Outward migration from UK cities has seen the South of England grow in popularity over the ten years from 1996 to 2006.
However it also recorded the second highest number of people leaving to live in another UK region, seeing a net gain of 384,000 from internal migration which puts it second of the twelve UK regions, behind the South West.
Over 440,000 more people have moved to the South West from elsewhere in the UK than have left to live in another region, boosting the region's population by 9 per cent.
Although the population of London is still growing, 2.4 million people have left London to live elsewhere in the UK during the past ten years.
As a result, London recorded the greatest net loss from internal migration of any region at 608,000. Northern Ireland was the only other region to experience a net loss.
However the cosmopolitan nature of the nation's capital saw it record the single biggest population increase over the last decade, with 1 million immigrants moving to London and causing its population to increase by 538,000 over the same period.
The total population in the North East fell by 20,000 over the ten years to 2006, while populations increased in all other regions
Internal migration has been a significant factor behind the rapid rise in house prices in the South West over the last ten years, with an increase of 206 per cent recorded over the decade.
The pull of both countryside living and the seaside way of life has contributed to the surging popularity of coastal living. Sixteen of the 20 local authorities with the highest levels of net internal migration since 1997/98 are coastal areas.
Birmingham recorded the biggest decline in net internal migration followed by the London boroughs of Newham and Brent.
Nineteen of the 20 local authorities experiencing the biggest net drop in internal migration in England and Wales are in major English cities, including fifteen London boroughs.
