City Data

Major cities with fast population growth comprise a number of smaller communities, each of which has as many relocations as a small city. (See the very useful City Mayors Statistics.)

The large cities Los Angeles, New York, and San Antonio (the three fastest growing large cities in 2009) has grown by a greater number of people than the entire population of many smaller, yet fast growing (in percentage) cities. For example, since 2000, New York has increased its population by 125,131, approximately the total population (125,740) of Ft. Collins, Colorado, which has grown by 7,088 since 2000.

In April, 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau announced in 2008, 35.2 million people 1 year and older changed residences within the U.S.

By region, people in the South (13.5 percent) and in the West (13.2 percent) were likeliest to move in 2008. (The two rates were not statistically different.) The Midwest and the Northeast had mover rates of 11.1 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively. In 2008, the Midwest saw the largest decline in its mover rate from 2007.

Among those who moved in 2008, 65 percent moved within the same county, 18 percent moved to a different county within the same state, 13 percent moved to a different state, and 3 percent moved to the U.S. from abroad.

Principal cities within metropolitan areas experienced a net loss of 2 million movers, while the suburbs had a net gain of 2.2 million movers.

In 2008, renters were five times more likely to move than homeowners. More than one-in-four people (27.7 percent) living in renter-occupied housing units lived in a different residence one year earlier. By comparison, the mover rate of people living in owner-occupied housing units was 5.4 percent.

While the number of movers who lived 500 or more miles from their previous residence one year ago (2.8 million) was not statistically different in 2008 than 2007, the number of movers who lived less than 50 miles away one year ago decreased from 5.1 million to 4.4 million between 2007 and 2008.

The most common reasons for moving were housing related – such as the desire to own a home or live in a better neighborhood – representing 40.1 percent or 14.1 million movers. The distribution among those who gave other reasons for moving was: family related (30.5 percent), employment related (20.9 percent) and other (8.5 percent).

The black alone population had the highest mover rate (16 percent), followed by Hispanics (15 percent), Asian alone (13 percent) and white alone, not Hispanic (10 percent).

While an Insurance Agent is essential at the time a homeowner moves, the Realtor® is sought out initially. The Realtor® is “the main attraction”.  He or she is the facilitator for that beautiful new home the person or family relocating wants to buy.

The largest percentage of homes actually bought from online relocation leads from ReloData staff’s previous work have been from people who were moving due to a job change. And the average home purchase has been higher than the average for the Realtor® otherwise — in some areas, 25% or greater. Of course, none of these numbers is a predictor of future moves: the real estate market is dynamic and affected by more economic and other factors than ever before.”

Contact the relocation professionals at:
ReloData.com • 866.652.8378 • info@relodata.com