Excel Moving & Storage is proud to be an accredited agent of Allied Van Lines, which is one of the largest van lines in the country. As an agent of this van line, we’re proud to present the Allied US 2022 Migration Report, which tracks relocation and immigration patterns across the country over the past 12 months.
This report examines which states have seen large amounts of growth as far as new residents go, and which cities and states have seen the largest amount of people exiting their respective areas. The following are the largest relocation trends for 2022 in the United States, as well as projections for the coming year.
US Moving Trends in 2022
Allied’s data indicates that fewer people on average moved in 2022 in comparison to that of 2021. Moving rates in 2022 lowered up to 20% over the course of the year. These lowered rates can be attributed to a number of factors, including skyrocketing interest rates, inflation, and the spike in the costs of housing and rent. Average wages have also remained the same or have lowered, which lowers the ability of people to move who might feel inclined as the cost of living and daily expenses rise.
When comparing moving rates to that of 2021 and 2020, it’s clear that the moving boom caused by the changing work dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly worn off. Less people have found themselves working from home than in years past, with many returning to a physical office that ties them to certain areas. Though many might permanently work from home now, many of those getting new jobs are also required to come in once again.
In 2022, those who permanently work from home have also either previously moved in years past and have settled down, or have an incentive not to move due to the current rising interest rates. The housing trends from the past year reflect these trends.
Most Popular States to Move to in 2022
In 2022, certain states saw more influxes of new residents than others, where some saw a large amount of people relocate to other areas. The past year saw Arizona, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, become the most popular moving destinations for people across the country.
There are a lot of reasons why people have flocked to these five states over the past months, including lower costs of living and high quality of life, low housing and rental prices, nice weather, and more.
Most Popular Cities to Move to in 2022
Though you might think that the most popular cities to move to in the country would reflect that of the most popular states to move to in the past year, you’d be surprised by some of the results from 2022. The most popular cities to move to in 2022 were Tucson, AZ, Sarasota, FL, Charlotte, NC, Austin, TX, and Nashville, TN respectively.
Just as is the case with popular states to move to, these cities might have found a rise in popularity due to their low taxes, high quality of life for a low cost of living, desirable weather, and hospitable locals.
Least Popular States to Move to in 2022
Conversely, just as many states found high rates of people moving into them this year, there were certain states that also saw higher than average rates of people exiting them in the past year. The following states experienced large amounts of residents moving out of them in 2022.
The top outbound moving state this year was Illinois, followed by California, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. These states often have higher taxes, are very dense in nature, experience cold weather, or have rising costs of living in comparison to the rest of the country.
Least Popular Cities to Move to in 2022
There are a variety of reasons why people may have wanted to exit the following cities in the past year, including skyrocketing inflation, high costs of living and everyday expenses, and rising housing and rental rates. People may have left these areas to instead seek cheaper areas or those with more affordable living options. The top cities with the largest numbers of individuals moving out of them in 2022 included New York, NY at the number one spot, followed by Anaheim, CA, San Diego, CA, Chicago, IL, and Riverside, CA.
Many of these cities have very high housing and rental prices, and with high inflation, residents might have been forced to move out of necessity to head somewhere more friendly to their budgets.
Why Did People Move in 2022?
As we all know, a lot goes into making the ultimate decision to move yourself and your family, especially if you’re moving across the country or going on a long-distance moving excursion. The top reasons for moving this year according to Allied’s data indicate work and family as the main answer given. The suburbs have also grown in popularity in comparison to that of cities, which can also be attributed to the rising costs of living in urban areas.
As we mentioned prior, many of the states in our above list that saw the largest increases in new residents have lower average costs of living or lower housing prices than other parts of the country. Coupled with lower costs of daily expenses and even lower taxes, it’s not hard to realize why so many people have migrated toward these areas, as their affordability can bring families higher quality of life.
Cities like New York City or San Diego could have seen a rise in people moving out of them for the same reason, as rising housing costs in areas that are already known to be expensive can prove undoable for many existing residents who have not had the salary growth to match their growing expenses.
With 2022’s trends taken into account, forecasters predict 2023 will bring similarly slowed rates of moving as the past year did and as inflation and the cost of living and housing continue to rise. If you’re looking to move this year, you also may not gravitate toward states who have proven to be popular in the past, as the increased demand for housing in these areas have also caused a rise in housing costs.
If you’re looking for the right moving company for your relocation in the coming year, Excel Moving & Storage could be just what you’re looking for. See if our services are right for you when you learn more today.
