Where did Americans flock toward in the year of the pandemic? Goodyear and Buckeye were among the Top 10 cities people moved to in 2020.

From the beginning of a viral pandemic in the spring, to civil unrest in the summer, to election drama in the fall, 2020 has been historically difficult … and yet, statistically fascinating.

Data shows that by several accounts, 2020 has somehow been a year of growth in several markets. S&P 500 hit a historic high in September, eCommerce sales jumped by nearly a third, home sales are on track to exceed the previous year’s numbers, and lots of people moved to Goodyear and Buckeye in the West Valley.

All of which is to say, despite all the unpredictability of 2020, Americans kept going, or, in our case, kept moving.

So, where did Americans move in the year of the pandemic? Which states and cities were they most drawn to in 2020? Which areas of the country were they most likely to leave? Was anything different about how, when and where Americans moved this past year?

HireAHelper analyzed more than 75,000 moves booked with HireAHelper.com and our partners last year to paint a picture of how Americans moved in 2020.

Key Takeaways:

Covid-19 Highly Cited as Reason for Moving

• A quarter (25%) of Americans who moved in 2020 did so due to the pandemic.

• Around 35% of COVID-forced moves were out of financial hardship.

• Nearly one-third of those who moved because of COVID did so to look after family

Covid-19 Delayed Moves, Made People Move Further, and Pack Lighter

• As the pandemic hit in the spring and summer, 30% more Americans moved in the fall than in the year before

• In 2020, an average move was 13.7 miles farther than the year before

• The average square footage of a move was 282 square feet smaller last year than in 2019

Top Cities People Moved To (Net Growth)

1. Boise, ID (+300%)

2. Venice, FL (+292%)

3. Georgetown, TX (+213%)

4. Goodyear, AZ (+135%)

5. Sarasota, FL (+126%)

6. Cape Coral, FL    (+103%)

7. Simpsonville, SC (+94%)

8. Punta Gorda, FL (+76%)

9. Saint Augustine, FL (+75%)

10. Buckeye, AZ (+75%) 

Top Cities People Moved From (Net Loss)

1. New York, NY (-68%)

2. Oakland, CA (-66%)

3. San Francisco, CA (-59%)

4. Omaha, NE (-57%)

5. Fort Lauderdale, FL (-55%)

6. Jersey City, NJ (-53%)

7. Los Angeles, CA (-51%)

8. Cambridge, MA    (-50%)

9. San Jose, CA (-49%)

10. Wichita, KS (-47%)

Top States People Moved To (Net Growth)

1. Idaho (+103%)

2. Vermont (+62%)

3. Maine (+48%)

4. Delaware (+27%)

5. South Carolina (+25%)

6. New Hampshire (+13%)

7. New Mexico (+11%)

8. North Carolina (+11%)

9. Tennessee (+10%)

10. Iowa (+10%)

Top States People Moved From (Net Loss)

1. Louisiana (-25%)

2. Kansas (-25%)

3. Minnesota (-32%)

4. DC (-33%)

5. Nebraska (-33%)

6. Connecticut (-36%)

7. Illinois (-40%)

8. New Jersey (-49%)

9. New York (-50%)

10. California (-52%)