According to a new report published by the U.S. Census, 35.9 million people (not counting children younger than one year) moved between 2012 and 2013, meaning that 11.7% of the population moved in one year. The report seeks to examine who moved where and why, and to analyze the larger implications of that data.
Forty-eight percent of those who moved listed housing reasons. For example, they wanted a better home or apartment, they sought to own a home rather than renting, or they wanted cheaper housing. Thirty percent moved for family-related reasons, and 19% moved for their jobs.
The report finds that there were many similarities in reasoning for movers between this report and the last comparable one in 1999. The three top reasons for moving have remained the same: “wanted new or better home/apartment,” “other housing reason,” and “other family reason.”
Here are some highlights of the report that we found interesting:
• Respondents with higher levels of education were more likely to move for job-related reasons
• Intracounty moves were usually housing related, while intercounty and longer distance moves tended to be job related
• More women moved than men; the Census Bureau speculates that "a plausible explanation for this difference is that there are more females in the population universe…females composed a greater percentage of the population universe than males with 51.1%."
• A greater amount of males moved for job-related reasons than did females
• Married respondents were the least likely to move for family-related reasons
• African-American respondents reported housing-related reasons for moving at the highest rate of any race
• The mover rate has declined overall in the past fifteen years, dropping from 15.9% in 1998-1999 to 11.7% in 2012-2013
Related Stories
Legislation | Aug 5, 2022
D.C. City Council moves to require net-zero construction by 2026
The Washington, D.C. City Council unanimously passed legislation that would require all new buildings and substantial renovations in D.C. to be net-zero construction by 2026.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 5, 2022
A time and a place: Telling American stories through architecture
As the United States enters the year 2026, it will commence celebrating a cycle of Sestercentennials, or 250th anniversaries, of historic and cultural events across the land.
Sponsored | | Aug 4, 2022
Brighter vistas: Next-gen tools drive sustainability toward net zero line
New technologies, innovations, and tools are opening doors for building teams interested in better and more socially responsible design.
| Aug 4, 2022
Newer materials for green, resilient building complicate insurance underwriting
Insurers can’t look to years of testing on emerging technology to assess risk.
Sustainability | Aug 4, 2022
To reduce disease and fight climate change, design buildings that breathe
Healthy air quality in buildings improves cognitive function and combats the spread of disease, but its implications for carbon reduction are perhaps the most important benefit.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 4, 2022
Faculty housing: A powerful recruitment tool for universities
Recruitment is a growing issue for employers located in areas with a diminishing inventory of affordable housing.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 3, 2022
7 tips for designing fitness studios in multifamily housing developments
Cortland’s Karl Smith, aka “Dr Fitness,” offers advice on how to design and operate new and renovated gyms in apartment communities.
Building Materials | Aug 3, 2022
Shawmut CEO Les Hiscoe on coping with a shaky supply chain in construction
BD+C's John Caulfield interviews Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut Design and Construction, about how his firm keeps projects on schedule and budget in the face of shortages, delays, and price volatility.
Codes and Standards | Aug 3, 2022
Some climate models underestimate risk of future floods
Commonly used climate models may be significantly underestimating the risk of floods this century, according to a new study by Yale researchers.
| Aug 3, 2022
Designing learning environments to support the future of equitable health care
While the shortage of rural health care practitioners was a concern before the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health crisis has highlighted the importance of health equity in the United States and the desperate need for practitioners help meet the needs of patients in vulnerable rural communities.