Written by: Kate Becker
Date:

Our world is changing faster than ever before. Of course, technological development is the main reason for this. However, the recent coronavirus pandemic is affecting peoples’ behavior and habits as well. When it comes to changes in relocation trends, we can also see that things are not the same as they were just a decade ago. People are moving less frequently and the reasons for moving are not the same as before. But is the way relocation is organized different? Will they rather call a moving company nowadays or try to organize a DIY relocation? Where are they moving to? Verified Movers will try to give you answers to these questions in the following article.

Americans are moving less that is one of the clear changes in the relocation trends

If we dig a little bit deeper into history we will see that people moved more often in the past than they do now. 50 years ago, almost one in five Americans moved each year. Back then, people were more mobile and had an easier time deciding for the move because of job and housing opportunities. With technological development, people’s habits started to change. That is why we see steady decrees in the number of people who moved.

People moved the most in ’50s

Since the ’50s, when we recorder two years with over 21% we see a decrease. And then we see a sudden shift in the 80’s when, in 1985, it was recorded that 20.2% of Americans moved. If we take a look at changes in relocation trends in the past decade we will not see that big of a difference in the number of people who move. In 20011, for example, we recorded one of the lowest numbers of moves in history. Only about 11.6 people moved that year. The numbers climbed to reach 12% in 2012 and 2013 again started to drop until we reached a record low in 2019 when only 9.8% of Americans moved.

people on the airport walking and talking about changes in the relocation trends

It is obvious that fewer people move every year

When it comes to 2020, it was the year when the pandemic was at its peak. And according to United States Census Bureau, 29.8 million people reported a different residence. When we compare this to the previous record low 2019 in which 31.4 million people relocated, we see that pandemic might have an impact on the moving industry. However, since the number was steadily falling even before the virus appeared no one can really tell whether this wouldn’t happen anyway. Nevertheless, 2021 is showing signs of improvement. A recent survey, conducted by some of the top movers NYC has, showed that 21% more people plan to move in 2021 compared to 2020. That means that it is estimated that 36.3 million Americans will move in 2021.

Local relocations are most common

We talked a little bit about the number of people who move each year.  Let’s now take a look at how far are they actually moving. Traditionally, people were moving locally more than long distances. That was in the past and that is it is now. Around 60% of all moves are local moves within the same county. Then, we see around 20% of the long distance county-to-county relocations that are conducted within the same state.  Of course, there is the lowest number of state-to-state and international moves. Of course, the numbers are changing each year. Let’s take a look at how these numbers looked in the past decade:

Who is moving the most?

As you can see throughout the years there is the greatest number of people moving locally. But who are those people? Are there any particular categories that move more frequently than others? Well, that can be hard to tell as there are many ways to categorize people and there are many reasons for moving. Nevertheless, when we divide people by gender, age, education level, and income we can see some patterns that are emerging. And we also see that there are no major changes in the relocation trends in the last decade when it comes to these patterns.

millennials in a van

Millennials are moving most often

Let’s take a step back and take a look at 2019 as it was the last normal year before COVID. We can see that now women move slightly more frequently than men. From age groups, millennials are most likely to move. And when we compare education levels, we see that people with high school diplomas move more often than others.

Renters move much more than homeowners

One of the things that might be interesting to see is who is moving more right now, homeowners or renters. There are currently 82.8 m owner-occupied homes and 42 m renter-occupied units in the country right now. Still, even though there are much more homeowners renters have a big impact on the moving market. Some of the top movers in Los Angeles have calculated that in the last 5 years, 97% of renters moved compared to 20% of homeowners moving in the same period.  Actually, 67% of all moves in the US are conducted by renters. Renters are also more likely to move across the country and abroad. So there are no big changes in the relocation trends when it comes to this category.

There are some changes in the relocation trends  when it comes to relocation routes

We see that renters make a bigger influence on the moving market than homeowners. Especially because they are more likely to move across the country. Interstate relocations are particularly interesting when we want to follow migration patterns in the country. Of course, Sun Belt states have the advantage here. As nice weather draws people naturally. But has it changed in the last decade?  Are there any popular interstate routes that are still popular today? As an interesting example, we can see that back in 2010, Georgia was one of the most desirable destinations for Floridians and that all long distance movers Florida had back then, worked in the other direction.

US map

Some routes were popular in 2010 as they are now

Georgia is not on the list of the most popular moving routes in 2020. People that were moving from California to Texas are doing the same in 2020. Surprisingly, even though we hear a lot these days about people moving from New York to Florida, this route is not on the list of most popular cross country moving routes in 2020 even though it was in 2010. Lets now take a look and see changes in the relocation trends in the past decade:

States with the most inbound and outbound moves

Of course, migration routes are just an indicator of how the population is moving. To get a better understanding of this we have to take a look at what are the states that are gaining numbers and what states are losing population.  Surprisingly we see some states, like Florida, California or even New York, on both lists.

Cities with the most inbound and outbound moves

We looked at the states with the most inbound and outbound moves, But what about the cities? In the past, people were always gravitating towards bigger settlements. And that hasn’t changed in thousands of years. Still, it looks like that we reached a certain point of development that more and more people are trying to avoid. People are starting to escape urban areas and crowded apartment buildings and complexes. They are now trying to leave big cities and move to suburbs where they can have a larger home with a backyard for example. And at lower costs.

plane in the sky

Lets take a look at the changes in the relocation trends when it comes to most popular cities

That is particularly noticeable in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic. However, as we already said, no one can tell how many of those relocations will be permanent solutions and whether some people are going to return to their homes once the danger is clear. That is why it is interesting to see what cities had most inbound and outbound moves in 2019.

Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale is located in Maricopa County and it is considered the number one place to retire in the US. That is probably one of the reasons why it is on the top on the list with most inbound moves in 2019. If you are looking to move here, be prepared as the median home value in Scottsdale is $475,300 – more than double than the national average. If you do find a good place for you, do not forget that you can use our website to find the some of the best long distance movers Arizona can offer.

Durham, NC

North Carolina is one of the most attractive US states. And Durham, which is located in Durham County, is one of the best places to live in this state. That is why there are many people that are moving here right now. The median home value in Durham, NC is $224,100 and it is nice and affordable place to live. If you plan to move here, contact us and we will make sure that you hire some of the most experienced long distance movers North Carolina has available.

Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque is located in Bernalillo County and has a population of 559,374. Still, even though it is a big city, it is considered one of the best places to live in New Mexico. It is a place that offers a dense suburban feel with a lot of parks restaurants and bars. However, what is most important it has affordable housing. The median home value in Albuquerque is $198,200 with median rent around $873. There are many people moving here right now. And if you are looking to ensure professional assistance contact us. We will help you find the most suitable long distance movers New Mexico has for you.

Albuquerque from above

Albuquerque is one of the most sought after cities these days

Jacksonville, FL

Florida is always one of the most desirable states. Right now the place with the most inbound moves in Florida is Jacksonville. It is located in Duval County. And has a population of 890,467. It is a place that offers a dense suburban feel with a lot of parks restaurants, bars, and beaches. It is an affordable place in a great location. The median home value in Jacksonville is $173,200. And if you are planning to move here do not forget to contacts us. We will make sure that you find the best long distance movers Florida has.

Columbia, SC

Columbia is located in Richland County and it is one of the best places to live in South Carolina. It has a population of 133,273 and offers an urban-suburban mixed feel with a lot of restaurants bars and parks. Still, the affordable housing, and cheap properties are the thing that draws most people to this city.  The median home value in Columbia is $181,100 with rent averaging $933. If you are looking to relocate to Columbia, we can help you find the best long distance movers South Carolina has to offer.

Chattanooga, TN

Chattanooga is located in Hamilton County and has a population of 179,690. It is a place that offers a dense suburban feel with a lot of restaurants and parks. It is also a very affordable place with a median home value of $167,500 and rents around $859. Still, even such cheap housing is not enough to make people stay or move here in great numbers. Chattanooga is currently the place with most outbound moves in 2019. Once striving place now is having trouble with crime, low job opportunities, low incomes. And the lack of good schools is now making people leave this place in great numbers. A certainly one of the changes in the relocation trends that is surprising at the moment. If you are planning to leave Chattanooga right now, contact us. We will help you find the finest long distance movers Tennessee has.

Chattanooga river

Chattanooga once was a popular city. Nowadays people are leaving

Aurora, CO

Aurora is located in Arapahoe County and has a population of 369,111. It offers an urban-suburban mixed feel with a lot of restaurants, bars, and parks. One of the biggest problems in this place is rent prices. That is certainly one of the reasons why Aurora is seeing outbound moves in great numbers.  The median home value in Aurora is $290,000 with rents around $1,328. Once considered one of the best places to raise a family in the US, it now struggles to maintain its population numbers. If you are looking to move from Aurora, we will be glad to show you the most knowledgeable long distance movers Colorado has to offer.

Miami, FL

Once, one of the most popular cities in the world, Miami has found itself on the list of cities with the most outbound moves. It is located in Miami-Dade County and currently has a population of 454,279. It is a fun and beautiful city that has a lot to offer. However, we already talked about the trend of leaving large urban areas. That is what Miami is experiencing right now. Besides the stress that living in urban environment causes, affordability is also one of the factors that push people to move from Miami. If you are looking to do it as well, contact us. We will help you find the best Florida movers on the market.

Saint Louis, MO

Saint Louise is located in St. Louis City County and has a population of 308,174. Similar to San Francisco, Saint Louise was also once known as one of the best places for young professionals in the country. However, things are changing. Even though the median home value in Saint Louise is $138,700 with rents of $828. High crime rates with gang wars in the northern part of the city, lack of good schools and entertainment,  and poverty are making many people wanting to leave the place. And a lot of them do. If you are planning to move from Saint Louise, contact us. We Will make sure that you hire one of the good long distance movers Missouri has to offer.

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco is also one of the big cities and once most alight after cities that is now on the list with most outbound moves. Located in San Francisco County it was known as one of the best cities for young professionals in America. Right now, it seems like everyone is gone. People are leaving San Francisco in great numbers. And there is a lot to do with affordability and crime rates. If you do not want to wait for the rebirth of this give us a call, we will help you hire the most suitable long distance movers California has for your right now.

 woman looking at San Francisco and thinking about changes in the relocation trends

The popularity of San Francisco is one of the biggest changes in the relocation trends in the past decade

Are there any changes in the relocation trends when it comes to reasons for the move?

Why there are so many people moving in and out of certain states and cities? When we take a look at the reasons for moving they haven’t really changed a lot in the past decade. Of course, housing-related reasons are always on top of the list. People buy, sell, rent different homes because of the cost, sq footage, or similar questions all the time. Then there are family-related reasons. And of course, we have job-related reasons as the third most common reason for moving in 2019. One of the big game-changer when it comes to job related reasons is that many people are working from home right now.

And that is something that became especially widespread during pandemics. Now, how many people will continue working from home when the pandemic is clear is unknown that is why stats from 2020 are not trustworthy.  But if we take a look at the period from 2010 to 2019 you will see that :

The biggest changes in the relocation trends are in the way relocations are conducted

As you can see there are many changes in the relocation trends in the past decade. However, the biggest change came in the way relocations are conducted. Nowadays, with COVID regulations in place, you need to avoid contact with movers and they need to wear masks and gloves, something that was unimaginable ten years ago. Hopefully, this is not going to last for too long and we get back to normal soon.