Press Room
HireAHelper is a thought leader in data-driven analysis on the moving industry and migration trends across the United States. From our annual cornerstone Migration Report to generation-specific studies on how and why people relocate, our team helps gives media, researchers, and industry professionals a reliable benchmark for understanding how America moves.
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About HireAHelper's Proprietary Data Sources
HireAHelper's research draws on a combination of proprietary datasets, original methodology, and exclusive partnerships, giving our analysis a level of depth and accuracy that goes beyond standard industry surveys. Three sources power much of our work:
Moving Cost Methodology. Our moving cost research is grounded in HireAHelper's own database, built from thousands of real moves completed through our platform across the United States. Our methodology draws on actual amounts paid by real customers across a wide range of move sizes, distances, and locations to produce cost benchmarks that reflect what people genuinely experience. You can review the full methodology here.
Rental Truck & Moving Container Cost Database. Our truck and container cost research is drawn from a proprietary database of 10,000 real transactions completed by HireAHelper customers over the past six years, spanning 12 rental truck and moving container brands across the U.S. Because this data reflects what customers actually paid, including mileage, insurance, taxes, and add-ons, it captures real-world costs that quote-based studies routinely miss.
Proprietary Migration Data. Many of our migration reports are built on in-depth consumer insights from PGM, part of the Porch Group of companies. PGM's robust audience data helps us identify where Americans are moving, why they're moving, and who's on the move at a scale and granularity that public datasets rarely offer.
Our Studies
For seven years running, HireAHelper's National Migration Report has tracked how and why Americans move — making it one of the most comprehensive and consistently cited bodies of research on U.S. migration trends in the industry. View our historical migration reports here:
Contact Our Media Team
We're happy to assist with any press needs. Reach out directly using the button below — we can help with:
- Questions about our data studies and methodology
- Migration data requests for your city or state
- Quotes and interviews with HireAHelper experts
- Logo files, brand assets, and product screenshots
Moving Statistics and Trends 2026: Migration Data and More
In 2025, HireAHelper's proprietary data source recorded nearly 15 million U.S. adults moved in 2025. While that sounds like a lot, it's actually only about 4% of the population, making it one of the lowest moving rates in decades. But why does this matter? Moving and migration data are important because they help people plan, understand the market, and see where Americans move next.
At HireAHelper, we have spent almost twenty years helping people find trusted moving help in every state. This experience lets us see trends firsthand, from who is moving to what it costs. These 2026 moving statistics help pull all that information together.
Key Moving Statistics for 2026
- Over a lifetime, the average American moves 11.7 times, with most of those moves (49.6%) happening between ages 18 and 45. This comes from long-term Census research on migration expectancy.
- Peak moving season in the U.S. is May through August, when about 45% of all moves take place, according to HireAHelper's database. You can read more about timing your move in our guide to the best time to move.
- New or better housing is the top motivator behind moves at 14.54%, followed by a new job or job transfer at 10.09%, then establishing one's own household at 8.28% (U.S. Census).
- About 55% of people rate moving as highly stressful, and 29% would rather file for divorce than experience the stress, according to The Hidden Health Toll of Moving, a proprietary HireAHelper study from 2025.
- About 22% of people say they were hurt during their move, even when hiring professional help, based on data from the same Hidden Health Toll study.
Moving Industry Statistics for 2026
The moving industry includes thousands of companies and a steady stream of people relocating. Many factors affect how often people move, such as home availability and interest rates, but despite these variables, some trends appear year after year. If you want to understand what the moving industry looks like, these patterns are a great place to start.
- The U.S. moving services industry is projected to reach about $23.3 billion in revenue in 2025.
- Approximately 9,535 businesses are operating in the U.S. moving services industry in 2025.
- The industry's revenue grew at a CAGR of about 2.7% between 2020 and 2025.
Moving Cost Statistics
Moving costs vary widely across the country, but a few clear patterns show up in the data. Three things stand out right away:
- A medium-sized, local move costs an average of $1,480.00 for full-service and $445.50 for labor-only.
- Long-distance moves cost $2,000 - $6,500 for an average 2-3 bedroom home moving 1,200 miles.
- The cheapest and most expensive states to move to can differ by more than $500 for the same type of local move.
Learn more about HireAHelper's proprietary moving cost database on our Methodology page.
Moving Scam Statistics
Moving scams still affect thousands of people each year, and the financial losses continue to climb. Three findings stand out:
- Moving scams cost Americans about $32.2 million in 2024.
- The most common scam involves issues with quotes and charges at 18% of all cases.
- Deceptive business practices make up 16% of scams, followed by missing documentation at 14%.
Learn more about moving scams in our Moving Scam Study.
Latest Research
The Future of Homeownership 2026
In 2026, the American Dream is facing a reality check. The median U.S. home price has climbed to $390,300 and is projected to reach $527,525 by 2031 - a 35.1% increase in just five years. But incomes aren't keeping up, despite growing minimum wages. Across the country, the gap between what people earn and what it takes to buy a home is widening fast, pushing homeownership further out of reach for millions of Americans.
This is a nationwide affordability crisis with sharp regional divides. In some states, buying a home still aligns with what the average household earns. In others, even an income of $100,000 falls short.
Using median home prices, household incomes, and five-year projections, this report reveals where Americans can still afford to buy today, where affordability is deteriorating fastest, and which markets may become realistic, or completely out of reach, by 2031.
2023 Study: 3 Million Moves Driven by Extreme Weather Events Last Year
In this study, HireAHelper takes a close look at moves forced by natural disasters in the United States.
Using the most recent data from the Census Bureau’s large-scale Household Pulse Survey and Current Population Survey, we focused on the number of disaster-forced moves over time, their typical destinations, as well as the types of disasters forcing most Americans out of their homes.
Study: How Much Does Moving Cost in 2023?
Driven by record inflation and rising fuel and vehicle costs, U.S. moving costs reached an all-time high in 2022. The average cost that year was $410—peaking at $454 in August—representing a 7% increase from 2021.
Prices have not yet given way; data from the first five months of 2023 shows an average moving cost of $399, which is 4% higher than the same period last year. It remains uncertain whether these costs will stay elevated or decline, which states will experience the sharpest price hikes, and if any areas will become cheaper.
2023 Study: Corporate Relocation at Highest Rate Since 2017
Whether to cut costs, gain a more beneficial tax rate, or be closer to a target market, about 9% of corporations in the United States moved their headquarters within the past fiscal year — the highest percentage since 2016-17, according to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings.
States like New York and cities like Seattle are seeing corporate headquarters move away, while smaller cities outside large urban centers are becoming new homes to big companies in tech and pharmaceuticals. Our study breaks down where companies are moving to, which states and cities they’re leaving behind, and whether workers are on board with following their employer to their new HQ location.
2023 Study: Where, How and Why Are Americans Moving This Year?
Every year, millions of Americans move, and over half (52%) of those moves take place during what we in the moving business call “moving season” — otherwise known as the summer months of May through August.
So what does the moving season hold for us this year? To get a sense of how many Americans intend to move, when they’re going to move, and what drives their moving decisions, HireAHelper conducted a nationally representative survey of 2,000 adults in the U.S. earlier this month.
2023 Study: The Strictest State Laws for Moving With Pets
Moving to a new state can be a stressful experience when you have a furry friend to take along. Relocating with a pet requires additional planning and preparation, as the majority of states require cats and dogs to have a valid health certificate and a current rabies vaccination, at the minimum.
Some states, like New York or Nebraska, impose additional requirements for health certificates and vaccinations. Others, such as Maine or New Jersey, allow cats and dogs to move in without any proof of health status or vaccination at all. It can get kind of confusing!Read on to see which states are the strictest in terms of moving with a pet, see which are the most lenient, and find out whether it’s cats or dogs that face the most scrutiny when moving across state lines.