Americans are one of the most mobile nations in the world, according to a global study led by researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia. U.S. citizens ranked third in terms of cross-country mobility among the 60 countries considered in the research, and their appetite for moving and seeking a new relocation destination is surpassed only by that of the New Zealanders and South Koreans.
The likelihood of an American resident changing his address within five years stands at 45.9%, the aforementioned research claims. Americans are about five times more likely to move within a five-year period than the residents of Spain and India, for example.
Researchers at STORAGECafé wanted to see what moving entails these days, as it clearly affects every sector of real estate, from the need for more housing and self-storage in specific locations to the improvement of transit infrastructure. To identify the latest migration patterns, they analyzed the latest U.S. Census Bureau data and ranked the contiguous U.S. states from the most popular for moving to the least popular, based on the number of move-ins. Researchers then paired each destination state with the most common originating state of its newcomers, resulting in an insightful picture of some of the most widely used migration routes in the country.
Here’s what they found:
• The report on interstate moving patterns in the U.S. ranked Arizona the 7th most popular relocation destination for Americans, with almost 274,000 newcomers.
• The mobility rate in the United States is now at its lowest point since the US Census Bureau started tracking it, in 1947, and in 2018 it dropped under 10 percent for the first time in history; However, around 31 million Americans still moved last year, and 4.6 million of them moved interstate.
• The interstate migration routes that attracted the most people in 2018 were California to Texas, California to Arizona and New York to New Jersey.
• The states seeing the most newcomers were Florida, Texas and California, while those with the fewest were Wyoming, Vermont and South Dakota.
• The most expensive move is from California to Colorado, while the least expensive ones are from New Jersey to Pennsylvania and from Ohio to Michigan.
Other Arizona findings:
Here are our most interesting findings:
• 750 people per day settled in Arizona last year, with Maricopa County seeing the greatest influx from out of state than any other region.
• The primary origin of newcomers to Arizona was, not surprisingly, California, which accounted for no less than 25% (68,516) out of the total number of new residents.
• With almost 180,000 people who moved away in the same time frame, Arizona gained over 94,000 newcomers.
Moreover, by partnering with United Van Lines, the largest full-service moving company in the U.S., researchers were also able to put a price tag on interstate moving. The price was calculated for an average 2-bedroom home and does not include packing or insurance. That is why many Americans prefer DIY moves or hybrid moving services these days. But there is no doubt that professional moving companies offer a lot more convenience than the other ways.
Are you wondering where newcomers to the Sunshine State moved from, for example? Select Florida and you’ll see a pop-up showing the Primary Originating State for new residents there – in other words, the one where the highest number of them came from – as well as the cost of moving associated with the move. More Florida transplants come from New York State – approx. 63K – than from any other, and the average cost of moving ranges between $3,900 and $4,300.
