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.
Key Takeaways
- More than half (52%) of all moves in America take place in the summer
- Our survey findings suggest 40% plan on moving at some point this year
- 'Family' (30%) and 'Wanting More Space' (25%) are the top reasons for moving this year
- A total of 38% are moving for financial reasons, such as inflation, cost of living, and housing unaffordability
- Climate change is a factor mentioned by 15% of Americans planning to move this year
- 40% of those moving intend to stay within their city, but 18% are set on moving to a different state
- More than half (55%) of those not moving this year would move if they had the means
Volodymyr Kupriyanov
Volodymyr Kupriyanov (AKA "VK") is a data journalist based in Copenhagen, Denmark. He specializes in data-driven storytelling, leveraging data to create compelling, insightful stories. His stories for HireAHelper have been featured in hundreds of publications, including Business Insider, The New York Times, and Bloomberg. When not visualizing and analyzing numbers, he enjoys rock climbing, playing frisbee with his dog, and discovering new places to eat.
Moves in the Making: Four in Ten Americans Plan To Move in 2023
As we noted earlier, nearly four in ten (40%) of our survey respondents said they are planning to move at some point this year.
Moving intent is highest among the younger generation, as almost half (49%) of Gen Z respondents reported a planned move for sometime in 2023. And while this intent is still strong with Millennials (42%), it gradually fades with age, and dropping to a reported 27% for Baby Boomers.
Interestingly enough, Parents (41%) are more likely to be planning a move in 2023 than Non-Parents (36%). That said, that only applied to families with one or two kids. For families with three or more children, the percentage of those staying put exceeds the percentage of prospective movers.
Renters (46%) are more likely to be on the move than Homeowners (30%). However, only 25% of renters who are moving expect to own their next home, as 59% of renters reported moving to another rental.
Where are people leaving?
Among people living in America’s biggest metropolitan areas, the intent to move is highest in Washington, D.C. (72%) and Los Angeles, CA (55%). There, the majority of residents we surveyed reported having plans to move at some point this year.
In San Francisco, CA (47%), New York, NY (46%), Philadelphia, PA (46%), and Houston, TX (45%), the share of people who reported intent to move this year fell just below half.
Conversely, within the metros of Charlotte, NC (16%), Orlando, FL (32%), and Chicago, IL (32%), the moving intent is the lowest among all metros with a sufficient number of respondents.
At the state level, New Jersey residents seem most keen to move (56%), whereas those in North Carolina (24%) are least likely to relocate in 2023.
Family, Square Footage and Finances: Top Reasons Why Americans Are Moving in 2023
The number one reason for those intending to move this year was reasons related to "Family" (30%), (such as "Being Closer to Family Members,") with "Wanting More Space or a Bigger Home" (~25%) being the second most popular choice.
However, if we look at the financial reasons, we’ll find that many Americans are moving either because of "Foreclosure/Eviction" (7.5%), "Can’t Afford (Their) Current Housing" (10.7%), "(Moving Somewhere With) A Lower Cost of Living" (15.3%), or "Inflation" (17.2%).
If we add up all the respondents that said at least one of these financial reasons applies to them, the total share of Americans who intended to move due to financial pressures rose to 38%.
Granted, the higher rates of inflation from 2022 seem to have leveled out, but our findings suggest that financial pressures continue to compel a significant number of Americans to relocate.
The financial reasons above were mentioned at the following rates by these demographics:
- Families with children (40%) compared to childless households (37%)
- People of color (44%) compared to white Americans (36%)
- Renters (41%) compared to homeowners (35%)
Other popular reasons for moving in 2023 include "New Job" (16.2%), which, in fact, is more popular than moving due to "(Becoming) Unemployed" (9.8%).
Curiously, and unfortunately, more people are moving due to an "End of a Relationship/Divorce" (10.3%) compared to those moving due to a "New Relationship or Got Married" (7.1%).
One significant reason that’s beginning to factor into the moving plans of Americans is "Climate Change" (14.9%), which is in fact distinct from "Want Nicer Weather" (10.4%).
According to estimates based on U.S. Census Bureau data, climate change affects some 20,000 moves per year, with experts suggesting that figure is set to increase.
Getting Practical: Planned Moving Distance and Estimated Cost
Based on our survey responses, 40% of people who are planning to move in 2023 are staying within the same city, while 33% intend to leave their current city, yet still stay within the same state.
Impressively, 18% of respondents intend to move to a different state. Specifically among those respondents, their reasons given were for "Better Weather" (38%), a "New Job" (34%), "Being Closer to Family" (21%), and "Seeking a Lower Cost of Living" (21%).
Thinking about the cost of their move, 44% intend to spend between $100 and $500 on moving, with an overall average being slightly higher at $530. This estimate includes buying moving boxes, potentially renting a truck, maybe hiring movers, etc.
Needless to say, not all Americans who plan on moving intend to hire movers, but 52% of them do, while 48% either intend to execute the move themselves or haven’t decided yet.
Those who do plan on hiring some help for their move are looking to spend an average of $675 between boxes, truck rentals, and movers. Those who expect to move without hired help are looking to keep it at an average of $312. (This figure is in line with nationwide averages of moving costs.)
Would If I Could: Common Barriers Preventing Americans from Moving
Quite a few Americans are planning to move this year, and the number could have been even higher if it weren’t for certain factors keeping people from moving.
Of those respondents that aren’t moving this year or aren’t sure yet, 55% would move if they had the means and opportunity. The main reason they can’t move? They can’t afford it. People claimed they "Can’t Afford To Move" (58%) or they "Can’t Afford Housing Where (They) Want To Live" (38%).
But it’s not just the financial worries that keep Americans from moving. About a quarter of respondents in our survey who’d move if they could selected "Would Be Too Far Away From (Their) Family" (24%), "Worried About Making a Big Change" (25%) or "Worried It May Not Work Out" (27%), respectively.
Perhaps these concerns, as well as the general decline in the percentage of Americans moving partially explains why, our study found that, on average, Americans now move an average of eight times in their lifetime, down from a 2007 estimate of 11.7 times.
Dream Destinations: Where Would Americans Move if Anything Was Possible
One question we asked in our survey was about the state Americans would move to if money was no object.
The state most people have their sights on is California, where 11% would move if finances weren’t an issue. Notably, Hawaii and Florida were the dream destinations for 9% of Americans, while New York and Colorado were the top choices for an additional 5% of respondents.
Texas — a state that’s recently been a popular destination for corporate moves — would also be the go-to place to be for 4% of respondents.
A surprising 4% would leave the United States altogether if they could, but as many as 9% of our respondents would not choose to leave their state, even if money was no object.
Sources and Methodology
All data, unless otherwise stated, have been derived from the findings of the survey HireAHelper ran via Pollfish in May 2023. The survey used a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults (18+) living in the United States.
Survey results were weighted by age, gender, and income using data extracted from the American Community Survey’s five-year data, collected from ~120,000 households.
Illustrations by Nero Hamaoui
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