World Schools than any other country, meaning that families whose children are within the IB framework will find continuity of curriculum available in virtually every major city.

Researching schools should begin at the same time as researching neighbourhoods: in many cities, the school you wish your children to attend will influence where you choose to live, as much as the neighbourhood itself. Williams and Yates works regularly with families navigating this process and can share experience of how other British families have approached schooling decisions in each of our major destination cities.

The state income tax position is worth summarising clearly for anyone in the early stages of the location decision. Nine US states currently have no personal income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Of these, Florida, Texas, and Washington State are the most significant destinations for British expats, offering no state income tax alongside established expat communities, strong economies, and good schooling. Arizona’s flat rate of 2.5% makes it one of the most competitive income-tax states for those drawn to the Southwest.

At the other end of the spectrum, California levies state income tax at up to 13.3%, and the combined federal, state, and New York City rate can reach 14.776% in Manhattan. Massachusetts and Illinois levy flat rates of 5% and 4.95% respectively. For a high-earning professional, the annual difference between settling in Miami and settling in New York, or between Houston and San Francisco, is a material sum. For those whose employer, career, or personal circumstances make a high-tax state the right destination, the lifestyle and opportunity typically justify the position. But the decision should be made with clear eyes on the numbers.

For more detail on how state tax interacts with your UK tax position, FBAR reporting, and the overall financial picture of your move, see our dedicated guide.

Williams and Yates manages relocations to every major US destination, and our dedicated move coordinators bring direct experience of the cities, suburbs, and communities most popular with British families. When you engage us for your relocation, your coordinator will draw on that experience to support your planning, from the initial conversation about destination options through to the delivery of your belongings at your chosen US address.

For families relocating with significant household contents, fine art, antiques, or wine collections, the logistics of the move are carefully coordinated around your confirmed destination and move date. Our in-house custom crating workshop, our climate-controlled shipping capability, and our network of trusted US logistics partners ensure that your possessions reach your new home in the same condition in which they left your UK property.

Whether you have already chosen your destination or are still working through the decision, we are happy to share our experience of what other British families have found when making the move to each of the cities we serve. To arrange a consultation and begin the planning process, please get in touch with our team.