Why Americans Move; The Answer Might Not Be As Simple As You Think

moving, moving Texas, moving California, why people move, moving Florida, moving Arizona

Image via Health.mil

When you in the midst of a move, it sometimes seems you are in it alone. Take heart, though, in knowing that more than 10 percent of the population either has moved or will move during the year.

The latest numbers from the census bureau are from 2016, but according to them, 11.2 percent of people moved that year. And people move for a variety of reasons:

  • 42.2 percent of people moved because of housing
  • 27.7 percent said they moved for family reasons
  • 20.2 percent moved because of a job
  • 10.2 percent cited other reasons for moving

According to them, “housing” generally means moving up in life. They are moving to larger digs, or buying instead of renting, or moving to better neighborhoods. I’d imagine that that might look different during bad housing markets.

Believe it or not, those numbers are low. In 1981, for example, nearly a quarter of all American residents moved.

Moving in America[Source: U.S. Census Bureau]

Another survey revealed the most popular moving destinations over the last seven years. The top ten areas are:

  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, with a population growth of 15.1%.
  • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, with a population growth of 16.4%.
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, with a population growth of 10.6%.
  • Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, with a population growth of 13%.
  • Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, with a population growth of 11.3%.
  • Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, with a population growth of 11.1%
  • Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL, with a population growth of 17.6 percent.
  • Austin-Round Rock, TX, with a population growth of 23.3%.
  • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, with a population growth of 12.4%.
  • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA, with a population growth of 9%.

In most cases, people are moving from cold climates to warmer. Here’s a complete list of the top 50 moving destinations. 

Now that you know you’re not alone in dealing with the stress of moving, it’s time to get organized, but don’t forget to take time for self care. Get a massage, see a movie, go to a restaurant instead of doing takeout. If you don’t have the time, at least take an hour to sip a glass of wine.