Ultimate guide to moving trends 2022

Every year, millions of Americans are faced with the challenges of relocation. Many of them choose to relocate to another city or another state. Every year brings different moving trends (locations where people are moving to). When it comes to the moving trends 2022 brings, there are some states and cities that are experiencing a much larger population influx than others. But before you start looking for the top rated moving companies to assist you with your relocation, you may want to learn what drives these moving trends and which cities and states are most popular. In this article, you can find all of that, and more!

Moving trends 2022 – Where are Americans moving to?

If you are ready to make the “big change”, you will want to know what places are most popular to relocate to. By relying on the US moving patterns, you will be able to figure out the ideal location of your new home. Some places might come as a surprise, while some can be considered to be “traditional” at this point. According to the most recent U.S. Census report, some states are experiencing significant population growth in 2022. Here is the full breakdown:

• Florida (population growth of +14.56%)
• Washington (pop.growth of + 14.58%)
• Utah (pop.growth of + 18.37%)
• North Dakota (pop.growth of + 15.83%)
• Colorado (pop.growth of + 14.8%)
• Arizona (pop.growth of + 11.88%)
• South Carolina (pop.growth of + 10.66%)
• Texas (pop.growth of + 15.91%)
• Nevada (pop.growth of + 14.96%)
• Idaho (pop.growth of + 17.32%)

On the “flip side”, the states that experienced declining population growth are West Virginia, Mississippi, and Illinois. These three states have experienced a population decrease over the years, with the most prominent decline being in West Virginia which lost 3.2% of its population between two census releases.

But knowing about the most popular states to relocate to is just one part of the moving trends 2022 brings. You will also want to know which are the most popular cities to relocate to.

Cities with the largest “population boom”

While Florida may not have the largest population influx out of all states, the fact of the matter is that 11 of its cities found their way to our top-25 cities to relocate to in 2022. The state features great weather and the lack of state income tax while being very popular among the retiree population. But Florida is not the only state that features popular cities to relocate to. Here’s the full list:

• Austin, Texas
• Salisbury, Maryland
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
• Spartanburg, South Carolina
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Fort Collings, Colorado
• Boise, Idaho
• Eugene, Oregon
• Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Sarasota, Florida
• Fort Myers, Florida
• Lakeland, Florida
• Port St.Lucie, Florida
• Melbourne, Florida
• Orlando, Florida
• Naples, Florida
• Ocala, Florida
• Daytona Beach, Florida
• Tampa, Florida
• Jacksonville, Florida

As you can see, Florida and South Carolina have the most popular cities to relocate to, followed by South and North Carolina. Myrtle Beach is also recognized as one of the top places to retire in 2021-2022, by both the World Report and U.S. News. That being said, relocating to any one of these cities will require you to research and compare moving companies. More often than not, you will be able to get a much better deal if you “shop around”. And since an average American relocates almost 12 times in their lifetime, knowing how to choose the best mover for the job can be a considerable money saver.

What affects moving trends in 2022?

While there may be as many reasons why people move as there are people, moving trends are usually formed by several key factors. One of the key factors that determine the best states and cities to relocate to is their appeal to the older population. Retirees usually wish to spend the rest of their days in warmer climates or in cities that have a developed retirement community. However, retirees are just a part of the population on the move, and there are many other factors at play. According to several prominent surveys, the major driving factors behind moving trends 2022 are:

• Affordability
• More space
• Better climate
• Work-from-home jobs
• Proximity to family
• Well-developed suburbs
• Housing markets
• Rising rent prices
• Relocation incentives

Of course, everyone has their own reason to move. But by looking at the factors that influence the moving trends, one might be able to predict which states and locations will become popular in the near future. With that in mind, let’s take a deeper look into these factors.

Affordability

The US economy is still reeling from the blow of COVID-19. The unemployment rate is still very high, and more and more Americans are looking to relocate to a state or a city that offers lower housing and living costs. It is also one of the reasons why you might want to learn some of the money saving tips when hiring movers. It is entirely possible to save up quite a bit in relocation costs, making the process much smoother and more enjoyable. In fact, growing expenses and finances all but drove the relocation market in 2021, with almost half of US citizens lacking any sort of emergency funds to cover higher living expenses.

People who were lucky enough to have higher financial security, on the other hand, were considering the pros and cons of living in a suburban environment. Many chose to purchase an affordable home in a suburb, in an area that is more affordable to live in. In fact, more than 80% of urban areas in the US have experienced more people moving out in the last few years, while suburban areas have experienced significant population growth.

People want more space

If there is a trend that is never going to change, it is the fact that people will always want to live in more spacious homes. States such as New Mexico, Maine, and Idaho, can offer many desirable amenities such as a home office, yard space, home gyms, etc. These are known to be some of the least populated states in the US, and purchasing a larger home is within the realm of possibility.

Another statistic shows that the top states that people moved away from were also some of the most populated ones. Examples include New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Connecticut.

Nice climate

One of the most important reasons why people moved in 2021 is the fact that they wished to live in a better climate. Whether it is the need to distance themselves from places that are undergoing heavy climate change, or simply wishing to live in favorable weather conditions, the climate is a huge factor when it comes to moving trends. Most people prefer the warmer climate, of course, but some choose the colder regions to relocate to. It all depends on personal preferences but the fact is that states that are in the South and West regions of the country experience a larger population influx.

More work-from-home jobs mean more relocations

Another thing that was significantly changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is the outlook on remote work. More than 40% of people working remotely expect to continue doing so, or at the very least adopt a hybrid work model. While full-time office work is nowhere out of the window just yet, remote work is on the rise. And this means that many people do not need to adhere to prohibitive housing costs in some of the largest US cities. These people are actively looking for less expensive states and cities to live in.

Furthermore, remote work brings many other benefits to the proverbial table. Namely, the commute time is all but gone, meaning that the workers save time and money both. This extra time and finances allow them to have more capabilities for other activities. Thus, the cities that offer exceptional remote work opportunities (Salt Lake City, Chattanooga, Cleveland, etc.) are going to be much more desirable moving forward.

Being close to family is very important

Another moving trend that is quite consistent as the years go by is the desire to be closer to one’s family. It is, in fact, one of the main reasons why people may choose to stay in their hometown or return to it. In 2021, 30% of surveyed citizens stated that they underwent relocation due to the need to be in closer proximity to their families.

Again, the recent pandemic further solidified the need to be close to your loved ones. And with the enhanced accessibility to remote work options, moving closer to your family has never been easier!

Suburbs outside big cities are more and more desirable

More and more people are showing an interest in suburban living. Recent moving patterns show a shift on the national level when it comes to living in downtown communities versus the surrounding suburbs. As years go by, suburbs are becoming much more attractive, due to dramatically lower living and housing costs. Compared to housing options in the large cities, homes in the suburbs can be considered to be extremely affordable. Living in a suburb also provides for more space and better school districts.

Housing markets in 2022 are very tricky

Even if you haven’t paid much attention to the real estate market recently, chances are that you’ve heard about rising prices, lack of inventory, and cutthroat competition for real estate property. In 2022, we predict that there will be more inventory (hopefully) and that the seller’s market will lose some of its current power. Many experts also predict that the interest rates will rise, which may have an effect of lowering the competition. However, the ongoing rate of demand and the current geopolitical situation will also influence things, and those are much harder to predict.

The rent prices are on the rise

Another driving factor in moving trends 2022 is the rising rent prices. Some US cities experienced a rent increase of almost 30% in 2021. What’s worse, the rent prices are showing no signs of slowing down, at least in major labor markets. Many people were thus forced to relocate, despite their wishes. This is a very dangerous trend that may lead to even more relocations in 2022 and going forward.

Relocation incentives

Some cities offer incentive programs (such as free college tuition) for future residents, as well as tax breaks and other perks. Some cities even pay people to move there! Of course, this is not the norm but it may present a unique opportunity to some.

How to figure out where to move?

With so many available places to relocate to, it can be very difficult to choose the ideal place. Even knowing about all the moving trends 2022 will just slightly “narrow the field”. To make this difficult choice, you may want to ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Do I want to live in a popular place?
• What is my preferred climate?
• How much do I want to spend on the relocation?
• Am I looking for culture?
• Am I moving with my family?
• Is walkability very important to me?

You can, of course, add in more questions. The more questions you add to the list, the easier the process will be. You may also want to assign each question a “rank”, based on how important the answer is to you. For example, even if you may want to live in a popular place, it might not be your highest priority. But you also may absolutely not want to live in a place that has poor walkability. All in all, choosing the ideal place to live takes time.

As far as moving trends 2022 go, affordability, remote work options, and rising rent prices are the most influential factors. While it is smart to take all the factors into account, analyzing these three will provide you with a great start to finding the ideal place to relocate to. And if you are looking for even more moving assistance, or want to find out which moving companies are worthy of your time and money, browse and explore the moving section of the Consumer Opinion Guide. We will provide you with all the information you may need to make the best choice for you and your family!