4 Americans moved to New Zealand for safety, scenic hikes, and the small-town feel. "I just felt this calm, like, 'I'm home,'" one said.

• An estimate of Americans living in New Zealand has more than doubled since 2022, from 1,479 to 4,264.
• Four former Californians relocated to New Zealand for safety and a calm atmosphere.
• "In LA there was a lot of tension. Here it just felt like it was a more relaxed attitude," one said.

Garvey Daniels first moved to Auckland, New Zealand, in 1996 for a job at a newly opened casino.

"I fell madly in love with the country and started the immigration process within two days," Daniels, 55, told Insider.