Renters are moving more than homeowners, but US mobility is historically low

Americans are moving less than at any point in the past 50 years, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by Point2Homes.

In 2024, only 11% of Americans — or roughly 37 million residents — changed their address. That’s down from 14.3% a decade earlier and nearly half the rate of the 1960s, when about 20% of Americans moved each year.

Historically, the U.S. has led the world in geographic mobility, reflecting a cultural and economic drive to pursue better jobs, education and housing.

In the 19th century, nearly one-third of Americans moved annually to improve their prospects. But over the past five decades, mobility has steadily declined, raising concerns about economic stagnation and reduced labor market flexibility.

“The sharp decline in geographical mobility is the single most important social change of the past half century,” said Yoni Appelbaum, deputy executive editor of The Atlantic and author of “Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity.”

“Fewer Americans have started new businesses, fewer have switched jobs, and more are ending up worse off than their parents,” Appelbaum added.

The homeownership rate, which stands at roughly 65% nationally compared with 45% in the early 20th century, provides stability that reduces the need to move, the Point2Homes report noted.

Rising home prices and mortgage rates, combined with economic uncertainty, also discourage relocation. Meanwhile, the increase in remote work following the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed many workers to remain in place while continuing their careers, further lowering mobility.

State-level mobility patterns

Mobility patterns vary by state.

New Jersey and New York had the lowest moving rates in 2024, with fewer than 10% of residents doing so. Conversely, Alaska led the nation at 14%, followed by Oklahoma, Colorado, North Dakota, Idaho and Nevada at approximately 13% each.

Many moves involve significant relocation as about 20% of movers crossed state lines, and more than 71% moved to a different city.

Florida and Texas attracted more than 500,000 new residents each, while California added just over 400,000.

Smaller states such as Wyoming and New Hampshire drew disproportionately higher shares of out-of-state movers — 36.1% and 35.4%, respectively. These decisions were often motivated by lower taxes, more affordable housing and a higher quality of life.

City-level trends

City-level patterns mirror these trends.

Large cities like Las Vegas and Mesa, Arizona, attracted substantial numbers of out-of-state movers, while California and Texas cities struggled to draw newcomers.

Among U.S. metros, Las Vegas had the highest share of inbound out-of-state movers at 33.1%, while New York City’s share was 20.4%.

Medium and small cities show similar variation.

Cape Coral, Florida, and Chesapeake, Virginia, reported a respective 41.4% and 40.5% of movers coming from other states. At the other end of the spectrum, Hialeah, Florida, saw only 0.1%.

Renters vs. homeowners

Renters remain more mobile than homeowners and account for 61% of all moves — including both intrastate and interstate relocations, the report explained.

Homeowners are generally more rooted due to financial and logistical constraints, although certain states like New Hampshire, West Virginia, Maine and Vermont show near-equal mobility between owners and renters.

City-level data also reflects this split, with some cities attracting almost exclusively renters or owners depending on local housing opportunities and affordability.

Analysts suggest the decline in mobility reflects both increased satisfaction with current circumstances and structural barriers such as housing costs, mortgage rates and economic uncertainty — leaving a smaller share of the population willing or able to move in pursuit of new opportunities.