2022 Study: How Many Americans Have Moved Due to Climate Change?

Publish Date: April 28, 2022

Last Modified Date: May 20, 2022

Category: Moving Stories, Neighborhood Advice

Tags: Tags: 2022 study, climate change, climate change data, climate change moves, climate change stats, earthquakes, extreme heat, flood, global warming, hireahelper, hurricanes, movers, moving, moving due to climate change, rising ocean, rising tides, weather patterns, wet bulb

Key Findings

Since 2010, over 250,000 Americans have left the counties most at risk for climate change; over 75% of those moves took place in the last five years
An estimated 21,000 people relocated to escape climate change in 2020
People fleeing climate change were over four times more likely to leave the state (64%) compared to those moving for other reasons (14%)
Moves out of counties at risk for extreme heat (45%) and droughts (37%) accounted for 82% of all climate change-related moves in the United States
Almost 10 million people were displaced by natural disasters in the United States from 2008 through 2020, according to Global Displacement Database

“The great climate migration is already here,” reads the headline of this New York Times article from July 2020. “Climate migration will reshape America,” reads another.

True as those statements may ring, many of them are based on projections looking ahead to the next 50-80 years. But how much climate-related migration is already happening in the United States — today?

In our estimate, at least 220,000 Americans moved due to climate change-related events within the last decade, with over 75% of those moves taking place in just the last five years.

This is on top of the 9.9 million Americans who, according to the figures from Global Internal Displacement Database, were forced to leave their homes due to natural disasters like storms, floods, and fires since 2008.

Putting aside any political discussions about whether natural disasters are the direct consequence of climate change, let’s look at the data on climate migration in America in 2022.

Moving for Better Weather OR Fleeing Climate Change? How We Counted ‘Climate Change Moves’

When filling out the responses that make up the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, a survey that reaches about 60,000 American households each year, Americans who moved within the past year were asked to check off a primary reason for their move.

Among the listed options on the survey is “change of climate” — which would make for a tidy data point to estimate climate migration, if it weren’t for its lack of definition. As it’s currently written, this answer seemingly applies both to people escaping the increasingly unbearable heat in some parts of the U.S. (e.g., Arizona) and people chasing the heat (e.g., people moving from Maine to Florida).

To avoid conflating these two motives, we focused our analysis only on the counties designated by ProPublica’s report as “most at risk for climate change”. These are areas where listing “change of climate” as a reason for moving, in our view, is more likely to mean “escaping climate change”, and not more typical fairweather moving data.

“The projected number of people leaving the most-at-risk counties is 40,000-50,000 per year. These are moves that otherwise would have no reason to happen.”

Then, by analyzing the moves out from these counties using extra data from the American Community Survey (a survey reaching 1-2 million Americans each year), we were able to more confidently estimate the motivations of people who both moved away and listed “change of climate” on the U.S. Census survey as their primary reason for moving.

Ten Years of Climate Change Moves: A Quarter of a Million Moves Since 2010

Since 2010, about a quarter of a million (or ~251,000) Americans who cited “change of climate” as their main reason for leaving originated in counties most at risk for climate change. These are counties that, according to the report by ProPublica, have the highest risk levels for issues such as:

Extreme heat
“Wet bulb” conditions (i.e., extreme heat plus humidity)
Large fires
Sea level rises
Declining farm crop yields
Economic damages due to weather

Based on the shape of the chart above, the year 2017 really stands out. This is likely because several notable hurricanes, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, all took place that year.

While their impacts were widely felt, they likely affected many counties that were in fact already at risk for climate change; these places are frequently coastal counties where sea levels are predicted to rise, as well as counties in the Southeast, where the climate is getting hotter and hotter each year.

“…counties in Texas are the most frequently occuring origin points for climate change-related moves.”

Extrapolating from the 2010-2021 trend, presuming current climate change patterns persist at a minimum of their current rates (as they are predicted to do so), our forecast suggests moves made due to climate change will become more common. The projected number of people leaving the most-at-risk counties is 40,000-50,000 per year. These are moves that otherwise would have no reason to happen.

Torrid Texas: Counties in Lone Star State Top List of Climate Move Origins

Of the 460 counties we identified as most at risk for climate change, nearly 47% are in Texas, with the biggest climate risk in most of them (124 out of 203) being “extreme heat”.

Especially given there are so many, counties in Texas are the most frequently occuring origin points for climate change-related moves. Seven out of the top 10 counties with the highest number of people moving out for climate change reasons are in the Lone Star State.

Where to? The Most Popular Destinations of Climate Change Moves

As per our estimated climate change-related moves, people moving to escape recent weather trends are four times more likely to cross state lines as compared to moves made for all other reasons combined (64% vs 14%). This makes sense, as it takes a great distance to reach an area where the climate is substantially different from the place people are leaving behind.

We know that a considerable number of moves due to climate change originate from Texas, but where are they headed?

If they stay in America, it’s Arizona, it turns out. Maricopa County (where Phoenix is located) is the destination for 2% of all climate change moves, with Los Angeles County in California being in a close second, representing 1.9% of all climate change-based moves. (Given Arizona’s famous heat, it’s safe to predict there are many mitigating factors for a destination beyond solely climate change.)

Elsewhere, we see counties around big cities like Seattle (King County, WA), Colorado Springs (El Paso County, CO), and Chicago (Cook County, IL) — all of which received around 1% of all climate change based moves.

At the state level, California edges out other states, receiving 10% of all climate change moves from most at-risk counties. Texas, despite being an origin point of many climate change defectors, still received 9.2% of all new arrivals within the last decade.

Consistent with the findings in recent reports, what we’re seeing in our data doesn’t illustrate a mass exodus of Americans from states like Texas, Arizona, or Louisiana toward more climate-temperate regions like the Northeast or the Pacific Northwest.

Instead, people continue to move into areas like Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA, where more imminent prospects of a better-paid job and/or comfortable living outweigh the distant risk of climate change-driven disruption to livelihood that will take place decades into the future.

This suggests that whether people realize it or not, they are probably moving for climate-related reasons… yet may be at risk to repeat their actions based on where they are going.

Even still, a Redfin survey from last year found that almost half (49%) of Americans will be factoring climate change and its effects into their deciding where to move next.

But as the adverse effects of climate change are yet to manifest themselves in ways that would make some of America significantly less liveable, climate change remains a minor consideration in the grand scheme of American internal migration — for now.

Methodology and Sources

Explore data by yourself by looking for climate move stats on each of the 460 most-at-risk counties for climate change we included in our analysis from the following places:

Counties most at risk for climate change: ProPublica (counties rated 9 or 10 for at least one of the following climate change risks: heat, wet bulb, very large fires, farm crop yields, and economic damages)
Reasons for Moving: Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey (CPS) via IPUMS
County-to-county moves, origins and destinations: American Community Survey via Census Bureau API

Illustrations by Jiaqi Zhou

Moving for a Job? Hiring Experts Share Their Best Job Relocation Tips

Author: Casey Bond

Publish Date: April 2, 2022

Last Modified Date: March 23, 2023

Category: Long Distance Moving Advice, Money Saving

Tags: Tags: corporate relocation, cross country moving, cross-country move, hireahelper, interstate move, interstate moving, job relocation, long distance moves, monster.com, movers, moving, Moving Checklist, moving for a job, moving for work, relocation, saving money on move, uhaul

They say that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Okay, but what if your dream position exists at a company that’s hundreds – even thousands – of miles away from where you live?

As of 2018, about 10% of U.S. job seekers chose to relocate for work. Moving long-distance can be particularly tough, especially if you’re not prepared for the financial and logistical requirements. So if you’re thinking about moving cross-country for a job, here’s what you should know first.

Are in-office jobs coming back?

Though remote work has been growing, especially in light of the pandemic, it is inescapable that a segment of the population will always need to work in person. Experts describe the current landscape as shifted, not irreversibly changed.

“Many employers are saying that they are willing to provide flexibility to work remotely some days of the week, but also will expect you to be in office some days for various reasons,” says Diane Farrell, director of career services at the University of North Georgia.

Some of those reasons include establishing company culture and fostering collaboration, which isn’t quite the same over Zoom. “Therefore, relocation is still expected for many in-office job candidates.” No matter how much the world changes, this is still going to be a hurdle for a lot of people.

Seriously consider whether moving cross-country for work is for you

But before getting into the nitty-gritty details of moving across the country for a job, the first step is to think carefully about whether that’s the right choice for you and your family. Packing up your life and restarting it thousands of miles away is something worth considering carefully.

But there are plenty of advantages to moving out of state for a new job. “If the opportunity is amazing and not something you would be able to do in your current location (such as working on Wall Street, which is only in Manhattan), then that’s a pro for sure,” tells us Vicki Salemi, Monster.com career expert.

And don’t discount the effect of a new environment and new people. “A change of scenery and new energy may be an invigorating addition to this new job,” Salemi says. It’s cliche, but a fresh start in a new city may be just what you need to get motivated and climb the career ladder.

On the other hand, there are a ton of steps involved in moving long-distance that are easy to forget. You have to transfer your utilities, update your license and car registration, get your kids’ school records moved, find a new dentist—the list goes on. Oh, and you also have to impress your new boss and stay on top of your new job responsibilities while getting settled in your new home.

How much does moving for a job cost?

An interstate household move costs between $3,500 -$6,000 on average, depending on who you choose to move you.

Moving cross-country for a job definitely requires some time and money. But for the right position, it can be well worth it. The key is to plan for the costs and find ways to save anywhere possible, including trying to get your new employer to pay for some of that (more on that later).

Use websites to do the math on living in a new city

One of the big questions about job relocation is whether you’ll end up in a city that’s more or less expensive to live in than your previous town. “You’ll need to adjust to a new lifestyle, and in some instances, that may be a hardship,” Salemi says. For instance, if you land a job that’s in a major city, but you’ve been living in the suburbs, you might have to pay more for your mortgage or rent, or settle for a smaller place.

Research sites that compare your current city to your potential new one.

Taxes are one component of cost of living (COL) that can have a big impact on your budget. “If you’re moving from a state with no state taxes into one with high taxes, while it won’t impact your compensation, it will net a lower amount direct-deposited into your bank account,” Salemi says.

The opposite holds true, too. Moving to a state with no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) or no sales tax (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) could save you thousands of dollars per year. That’s an important factor to weigh when evaluating your overall compensation package.

“An interstate household move costs between $3,500 -$6,000 on average, depending on who you choose to move you.”

Another COL factor you may not consider until it’s too late is insurance. Depending on the state you move to, you may have to find new auto, home, and health insurance. You may end up with higher premiums and even a lapse in coverage if you don’t plan for it prior to the move. “Changing health insurance may leave you with a gap. Consider how you can stay covered…talk to HR,” Farrell says.

A site with comparative tools, like BestPlaces.net, can be a useful resource for comparing where you live to where you plan to move. You can compare factors such as housing costs, healthcare, utilities and more to see how local expenses measure up against what you’re used to spending.

Never ever be afraid to leverage cost of living in your negotiations

Once you have an idea of what the cost of living is in your new job’s city, compare that to your salary and benefits package. “Cost of living factors into how salary is determined, so when you’re moving to another state, determine how you’ll be impacted, whether higher or lower, and that can help you determine if this salary is equitable with the new location,” Salemi says.

If your compensation seems to fall short, use that COL data, as well as personal characteristics such as industry, skill level, and experience to negotiate a better package. And yes, you should always – virtually without exception – negotiate your salary.

Even if you can’t get your employer to budge much on the actual salary, there are ways to account for the cost of living beyond your paycheck. According to Salemi, some factors to negotiate outside of salary include:

Sign-on bonus
Relocation Bonus
Additional paid time off
Additional days working from home

Consider living outside your new job’s ZIP Code (this is attractive to recruiters)

Just because your job is located in a swanky part of the city doesn’t mean you actually have to live there. If cost of living is going to be a roadblock for accepting a new job, seriously consider moving to a more affordable neighboring town to your new job. Doing so could also help you land a job if you’re competing for a role in a major metropolitan area.

“When I recruited positions for NYC, I always received countless resumes. Competition was tight,” Salemi says. “However, when I recruited positions for Stamford and Short Hills, both 45 minutes from the NYC office, I received only a handful of applications. Candidates who applied to positions outside NYC had more of a chance of not only getting interviewed, but getting hired.”

So if you’re looking to relocate to another state for a job, research the office locations and surrounding neighborhoods. “Keep an open mind to pursue both your dream location as well as nearby one that may get less interest in and therefore, less competition,” Salemi says.

Always ask about a company’s relocation assistance

Once you considered the implications of moving to another state, it’s time to talk about the long-distance moving process. If you’re moving for a job, your employer may offer you some sort of relocation assistance. Not all do, but your chances are better if you’re moving into a high-level or specialized position, recruiters say.

“The offering of a relocation package depends on the level of the position you are seeking and or how difficult it is to find candidates that are qualified in the local area,” Diane Farrell suggests.

She explains that relocation packages are relatively common for director or manager level roles and above, depending on the industry. “The higher the position, the more likely they will offer a relocation package,” she says. Even so, certain fields like technology and engineering tend to offer relocation assistance to all levels of employees, since their roles are often highly specialized.

What’s in a relocation package, exactly?

If an employer does offer relocation assistance, it can come in a couple different forms. Some companies offer a flat amount to cover your moving expenses, anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 is possible, according to Salemi. Others will offer to reimburse receipts from a moving company.

As far as what’s covered by a relocation package, there are a number of expenses that could qualify. Here’s a closer look at what you could get covered or reimbursed:

Professional packing and unpacking: Whether you decide to hire a full moving company or just professional packers to help you load up your moving truck, your relocation package will likely cover some or all of the cost. That includes packing up your belongings and then unpacking once you get to your destination.

Moving supplies: From boxes to tape to bubble wrap, the costs of supplies can add up. A relocation package will likely include some budget for these types of packing materials.

Moving container: If you decide to go more of the DIY route, you may decide to pack your belongings in a moving container rather than hiring a full-service moving company. If that’s the case, your new employer may cover some or all of the cost to hire a moving container company.

Home sale: If you currently own your home, you’ll have to sell in order to move cross-country. Your relocation package could cover a variety of costs associated with that, such as the cost of listing your home to assisting with any losses you incur from selling quickly.

Lease-breaking fee: On the other hand, if you’re a renter, you may get reimbursed for any penalties paid for having to break your lease early.

House hunting: It’s not unusual for a relocation package to include some budget to send you house hunting in the new destination at least once. That may include transportation, lodging, meals, child care, and more.

Closing costs: If you end up buying a house in your new destination, your relocation package may cover closing costs and other associated fees.

Storage: You could end up in a temporary housing situation as you wait to secure an apartment or buy a home. In the meantime, you might have to store some of your belongings in storage until you lock down a lease. Relocation packages often cover this type of expense, whether it’s a storage facility or container that sits on your property until it’s ready to be unloaded.

Transportation: If you end up driving cross-country for your new job, your relocation package may include reimbursement for gas and other expenses incurred on the road. If you need to fly, you could get reimbursed for plane tickets and even shipping your car. Hotels and meals while on the road could also be included.

Keep in mind that every relocation package is different. It could include all of these costs and then some, or only a portion of these expenses. When talking to your future employer about relocation and compensation, you should ask to have any major expenses that are pertinent to your situation covered. You may be able to negotiate a better package than you originally received.

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Budget ahead of time for what your employer won’t cover

Now that you have an idea of how much it costs to live in your new city compared to your old one, plus you know how much your future employer is willing to compensate you, it’s time to figure out how much the actual move will cost. Do this as far ahead of time as possible, because you’ll likely need a couple of months or more to save up, EVEN if your employer is helping.

Moving costs will vary widely depending on where you’re going and which expenses will be covered by your employer. At the very least, you should set aside some funds to pay for the actual move.

Know your moving options

When it comes to moving your belongings (aside from doing it all with your own bare hands), experts suggest you have three main possibilities:

Hire professional movers: If you want to go the full-service route, hiring a professional moving company is your best bet. They will pack up your belongings, load them on the truck, and unpack everything for you. Though it’s more convenient, this option is also generally the most expensive. It can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $5,000 (or more), on average, to hire movers for a long-distance move, according to Consumer Affairs. The cost will largely depend on the size of your home (i.e., how much stuff needs to be moved) and how far you’re moving
Rent your own moving truck: If you want to be in control of the moving process from beginning to end, you might want to rent a moving truck. You will do the transporting yourself, but you can hire movers to do loading and unloading to save money over a full-service move. To move about 1,000 miles, a truck rental costs around $533 for a 16-foot truck (which can handle about 2-3 bedrooms), plus gas and surcharges. If you want to upgrade to a 26-foot truck, you’ll pay around $823 or more
Use a shipping container: The nice thing about using a shipping container (aka a “moving container”) is that you can take your time packing up! Once you’re ready, the moving container company will pick it up and drop it off at your destination. Then you have some more time to unpack at your leisure. If you need extra time unpacking, it doubles as storage (for an added fee). Shipping containers are a good combo of DIY packing with professional drivers. This option tends to cost around $2,000 to $3,000 for a long-distance move, with storage included

Sites like Moving101 can help line up all your moving options, including pros and cons, and avg. price.

Finally, don’t forget about moving supply costs! Between packing tape, bubble wrap, labels, sharpies, and other miscellaneous packing supplies, you might need to spend a few hundred dollars ensuring your belongings are safe and secure. For example, supplies to move a one-bedroom apartment cost around $69-$90. A two-bedroom home will run closer to $178-$197, and the costs increase from there. (If you get movers, oftentimes they will cover the cost of most if not all of these things.)

If you need some help with the savings side of things for all this stuff, a budgeting app such as Mint or You Need A Budget can help. These tools allow you to set savings goals and track your progress way ahead of your move.

What if I don’t have a job lined up yet?

Moving across the country for a job offer is one thing. But what if you want to move somewhere for better job opportunities, but don’t actually have anything lined up yet?

This is a matter of personal preference and risk tolerance, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, all the experts suggest. It definitely helps if you have family or friends you can stay with until you land a job, and in the meantime be able to network locally and adjust to the new environment. When you score that job, you won’t have to adjust to everything all at once and can focus on the new job.

“Candidates who applied to positions outside NYC had more of a chance of not only getting interviewed, but getting hired.”

– Vicki Salemi, Monster.com career expert

“Other people may feel more comfortable networking remotely and interviewing from their current location, then moving once they secure the offer of employment,” Salemi suggests. It really comes down to financials, what you’re most comfortable with, and where you can conduct the most productive job search.

(If you’re staying with your sister who has four kids and three dogs, finding a quiet space to conduct Zoom interviews may be challenging.)

How to start the process of looking for a new job in a new city

Get a current snapshot of the job market: It’s a good idea to do extensive research on the area you’re relocating to. Is it exploding? Shrinking? Which industries are hot? Keep this in mind, because you may not want to stay in this new job forever. “Ensure you’re moving to a location with viable opportunities beyond the one right in front of you,” Salemi streses.

Visit, do some recon: If possible, visit the new city before you make your decision to move. Photos and virtual tours just don’t tell the whole story. “If you can’t visit, use your network to see if someone you know has friends or family in that area,” Farrell says. “Arrange to talk with them about what they like about living there and any drawbacks to the area.”

Network (virtually) ahead of time: Start reaching out to locals in your industry who could be potential referrals to gigs in the area. “Use LinkedIn to find people in your field who are working in that region. Reach out to connect and see if they are willing to talk,” Farrell says.

Save up: Moving without a job lined up is a risky move, especially because you don’t actually know how long it’ll take to secure a position and start earning a paycheck. Aside from the budgeting you’re already doing for the move, you should have a few extra months’ worth of expenses saved up to float you until you get hired. “If you are renting, most property owners want to see you have employment before they will rent to you, so you need to consider where you will stay if you move before landing the job,” Farrell says.

Create an out for your current place: If you currently own a home, timing can be tricky. Consider the housing market in your current area and price it to make sure it sells – a good real estate agent can help. If you plan to buy in the next location, begin looking well in advance. “Consider whether there will be a lag between when you arrive and when you can move into your new residence. You may need to investigate local hotels or other interim housing if you expect to experience a gap,” Farrell says.

Starting a new life hundreds of miles away is not a decision you want to make lightly. What is an exciting opportunity for one person could feel like a scary and daunting transition for another. But if you’re ready to take on the challenge of a new job in a new city, be sure to negotiate your relocation and compensation package for a smooth long-distance move.

The 5 Things To Clean To Get Your Security Deposit Back

Author: Lauren Thomas

Publish Date: March 14, 2022

Last Modified Date: July 11, 2023

Category: Apartment Life, Moving Advice

Tags: Tags: apartment, carpet, carpet cleaners, carpet cleaners near me, carpet cleaning, clogged drain, drains, dry wall, drywall, first apartment, hireahelper, how to fix dry wall, how to get my security deposit back, how to rent, landlord, landlord security deposit, last minute move, lease, movers, plumbers, porch, security deposit, security deposit back, terms of lease, trash, trash removal, uhaul

If you’re renting your home, condo, or apartment, you probably paid a security deposit when you signed the lease. The good news is this deposit is refundable when you move out… as long as you meet certain requirements.

Landlords use security deposits to protect their property and pay for repairs or cleaning if a tenant leaves damage or a mess behind. Here’s how to make sure you receive your deposit after moving out.

Security Deposit 101

Whenever you rent a place, there are some things everyone should know about security deposits before signing their lease.

What can prevent you from getting your security deposit back?

The most common reasons for not getting your deposit back include:

Moving out before the terms of your lease is up
Breaking the terms of your lease
Leaving significant damage behind

If your rental is judged to be extremely dirty, the landlord may also hold your deposit in order to pay for professional cleaning before a new tenant moves in.

Ultimately, use common sense when cleaning your rental before you move out. (Certain things like faded paint, sagging cabinets, and general wear and tear are usually considered normal for a rental, so don’t worry too much about those issues.) If you’re concerned, make sure you take a few pictures and note them on your move-out walkthrough checklist.

How do I increase the odds of getting my deposit back before I move In?

Before you move into your rental, ask for a walkthrough checklist. This list should consist of any pre-existing damage, as well as areas where the rental still needs to be cleaned. Take photos of anything that causes concern, so you have proof that it was there before you moved in. The more thorough your walkthrough list is now, the better the odds are that you’ll get your security deposit back later.

What fees or expenses are renters responsible for paying?

The fees or expenses you’re responsible for will vary depending on your landlord and the terms of your lease. For example, many landlords expect renters to pay for a professional carpet cleaning before they move out. If you’re unclear about which things you’re responsible for, ask your landlord for clarification to avoid surprises later.

What can and can’t I change in the apartment?

In most cases, you won’t be allowed to make significant changes to your apartment, such as knocking down a wall or replacing the appliances. Make sure you’re clear about what you cannot do versus the things you can. In many cases, landlords don’t mind if you paint the walls a different color, but they may not allow you to make structural changes or alter the interior of the rental in any way.

The 5 Must-Cleans: Floors, Surfaces, Trash, Fridge and Your Belongings

There are certain things that every tenant must clean (even if you’re moving last-minute) if you want to get your security deposit back.

Floors: Vacuum and sweep all floors to remove excess dirt and debris. If you wish, you can hire a professional carpet cleaner, which is recommended if you notice any significant stains or marks on the carpeting.
Wipe down all surfaces: Once you’ve packed, make sure you dust and wipe down all surfaces, including windowsills, door handles, bathroom vanities, and kitchen countertops.
Remove trash: Go through your rental and make sure that all trash is removed. This means leaving zero waste when you move, which includes bathrooms, bedrooms, living area, any backyard or patio and the kitchen.
Empty and clean out the fridge: Throw away leftover food in your refrigerator and wipe the inside clean. Do not unplug the fridge unless your landlord asks you to power it down. Make sure the inside of your microwave and oven is reasonably clean, too.
Don’t leave items behind: If you leave that old couch you don’t plan to take with you behind, your landlord will likely take money from your security deposit so they can pay to have it removed. Never leave anything behind, and make sure that the entire rental is completely empty.

Less Obvious Security Deposit Ruiners: Stains, Dings, Odors and Drains

There are other issues beyond basic cleaning that can be seen as damage to your rental. Major damage to your place is covered with the security deposit, and some cannot be repaired once it happens. But here are common types of damage that are fixable (with a little elbow grease).

Patch dings in the drywall

To repair drywall, use a quality spackle that will fill in holes. Smooth the spackle down using a flat-edged tool and allow it to dry. You can also use a wall patch to fix the issue. If you have paint that matches your wall color, paint over the repaired areas.

Rent a steam cleaner for carpet stains

Common stains like dirt, ink, and pet urine are the norm for many landlords. However, you might not get your security deposit back if the carpet is in bad shape. To fix the problem, rent a steam carpet cleaner or hire a professional to come in and clean the floors before you leave.

Deep clean walls and upholstery to remove pet odors

Pets are messy, and they can often leave unpleasant odors behind. The best way to prevent this is to address messes as they happen and clean your pet’s bedding regularly.

Use an air filter to remove pet odors from the air. Before you move out, deep-cleaning the apartment is the best way to remove residual odor. This includes scrubbing down your walls and upholstery, and using odor-neutralizing cleaning products that are specifically made to address pet odors.

Remove buildup from glass stovetops with vinegar and baking soda

Glass stovetops can easily collect gunk that looks like damage, especially because the buildup is notoriously difficult to remove. Get rid of grime on your glass stovetop by spraying it with distilled white vinegar.

Sprinkle some baking soda onto the stovetop and then lay a wet towel over the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes. Next, remove the towel and wipe the surface clean using a soft microfiber cloth dipped in water. If you’re dealing with stubborn stains, you may need to scrub or scrape for a long time and finish with a glass stovetop-specific cleaner.

Address clogged drains with drain cleaner or a snake

In many cases, clogged drains are a gray area, depending on whether the clog was caused by normal vs. irresponsible use of the plumbing. A clog often does not constitute damage that would allow a landlord to keep your security deposit, but that doesn’t mean they won’t try.

Addressing drain clogs is a great way to avoid the issue altogether. If any drains are clogged in your rental, use a plunger to unclog the toilets and a drain cleaner for showers, sinks, and tubs. You can also remove the drain cover and use a special tool for fishing out hair and gunk to unclog the drains.

Tighten or replace cabinet hinges

If your kitchen or bathroom cabinets are broken or ripped from the hinges, it could cost you some or all of your security deposit.

Start by re-tightening the hinges that are already there. If that doesn’t fix the issue, you can easily replace the cabinet hinges for a minimal cost.

Rescreen ripped sliders & window screen

If any windows are broken, it’s recommended that you get them repaired before you move out. But landlords care about more than just glass, this logic goes for screen windows too!

Torn or ripped screens can be replaced, or you can use a screen repair kit to patch the damage.

With some general cleaning and elbow grease, you should be able to get your security deposit back when you move out of your rental. Make sure you’re clear about the terms of your lease and do a thorough walkthrough both when moving in and moving out.

Clean your rental thoroughly and repair minor damages, and you should have a smooth move-out experience with that extra cash back!

The Top 5 Movers in Denver (According to You)

Author: Daniela Bourguetts

Publish Date: February 25, 2022

Last Modified Date: March 21, 2022

Category: Money Saving, Mover Spotlight, Moving Advice

Tags: Tags: aurora, aurora movers, cheap movers, colorado, colorado movers, colorado moving, colorado springs, colorado springs movers, commerce city, commerce city movers, day labor, day labor denver, denver, denver movers, denver moving company, fort collins, fort collins movers, hireahelper, hourly movers, moving, moving to colorado, quality movers

If there’s one thing that people in Denver have in common is that most of them have a strong Instagram game.

Who can blame them? If I could be pictured in classy wine tasting one night and then hiking along the trails of the Rocky Mountains the next morning, I too would be the mountain queen of social media. It’s no wonder the Mile High City population grew by 1.22% in 2021 and rents for Denver apartments have risen nearly 16% over the past year. The metropolitan Denver area is now approaching 3 million, from Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and beyond.

Over the years, we’ve overseen thousands of local moves into or within Denver, discovering who Denver’s top movers are in the process. And that’s not just our opinion; here are what newly minted Denverites say are the best movers in Denver.

The Top 5 Movers in Denver

1. LeDoux Moving Solutions, LLC.

Price: $115/hr. for 2 movers after 2 hours min.

Services Available: Move help/day labor

Equipment Available:

Furniture dolly
Hand truck
Rope $5.00/ea.
Plastic wrap $30.00/ea.
Hand tools for assembly

Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM / Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM / Saturday-Sunday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Policies:

No same-day moving requests
Next-day moves will have regular rates
Refund up to one hour of unused time
Availability to stay 1 hour of overbooked time

Why Customers Love Them:

Customers can’t say enough good things about LeDoux’s professionality and their dexterity for packing a whole house into a truck. LeDoux Moving specializes in senior citizens, but their ability to accommodate any type of move has earned them over 762 verified reviews and an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars.

2. Unloading Services Inc.

Price: $120/hr for 2 movers after 2 hours min.

Services Available: Move help / day labor / Movers with a truck

Equipment Available:

Furniture dolly
Hand truck
Rope $10.00/ea.
Plastic wrap $25.00/ ea.
Hand tools for assembly

Hours: Monday-Saturday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Policies:

Additional 15% charge for same-day requests
Next-day moves will have regular rates
Refund up to one hour of unused time
Availability to stay 1 hour of overbooked time

Why Customers Love Them:

They’ve amassed 4,500 moves on HireAHelper with an average score of 4.6 out of 5 stars, so it’s safe to say that they know a thing or two about moving in the Denver metropolitan area, including Commerce City. In their reviews, customers have praised their ability to handle big tricky objects and fragile items.

3. Colorado Relocators Professional Services

Price: $130/hr. for 2 movers after 2 hours min.

Services Available: Move help / day labor

Equipment Available:

Furniture dolly
Hand truck
Hand tools for assembly

Hours: Monday-Sunday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Policies:

Same-day moves at regular rates
Next-day moves will have regular rates
No refund of unused time
No guarantee of availability beyond booked time

Why Customers Love Them:

Their trademark is friendly, capable, and experienced movers that go above and beyond to make their customers happy (which would sound a little on the nose, but read their reviews!). They have an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars — and they even work on Sundays!

4. Genesys Moving Services LLC

Price: $100/hr. for 2 movers after 2 hours min.

Services Available: Move help / day labor

Equipment Available:

Furniture dolly
Hand truck
Rope $10.00/ea.
Plastic wrap $45.00/ea.
Hand tools for assembly

Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Policies:

No same-day requests
Next-day moves will have regular rates
Refund up to 1 hour of unused time
Availability to stay 1 hour of overbooked time

Why Customers Love Them:

Genesys started 5 years ago, but they have poured their heart into their moving services, so every customer can experience an easy, carefree move. They can fulfill your needs for local household moves, business moves and are specialized in moving extra heavy items like pianos and gun safes. Genesys prides itself on its continuous training so every single one of its movers does an excellent job.

5. 4 Corner Movers

Price: $90/hr. for 2 movers after 2 hours min.

Services Available: Move help / day labor

Equipment Available:

Furniture dolly
Hand truck
Rope $5.00/ea.
Plastic wrap $20.00/ea.
Hand tools for assembly

Hours: Monday-Wednesday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM / Thursday-Sunday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Policies:

No same-day requests
Next-day moves will have regular rates
Refund up to one hour of unused time
Availability to stay 1-hour overbooked time

Why Customers Love Them:

Based in Aurora, they are “the backbone for Colorado residents and companies”. They provided moving services to those in need during the heaviest part of the Covid-19 pandemic, and at budget-friendly prices. They are relatively new to the game, but they already have an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars after 196 jobs done through HireAHelper!

Denver Moving Stats

How much would it cost to hire movers in Denver?

$463 is the average cost of a local moving company in Denver.

This ultimately will depend on how many movers you’ll need, as well as what equipment you’ll need.

How long do moves take in Denver on average?

Plan on a window of 3 hours with 2 movers, on average.

Of course, that will depend on the size of your house and any other special items that may require special attention, but this estimate is a good starting point. Some of these movers can also provide a truck. On average, people book a 16’ truck to carry their belongings. If you’re renting your own truck, here’s a rental truck comparison guide with real-time pricing.

Protip: Moving and parking a truck in Downtown Denver can be a nightmare on weekdays and rush hour. If you can, aim for a weekend move. That’s when the streets tend to be less crowded. (Just make sure there aren’t any special events happening!)

Want more options?

The mover you need will depend on the distance you’re moving, your schedule, and the size of your move… so do your research.

Get Help Unloading Your Rental Truck

See prices for movers by the hour—instantly.

Read real customer reviews.

Easily book your help online.

Make sure to get a few estimates before booking. Luckily, the HireAHelper network is a great place to start! You can compare the movers with the better rating and prices, and since most of them service Dever’s metropolitan area plus suburbs, you’re likely to have several great options.

Booked a move in Denver? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Reviews and stats from HireAHelper.com as of February 2022

What It’s Like To Be a Woman in the Moving Industry

Author: Casey Bond

Publish Date: February 21, 2022

Last Modified Date: July 25, 2023

Category: Mover Spotlight, Moving Stories

Tags: Tags: 2022, census, census data, female movers, female research, female stereotypes, gender disparity, gender research, hireahelper, labor, movers, moving, sexism, sexist, uhaul, women, women labor jobs

In 2016, we reported on what it’s like to be a female mover in a majorly male-dominated industry. As you might expect, in addition to their success, the women we profiled dealt with a lot of preconceived notions about what it takes to be a successful mover from customers who questioned their abilities.

Now, over five years later, we’re taking another look to see how things have changed (and how they haven’t).

The Power of Women in Business

Carmen Ball, co-owner of LeDoux Moving Solutions, LLC, a local moving company, believes that the moving industry is a great one to be in for women, despite public perception.

“We’ve seen a lot of people come and go, only because they don’t pay attention to the little details, which I think women are good at,” she suggests.

This is an oft-repeated belief about women, but in this case, her suggestion isn’t simply fleeting. A version of this sentiment is reflected in various peer-reviewed studies which investigated key personality traits to succeed in business that go beyond knowledge, technical ability and experience. One 2016 study financed by global consulting firm Korn Ferry found that women outperform men in 11 of 12 key emotional intelligence competencies which correlate to business performance and leadership. These competencies include emotional self-awareness, empathy, coaching and mentoring, influence, conflict management and more.

Another comprehensive peer-reviewed study found that despite the wide disparity in numbers, female-led organizations are more profitable, earn higher profit margins and perform better overall versus male-led companies.

“We really started the business to change how people view moving companies,” Ball said, explaining that at the time she and her co-owner began their business, the industry as a whole had a “really bad reputation.” (The Better Business Bureau receives an average of 13,000 complaints and negative reviews about movers each year.)

“Another comprehensive peer-reviewed study found that despite the wide disparity in numbers, female-led organizations are more profitable, earn higher profit margins and perform better overall versus male-led companies.”

Ball is working to change this perception. Retelling stories of positive customer interactions that she describes as bucking the expectations of an old-school moving company, she gets as granular as even the sound of her voice over the phone. “We have a lot of repeat business because of that,” she noted.

In addition, she describes the mostly male staff she employs as responsive to her leadership. “The crew knows that I’m the one who’s keeping them going,” she said.

Unfortunately, not all women at the helm of moving companies that HireAHelper spoke to have had it as easy when dealing with male crewmembers.

Trouble with Co-workers

Another local businesswoman, Tomika Holland, recently took over J. Holland Helpers & Researchers, LLC, a small moving business in Houston, Texas. She became a co-owner alongside her mother, Sandra, after her stepfather passed away in 2021.

When asked about her relationship to men in the industry, she admitted that one of the toughest parts of her job is dealing with the male crewmembers. “They’re constantly trying you,” she explained.

“They wouldn’t do the same things with another man that they’ll do with a woman,” she added, citing repeated instances of male crew members she employs not striving for professional accountability. Holland said she feels like men in the moving industry often test her boundaries as their employer simply because she’s a woman. “It’s kind of like a child always trying their mother,” she joked.

While she’s able to make light of the situation, Holland’s experience is, unfortunately, closer to the norm than the exception. This may explain in part why so few women attempt to make their way into the moving industry. And statistics bear that out.

Moving Industry Still Dominated by Men

Despite ongoing social struggles, the share of female-owned businesses has been rising according to the U.S. Census Bureau, albeit very slowly. According to Ventureneer, a research and training group in the U.S., the number of female-owned businesses in the transportation and warehousing sector has risen by just 10% over the last five years.

Today, there are roughly 211,000 U.S. businesses operating in the transportation and warehousing sector, and only 9% (roughly 19,000) are owned exclusively by women. The cross-industry average share of female-owned businesses is only 13% nationwide.

Here’s a look at how women in transportation and warehousing compare to other industries, according to Census data.

Industry	Percent of Businesses That Are Female-Owned
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	0%
Utilities	1%
Management of companies and enterprises	4%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction	7%
Construction	7%
Transportation and warehousing	9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	11%
Finance and insurance	12%
Information	12%
Wholesale trade	12%

Interestingly, there are statistical variances by geography.

Looking at the situation state-by-state, below are 10 states where the share of female-owned businesses in transportation and warehousing is highest.

State	Percent of Transport Businesses Solely Female-Owned
Tennessee	25%
Nevada	23%
Utah	22%
Indiana	21%
Georgia	21%
Virginia	20%
North Carolina	19%
California	18%
Mississippi	17%
New Jersey	17%

Tennessee tops the list, with every one in four (25%) transportation businesses being female-owned. In five other states — Nevada, Utah, Indiana, Georgia, Virginia — the share is at least 20%.

On the flip side, the share of female-owned businesses is lowest in Iowa, where businesses are just 3% female-owned. In nine other states, most of them on the East Coast, less than 10% of transportation businesses were female-owned by 2021.

State	% of Transport Businesses Solely Female-owned
Iowa	3%
West Virginia	6%
Nebraska	7%
Massachusetts	7%
Rhode Island	8%
Idaho	9%
Wyoming	9%
Kentucky	9%
Pennsylvania	9%
Vermont	9%

“You want to see some change, put a girl in it”

Shantel Jackson, a longtime female CEO of a local moving company located in Oceanside, California, has experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to establish oneself as a leader within the moving industry. But that hasn’t stopped her from doing just that.

In 2011, Jackson was living with her husband, Francis, in San Diego, California. He had been employed as a professional mover, but work opportunities with his employer were drying up in the wake of the financial crisis and The Great Recession. In response, he decided to resurrect an old moving business he originally founded in 2006. With the reopening of “Speed Loaders”, he would try his hand at running his own moving company, instead of working for one.

“Today, there are roughly 211,000 U.S. businesses operating in the transportation and warehousing sector, and only 9% (roughly 19,000) are owned exclusively by women.”

In a short amount of time, the Jacksons obtained a business license and started booking jobs. They joined HireAHelper, a national online marketplace where moving companies can list their local moving business. Shantel, who before helping her husband worked as a statistical analyst for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, changed careers and began handling things behind the scenes.

True Change Comes From the Top

The company was successful and grew steadily over a decade. But by 2016, Francis was experiencing health issues that left him unable to work.

To keep the company going, Shantel Jackson took over the business as its CEO.

Shantel described to HireAHelper that taking over the business often meant 17 hours of work per day. Adding to the stress of the situation, the group of employees who worked for Speed Loaders at that time (which Shantel described as a “good ol’ boys club”) reportedly didn’t appreciate having a female boss, especially after having presumed they would be put in charge of the company after her husband stepped away. Jackson described her appointment as making them difficult to manage.

“So I got rid of every last one of them,” she said.

Today, Jackson (and her new crew) have instilled a company culture and direction that have led Speed Loaders into solvency and customer acclaim; as of 2022, Jackson has directly overseen well over a thousand moves on HireaAHelper.com alone, all of which has been rated 4.7 out of 5 stars in aggregate.

In addition, Jackson encourages pro-bono work within Speed Loaders, telling HireAHelper stories of deeply discounted moves for higher-risk individuals such as single mothers and returning military members.

“We go the extra mile,” she said. “As my daddy would say, you want to see some change, put a girl in it.”

A Recurring Theme

Both anecdotal and economic evidence suggests the reason there are so few women in industries like moving and labor isn’t necessarily because it’s too difficult, but because there still seems to be a permeating anti-female culture.

Studies find that some of the biggest challenges women face in male-dominated industries include societal expectations and beliefs about a woman’s ability to work comparatively well to men, as well as pervasive stereotypes which often contradict research on effective leadership.

Further, in one 2017 Pew Research survey, 28% of women working in male-dominated industries said they had personally experienced sexual harassment, as compared to 20% of women working within female-dominated industries.

“It takes a very strong woman (to be successful in the moving industry),” Holland asserted. Indeed, women like Tomika Holland, Carmen Ball and Shantel Jackson have proven that they have the mental, emotional and physical fortitude to run a thriving company in a tough industry. Hopefully, the positive changes these women and others like them are making will help push the labor industry to be an increasingly welcoming one for women.

And if not, signs show they’ll keep on trying. Despite the potential challenges, Holland said she hopes to pass down the business to her kids one day, just as her parents did for her.

Illustrations by Ana Jaks

How To Seriously Lessen Your Carbon Footprint When You Move

Author: Cassandra Rosas

Publish Date: February 2, 2022

Last Modified Date: May 19, 2023

Category: Green Moving

Tags: Tags: diy, eco friendly, eco friendly move, free moving boxes, good movers, green move, green moving, hireahelper, how to pack, movers, moving advice, moving boxes, moving containers, moving day tips, packing supplies

Around 32.1 million Americans—some 14 million households—moved back in 2019. That’s a lot of moving and shaking, and it’s a lot of extra strain on the environment. An increasing number of Americans are committing to doing more to protect the environment, and green moving is becoming a popular topic.

Eco-friendly moving—and especially zero-waste moving—requires some time and detailed planning. But that’s a good thing because you’ll have all of your ducks in a row by moving day, which means you’ll have an easy time of it. Here at Hire a Helper, we’re all about making your life easier, but we’re also about doing our part to take a load off the environment. This guide will help you achieve a green relocation, no matter how far you have to go.

Before You Move: You Need a Smart Downsize

Moving houses is a great opportunity to go through everything you’ve collected since you moved into your current place. Depending on how long you’ve been there, this may be a quick task, or it may take some serious time. Either way, taking the time to do it right is better for the environment, since you’ll be less likely to toss stuff in the trash just to be rid of it—you’ll have more time to dispose of your discards in a more eco-friendly way. Here’s how to do it right.

The eco-friendly plan

Make your plan—and write it down. Maybe you’ll do a room each week, or a closet each day. Allow yourself more time for basement and attic storage spaces and closets that send an avalanche of stuff down on top of you when you open them.

Create a space for these specific piles

Before you start decluttering, set aside space in your home, or label some boxes to put things in that you’re planning on getting rid of. Have a clearly labeled box, bag, or pile for:

Things you’ll donate to charity
Things you can sell
Things you want to give to specific people
Trash
Things you can (surprisingly!) recycle
- Old carpeting
- Old mattresses
- Scratched CDs, game discs, and DVDs
- Stained or torn clothing or bedding
- Large and small appliances, from the dryer to the microwave
- Electronics, including old cell phones, TVs, computers, printers, and stereos
- Crayons and dried-up markers
- Ink cartridges
- Working and non-working holiday lights
Hazardous waste
- Call your local hazmat office and ask where you can drop them off. These items include:
  - Paints
  - Fertilizers
  - Cleaners
  - Solvents
  - Motor oil
  - Pesticides

Eco-friendly Moves Really Happen During the Packing

Leaving packing for the last minute means you’ll probably end up shoving things into garbage bags, which makes it less likely you’ll sort stuff correctly (and it’s super annoying to unpack). The sooner you get started on packing, the more time you can take to do it right and in a way that’s environmentally friendly.

If you’re going to have movers pack you up, and if they’re bringing all of the supplies, choose a moving company that uses sustainable packing materials and reusable or recyclable boxes. (Just ask!) Find out how to best prepare for their arrival. If you’re packing yourself, planning is everything. Are you going to jam through your whole house over the course of a week, or will spend the month before the move getting packed? Decide on your game plan, and use these tips to make your packing adventure as green as possible.

Only use these eco-friendly packing materials

What, exactly, does “eco-friendly” mean when it comes to packing and packing supplies? It means that everything you use to pack your things—boxes, wrapping, padding, tape—is made from recycled materials and/or is recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable.

Eco-friendly packing supplies include:

Cardboard boxes. When you’re done unpacking, pass your boxes on to someone else who’s moving, or put them out for recycling. When possible, source used cardboard boxes. If you must purchase new ones, choose boxes that are made from post-consumer recycled materials.

Cornstarch peanuts. If you’ve got to use peanuts for extra-fragile items, choose the eco-friendly variety instead of styrofoam peanuts, which don’t biodegrade—at least, not in our lifetime. Green packing peanuts are made from non-toxic materials like cornstarch or wheat. They’re biodegradable and dissolve in water, and you can compost them. As an added bonus, eco-friendly packing peanuts don’t have an electrostatic charge, so they won’t stick to everything.

Eco-friendly bubble wrap. Traditional bubble wrap is made from low-density polyethylene film, which generally isn’t picked up by your curbside recycler but can be recycled with your plastic bags when you take them to your local drop-off location. Eco-friendly bubble wrap is greener than traditional because it’s made, in part, from recycled materials. But it’s not biodegradable or compostable, so if you don’t recycle it, it’s hardly green at all.

Corrugated cardboard wrap. Made from 100 percent recycled cardboard, corrugated cardboard wrap is sturdy, protective, biodegradable, and recyclable. (See picture!)

Non-plastic tape. Plastic tape isn’t biodegradable, but paper and cellulose tape, which are made from trees, are. Paper tape typically comes with a water-activated adhesive and requires a special dispenser that wets the tape as you pull it out. Cellulose tape looks like plastic, but it’s made from trees, and you can tear it like paper. Both types of tape are biodegradable.

The zero-waste packing method

If you’re hardcore, you can achieve zero-waste moving by packing carefully. Plan ahead with these tips:

Use your clothes, towels, sheets, pillows, cushions, and linens to protect fragile items. Bonus: you won’t have to pack these items
Save your newspapers and junk magazines and inserts to wrap items in, and recycle them after you unpack
Rent reusable containers. Moving companies often rent reusable, heavy-duty moving crates that come in many shapes and sizes, including a wardrobe box to make moving your clothes easier than ever. When you’re done moving, return the boxes
Pack what you can in empty drawers, laundry baskets, suitcases, buckets, tote bags, and other receptacles you already have on hand
Source free cardboard boxes from friends and local stores. Close them by interlocking the flaps, and recycle or pass the boxes along to someone else when you’re done
For mattresses and other large items you might otherwise wrap in non-biodegradable plastic sheeting, opt instead to drape blankets, sheets, or a cloth drop cloth over these pieces

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Moving Day Must-do’s

It’s the big day! You’ve downsized your belongings without adding unnecessary waste to the local landfill, and you’ve packed your things in the most eco-friendly way you could. Now it’s time to finish up the move with the smallest possible environmental impact, which will be easy as pie if you follow these tips:

Turn off the HVAC while you load

Since your doors will be wide open while you’re loading boxes into the moving truck, turn off the heat or A/C while you load to save energy. Keep the lights off unless you need them on. To empty out the house faster so you can get the heat or A/C back on, move everything as close to the door as you can before you start moving it out.

Save on gas and reduce exhaust

If you’ve hired a moving company, you don’t have much control over how much fuel they consume during your move, but you can rest assured that your company will want to conserve gas if only to boost their bottom line. Moving companies plan their loads and routes carefully for that reason. Depending on how much stuff you have and how far you’re moving, hiring a moving company may be your best option for an eco-friendly relocation.

If you’re moving yourself, here’s what you can do to save on gas:

Plan your route. Take a route to your new place that will use the least amount of gas. The best route may be the shortest, or it may be a long one that has the least traffic congestion and therefore the fewest idling stops.

Make as few trips as possible. The fewer trips you need to take to get your stuff to your new place, the more eco-friendly your move will be. When you’re packing, fill your containers as full as possible so you’ll need fewer of them, which will require fewer trips. Pack your things in the vehicle(s) carefully so there’s little wasted space.

Recycle those packaging materials

Eco-friendly moving isn’t really eco-friendly until you deal with the aftermath—the boxes and the packing materials. As you unpack each box, set the packing materials aside—designate a pile for what can be recycled curbside and a pile for what you’ll need to drop off. Remove any tape from these materials and from your boxes before you break them down. Give the boxes to friends, or put them up on a free online marketplace for people to claim. If they’re beaten up, set them out for recycling.

A New Start: Going Green for Good

Now that you’re all settled in, take a deep breath, relax, and take a good look around your new place. What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint—and your utility bills—as you begin a new era? We’re glad you asked.

Protect your air quality

Poor air quality in your home is bad for your health and for the environment. Keep your indoor air quality as high as possible for a reduced footprint and increased well-being.

Use eco-friendly paints for walls. Paint is notorious for off-gassing volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into your home, and the production of conventional paint has serious environmental consequences. When it’s time to decorate, choose low-VOC paint, which is less harmful to the environment and your health.

Use non-toxic cleaners. Conventional home cleaning products are rife with toxic chemicals, and when they go down the drain, they can end up in our natural waterways and poison aquatic wildlife. You can either buy non-toxic cleaners or use ingredients from the kitchen, like vinegar and baking soda, to get the entire place sparkling clean without putting your health at risk.

Change the HVAC filter. The air filter in your HVAC system traps impurities as your home’s air moves through it. A dirty filter is far less efficient than a clean one at catching particles like pollen, mold, bacteria, and viruses. Only use high-quality air filters in your system. Inspect your filter each month, and replace it when it’s dirty.

Conserve energy and lower your utility bills

The less energy you use at home, the better for the environment—and the lower your gas and electricity bills will be.

Maintain your furnace and A/C. Your HVAC system is responsible for a large portion of your home’s energy consumption, so keeping it in tip-top shape will not only lower your utility bills but also reduce your home’s use of non-renewable resources and its emissions of greenhouse gases. Have your furnace professionally tuned up before you need it each fall, and have your A/C serviced before it’s time to turn it on in the spring.

Install solar panels. When it’s time to make upgrades, consider installing solar panels on your home. Solar power has come a long way in the past decade, and it’s less expensive and more reliable than ever before. Solar power is pollution-free, and it’s less expensive than the non-renewable alternatives.

Invest in ENERGY STAR appliances. As you move through life in your new home, replace appliances that break down with new ENERGY STAR appliances. ENERGY STAR is a program by the U.S. Department of Energy that clearly identifies the household appliances with the highest energy efficiency and, therefore, the lowest operating costs.

Conserve water better

Less than one percent of the earth’s water is available for human use, and our current global civilization is quickly depleting the supply. It’s up to everyone to conserve water, and here are some ways to do it at home.

Low-flow fixtures. Low-flow fixtures, including showerheads, dishwashers, and toilets, are easy to install, and they don’t affect the quality of your showers, the cleanliness of your dishes, or the force of your flush. However, they do conserve water, using considerably less than their conventional counterparts.

Run the shortest cycles on the dishwasher and washing machine. Unless your clothes or dishes are heavily soiled, the shortest cycle on the washer or dishwasher will get them just as clean as a longer cycle, but it’ll save a lot of water over time.

Re-think your lawn. The lawn is one of the worst offenders when it comes to environmental damage. Maintaining a lawn involves fertilizers and pesticides that leach into groundwater, and keeping it green and barefoot-worthy requires a lot of water. Mowing requires non-renewable gasoline and emits greenhouse gases. Consider ditching your lawn for a beautiful, low-maintenance xeriscape, which requires little to no water.

Finally get your household waste under control

In 2018, Americans generated more than 292 million tons of household waste—around five pounds per person per day. With a recycling and composting rate of just 32.1 percent, America sends the majority of its solid waste to landfills, where it produces methane, carbon dioxide, and other poisonous gases. So your first order of business in your new place is to recycle religiously if you don’t already. Also:

Go paperless. Paper accounts create a huge amount of waste, and although most paper can be recycled, much of it isn’t, or can’t be. Reduce your paper consumption as much as possible—opt for paperless bill paying, invoicing, and receipts, and opt out of junk mail. Clean up spills with microfiber instead of paper towels or disposable wipes, and invest in a stack of cloth napkins instead of using disposable ones.

Compost. A backyard compost pile provides you with rich compost for your garden, and it helps you dramatically reduce food waste, which accounts for a large portion of household waste. But food isn’t the only thing you can compost. Other things you can toss on the compost pile include non-glossy paper, cardboard, natural fabrics, dryer lint, and wine corks. Shred these items into small pieces before adding them to the heap.

Buy in bulk. Food packaging has a giant, terrible impact on the environment. It comprises half of all municipal waste, and it ends up in waterways and inside wildlife as microplastics. It strangles sea creatures, traps land critters, and breaks down into toxic chemicals in the soil. Whenever possible, buy your food in bulk. Bring your own bags to the store with you, and skip the produce bags—or reuse them.

Change your mindset. Being a consumer is fun, there’s no doubt about it. But if you tend to buy things mainly for the quick hit of dopamine it provides—and if most of those baubles quickly end up in the back of closets and drawers, unseen until you move again in 10 years—it’s time to change your ways. When you pick up that shiny thing at your favorite big box store, ask yourself: Do I really need this? If the answer is a (reluctant) no, save your money for something spectacular later on.

From the moment you decide to move, it’s easy to honor your commitment to reducing your impact on the environment. With some planning ahead, you can easily achieve an eco-friendly or zero-waste move. Once you’re unpacked, a few tweaks of some old habits and some brand-new habits are all it takes to start your new life on the right foot—one with a lighter print.

These Moving Companies Move Domestic Abuse Victims for Free

Author: Casey Bond

Publish Date: January 20, 2022

Last Modified Date: June 5, 2023

Category: Mover Spotlight, Moving Advice

Tags: Tags: abuse hotline, abuse victims, da, domestic abuse, free moves, hireahelper, meathead, meathead movers, move for free, movers, moving abuse, moving companies, violence against women

Domestic abuse happens more than you might think, and for a lot of reasons, it’s a complex issue to address.

According to “DoSomething”, a wide-reaching non-profit organization in the United States, about a quarter of women around the world will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. In fact, 85% of domestic abuse victims are women. It’s been estimated that half of all homeless women and children in the U.S. are fleeing domestic violence.

Victims are often left with nowhere to go due to emotional, social, and economic barriers for leaving an abusive relationship. For these reasons and more, it’s common for victims to stay in an abusive relationship when facing the alternative of living in a shelter or on the street.

Yet despite all this, some have discovered that oftentimes cyclical abuse can be stopped by simply solving for the economics of being able to afford a move.

Note: The bottom of this piece features some potential resources if you or someone you know is in need of help.

The Movers Who Rescue Victims

Aaron and Evan Steed are co-founders of Meathead Movers, a brick-and-mortar chain that offers professional moving services. If you’re moving soon and you reside in California, they offer a variety of moving and storage services at the rate of 18,000 moves a year, which they claim makes them the largest independently owned moving company in the state.

But perhaps more impressive is that for domestic abuse victims, they offer these services for free.

Meathead Movers is one of a growing number of moving companies committed to helping victims of domestic violence move out of their abusive households at no cost.

“…half of all homeless women and children in the U.S. are fleeing domestic violence.”

After the California-based company was founded in 1997, frantic phone calls would come in from victims without financial means who were seeking to flee dangerous domestic violence situations, according to Dawn Ventura, Director of Marketing and Communications for Meathead Movers. They were pleas they couldn’t turn away, explained Ventura. “The brothers knew it was the right decision to get them out of there.”

The choice to provide moving services to victims for free was decided right away. It has remained their business policy for over 25 years.

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Risks on the Job

Meathead Movers quickly found out there are more than financial risks when taking on this type of endeavor.

During one of their earliest rescue moves, the situation turned volatile when the alleged abuser of the victim came home in the middle of the move, Ventura told HireAHelper. “It was very scary for the (founders of Meathead),” she said. “Luckily, they were able to call law enforcement, who came to the scene and removed the abuser so that the move could be completed.”

After this experience, Meathead Movers decided to partner with a local shelter to make sure the victims and moving crew were safe and supported throughout the rescue process. In 2000, the company began its first official affiliation with a shelter called SLO Women’s Shelter.

“For the safety of our team and the victim, we only complete moves that the shelter partner has first had a chance to vet,” Ventura explained. The shelter determines the greatest need and works with the movers accordingly. “There is also always a shelter representative onsite throughout the move, and sometimes law enforcement, as needed,” she added. The company has since partnered with an additional seven shelters across California to help facilitate moves.

“Google nearby shelters and moving companies that may be able to help, even if you don’t plan on using them.”

Though dangerous, this too remains far from the only challenge the company has faced over the years.

Back in 2008, during The Great Recession, Meathead Movers encountered what they described as “enormous” financial struggles. Ventura said that at one point, they thought they’d be closing their doors due to financial hardship. Even still, the company continued to offer free services to abuse victims. “We knew that it was our purpose and mission,” Ventura explained.

Today, Meathead Movers remains in operation after two decades of gradual growth and expansion, despite challenges. They have continued the policy of free rescues all throughout, and feel their success is proof altruism can exist within a successful moving business model.

As of 2022, they’ve helped relocate “hundreds” of domestic violence victims in the Southern Californian area for free.

A Moving Trend

Unfortunately, rescue services continue to be needed. No matter how many free moves Meathead Movers offers, as a localized chain, their reach covers only a small portion of victims of abuse. “In light of the growing cases of domestic violence, and on the heels of the national attention this free moving program has garnered, Meathead Movers is now encouraging businesses across the nation to step up and make an impact in their local communities as well,” Ventura said.

The good news is that many businesses have stepped up, including other moving companies.

In 2016, Meathead Movers launched the #MoveToEndDV campaign, challenging businesses to donate services for victims of domestic violence in their respective communities. Searching this hashtag still helps people find resources through social media. This trend has garnered the commitment of an increasing list of moving companies, as well as businesses in other sectors.

College HUNKS Hauling Junk and Moving — another store-run chain that offers professional moving services in dozens of cities across the U.S. — began offering its services for free during the month of October 2020 (which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month) in response to news reports of increasing domestic violence during pandemic lockdowns. Within the past year, College HUNKS has helped move more than 400 victims of domestic violence across the U.S., all at no cost to the victims.

How To Move Out Safely From a Domestic Violence Situation

There are multiple things to consider before you can safely remove yourself from an abusive situation.

Finding a moving company that can assist you in leaving an abusive household is incredibly helpful. But domestic abuse can be greatly helped just by beginning to plan. Here are what experts say are important steps along a successful path to freedom.

1. Call or email a professional helper for free.

First, know that you are not alone in your struggle. Every single day there is someone waiting for you to reach out.

Before you do anything, it’s useful to speak with a professional who can help you assess the situation and point you toward local resources. “Always, always, always contact your local shelter,” Ventura urged. “The resources that they offer are remarkable. And if there’s any way to call a domestic violence hotline, they are sure to help.”

You can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting “START” to 88788. Its website also has a live chat option. Though if you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

2. Look at a physical calendar, imagine by which day you could realistically remove yourself, essential items, and potential children from your location.

Some situations may require getting out of your home as soon as possible; but if you can help it, visualize the exit ahead of time.

Start by literally glancing at a calendar. Figure out the best times to pack up and leave, and where you already know you could stay once you’re out — even if it’s just temporary. Google nearby shelters and moving companies that may be able to help, even if you don’t plan on using them. Always explain your situation in private, and have a contingency plan in case your abuser shows up on move day.

3. Squirrel away some cash, if possible.

Though shelters and some moving companies provide their services for free, it’s still very helpful to have cash on hand when you move out. If possible, try to set up your own checking or savings account online or over the phone at a separate bank from your abuser so they can’t restrict access to the money.

4. Gather up your important documents and items into one portable place.

Start making copies of documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, insurance cards, health records, and anything else you’ll need as you transition to a new home. If you have extra car keys, medications, clothes, or evidence of domestic abuse (e.g., photos, police records), be sure to set those aside too. Store these items in a private place until you need them.

5. Prearrange school release permissions for any children you have.

If you have kids you can’t personally pick up from school, change the release privileges to a trusted friend or family member, so your abuser can’t pick them up.

6. Keep your activity private, as you may be being spied on.

It’s not unusual for abusers to monitor activity or even spy on their victims, so you should be very careful about leaving behind any evidence of your planning.

Avoid using your home computer for research and visit the public library or a friend’s house instead. If you can, get your own, private cell phone, since there are many apps that allow partners to surveil your phone activity and accounts. Always turn off your Bluetooth and location services inside apps like Snapchat or Messenger, and close all tabs and clear all browsing history after searching for resources. Also, get rid of or “lose” any compromised cell phone if you fear it may be monitored, or do a factory reset. But make sure you have a handheld device ready to call for help if things become dangerous.

7. On move day, act quickly and confidently.

If you know of any weapons in the home, lock them away ahead of time if possible, just in case. Change the login settings and security questions to your online accounts and turn off the GPS in your car. Though it is not always easy, attempt to follow through with your plan with confidence.

These Movers Offer Free Services to Domestic Violence Victims

Encouragingly, Meathead Movers and College HUNKS are only just the beginning.

Below is a non-exhaustive directory as a resource to help you or anyone you may know who is a victim. If you don’t see a company near where you live, search for movers in your area, or call a local company and ask if they have any connections or knowledge of a similar service.

Always Professional in Moving, Inc. (Gilbert, AZ)

Contact: 480-633-5555, apiminc1@gmail.com

Always Professional in Moving, Inc. is a family-owned and operated moving company in the Maricopa County of Arizona. They pledge to provide free moves to distressed victims in need of moving services in order to get away from domestic violence. Its owner, Bernadette Lavigne, is a victim of domestic violence and has made addressing the issue an important foundation of her company.

Aussie Moving (Santa Barbara, CA)

Contact: 805-273-8756, info@aussiemoving.net

Aussie Moving provides full-service residential moving, as well as commercial moving and storage. The company pledges to provide free moving services to victims of domestic violence in coordination with a local shelter in Santa Barbara County.

Brown Box Movers (Denton, TX)

Contact: 972-953-MOVE (6683)

Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, Brown Box Movers offers a variety of services, from residential moving, to move in/move out cleaning, to junk removal. The company pledged these services to help those experiencing domestic violence in the area.

Einstein Moving Company, LLC (Austin, TX)

Contact: Choose a location and send a message

Einstein moving company has locations throughout Texas, including Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and more, and is able to complete statewide moves. The company pledges up to $2,000 per month worth of moving services to Safe Place in Austin.

Elite Moving Services (Newton, IA)

Contact: 641-275-9412, elitemovingservices641@gmail.com

Elite Moving Services serves the entire state of Iowa. They pledged to offer three moves every month to domestic violence victims at no charge. Their free service includes the trailer, labor, and all moving equipment needed to move within 75 miles of the victim’s location.

Gentle Giant Moving Company (Somerville, MA)

Contact: (800) 442-6863

Gentle Giant is involved with several charities, including a strong alliance with charities involved with housing assistance and homeless prevention. Gentle Giant pledges to offer a free move to those in need of help getting out of a domestic violence situation.

Helping Hands Moving and Maids (Salt Lake City, UT)

Contact: (801) 562-0093 (Sandy), (801) 809-7800 (SLC), (801) 735-4144 (Provo) or send a message

You may recognize Helping Hands Moving and Maids from the show Extreme Makeover, or from its extensive charity work in Utah, as well as overseas. The company pledges its services to domestic violence victims in need.

Moving at Ease (Scottsdale, AZ)

Contact: 602-357-7459 or send a message

Moving at Ease is a family business that tailors its moving services to senior citizens and their families. It can accommodate local and long-distance moves. The company pledges to volunteer its time and resources to help those in need in the Phoenix metro area.

Parks Moving & Storage (Bellefonte, PA)

Contact: (866) 790-1560 or send a message

Parks Moving & Storage is a fourth-generation, family-owned business with locations in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and State College, PA. It is a women-owned business, and the owner is also a victim of domestic violence. The company pledges to offer packing and moving services to victims and their affected family members who need them.

Veterans Moving America (Fort Worth, TX)

Contact: (817) 989-6362, booking@VMAFamily.com

VMA employs a 100% veteran workforce and self-identifies as a “values-based company”. It is partnered with SafeHaven to provide free services to victims of domestic violence.

Illustrations by Tara Jacoby

11 Common Home Issues To Check If You Suspect Your House Is Haunted

Author: Alexis Rhiannon

Publish Date: October 19, 2021

Last Modified Date: October 17, 2022

Category: Home Improvement, Seasonal & Holidays

Tags: Tags: Behind The Scenes at HireAHelper, carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide poisoning, co2, eating schedules, electricity problems, emf, ghosts, hireahelper, home improvement, how to level furniture, landlord, lease, level furniture, pest removal, pests, poison, porch, radiator repair, shutters, the fear frequency, wiring

So you’re freshly moved into a new space. Then, all of a sudden, you catch yourself starting to wonder if your new place is haunted.

Maybe it’s because of an unexplained sound you’re hearing at night? Maybe you get a creepy feeling you get when you walk into a certain room? Or maybe you’ve legitimately seen something that you’re convinced is a spirit?

I’m more of a Mythbuster than a Ghostbuster myself (sorry bud, I’m allergic to ectoplasm). With that in mind, here are some plausible explanations (and fixes) for the eerie happenings you’ve been experiencing around your home. Some of them explain away unfamiliar noises, others take aim at inexplicable movements, and some give some context for full-on hallucinations.

Make sure you read them all before you decide to burn it all down!

1. Check the balance of your furniture

A friend of mine owns a dresser that used to (very spookily) open when no one was anywhere near it. He suspected the occult, and his boyfriend suspected an imbalance. While it’s hard to say with certainty who was right, once the couple had a carpenter come look at the piece, it stopped opening. So either it was just about shoring up one of the legs, or the ghost calmed down after it got some attention.

2. There might be a carbon monoxide leak

Almost more scary than a haunting because of its attendant health risks, carbon monoxide leaks can cause weakness, confusion, blurred vision, and even hallucinations; all things that people have reported in hauntings.

And since the gas is odorless and colorless, it might not immediately occur to you that your symptoms have an environmental cause instead of a spiritual one. So if you’re experiencing anything like this, get yourself a carbon monoxide detector stat, because the consequences can quite literally be deadly. (Want proof? Check out what might be the most remarkable Reddit exchange ever published.)

3. Black mold can make you see things

Along the same environmental lines, black mold is another factor that can leave residents reeling—and attributing their sensations to spirits instead of “Stachybotrys chartarum”. (That’s the Latin name for one of the types of fungi most commonly referred to as “black mold.”)

If people in your household are dizzy and seeing things, or even just anxious and depressed, take a peek into dank basements, closet corners, and bathroom walls that get a lot of condensation to see if spores might be blooming there. Not only is it more common than you think, but it’s also not too difficult to remove: experts suggest starting with white vinegar and baking soda for a DIY fix.

4. Adjust loose shutters

Sure, maybe it’s a wraith raking its fingers down your siding, but don’t rule out the possibility of something hitting the outside of your house.

Check the mechanisms that hold them up, then make sure to also check for tree branches that brush against windows, shutters that slap against your window frames, or just a flapping screen door. I have a screen door out to a balcony off my bedroom that gets triggered by the smallest amount of wind and kind of sounds like the teensiest-tiniest knock. I was absolutely certain it was an intruder (or a baby ghost), until I finally got up the nerve to go investigate.

5. Your wiring is playing tricks on you

Especially if you live in an old building, it might be that your wiring and outlets aren’t beefy enough to support the modern-day fixtures you’re using. If that’s the case, this overload can cause electrical issues like flickering or even blowouts which are annoying in the best of times, downright terrifying during the worst of times. (For instance, when you get electrical problems during your monthly séance, just as a message is coming through on the ol’ Ouija board.)

6. (Normal) creatures in the wall

Until you’ve had a squirrel gnaw its way under your eave and then invite all its friends to come party in the wall, you have no idea how much noise a single animal can make. The same goes for mice, missing gerbils, and even birds, all of which can sound downright spooky and scratchy when their normal noises get amplified and bounced around behind your drywall. If the ghosts get really loud, you might want to call pest control instead of those other guys.

7. A late eating schedule impacts you

If you find your sleep disturbed or often wake up having had extremely vivid dreams, it might be worth adjusting your snacking schedule.

Eating late in the evening means your body needs to keep digesting even as you’re trying to fall asleep, which results in mixed messages for your body. Nightmares or discombobulating wake-ups could follow, so avoid the Ebenezer Scrooge of it all by switching your timing around to see if that stops your ghost of Christmas-Yet-to-Come dead in its tracks.

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8. Electromagnetic fields (pick up a lot of things)

If you’ve ever watched a ghost-hunting show, you know that the professionals often use handheld Electro-Magnetic Field (EMF) readers to detect paranormal activity. But if you happened to pick up an EMF reader to do your own research, you should know that EMF devices respond to a wide range of frequencies—not just those caused by supposed specters.

They’re particularly sensitive to alternating currents, like those your television and microwave rely on to operate. So if your EMF reader is getting all jumpy in the middle of your living room, there’s no need to jump to any conclusions until you’ve turned off all your appliances and effectively gone off the grid.

9. Rogue appliances under 20 Hz, AKA “The Fear Frequency”

What’s creepy about humans is that there are things that can affect our happiness and mood that we have no idea are acting on us at all. Case in point? Learn about “The Fear Frequency“, which describes infrasounds that register under 20 hertz, a level that humans can’t hear but can feel.

Studies have shown that appliances operating—or often, malfunctioning—at that frequency can make nearby humans feel anxious and distressed, and even report seeing optical illusions as their eyeballs vibrate imperceptibly. (Shudder.) But thankfully, lifting the malaise is as simple as shutting off or unplugging the item.

10. Pretty much everything about radiators

If you’re new to a radiator setup, you’d be amazed at the sounds that can come out of those little babies. Everything from hissing to clanking to whistling, and even what sounds eerily like screeching. I spent a decade in New York City, and I never got used to it.

11. The location of your lease

Obviously, this is only applicable if you’re a renter. But in a lot of places, landlords are legally required to tell you if someone has recently died in your unit. So if you didn’t get that heads up…congratulations! You can maybe stop lying awake at night imagining a macabre murder scene right where you’re trying to sleep. (Is this helpful? I’ll stop.)

2021 Study: Which Colleges & Universities Do Freshmen Travel Farthest For?

Author: Volodymyr Kupriyanov

Publish Date: October 7, 2021

Last Modified Date: February 28, 2022

Category: College Moves

Tags: Tags: brown, california, california university, caltech, college, college admissions, college debt, college facts, college hunks, college movers, college stats, dartmouth, harvard, hireahelper, in state tuition, ivy league, mit, movers, moving, out of state, out of state tuition, standford, student debt, student debt forgiveness, texas, texas university, tuition, uhaul, yale

Key Findings

4 in 10 (43%) Americans who began college in 2020 moved away from home, the highest rate since 2005
Nationwide, roughly 31% of all college students have left their home state to attend college
In 39 out of 50 states, more students attend college within their home state than attend out-of-state universities
Californians (17%) and Texans (20%) among least likely to go to college out-of-state
People from New Hampshire are most likely to study out-of-state (75%)
With exception of Washington D.C., institutions with the biggest out-of-state admissions are Dartmouth College (98%), Brown (95%), Yale (93%), MIT (93%), Notre Dame (92%), John Hopkins (90%)
Average distance traveled by a student to study in a top 200 college is 293 miles
Schools with the farthest pull are CalTech, MIT, and Stanford—students avg. more than 1,000 miles to attend

Over two million people enrolled in colleges and universities in the fall of 2020. While that figure represents a 13% decline compared to enrollment in 2019, the total percentage of newly enrolled students who relocated to go to college last year was 43%. That’s a five-year high!

In light of that figure, we broke down college relocation data to find out where Americans are moving to attend college, as well as how likely they are to move out-of-state in pursuit of a college degree.

We also compare schools by how many out-of-state students they attract (and more!) to determine which top-ranked colleges have the greatest pull by admission among applicants across the United States.

Fewer Americans Are Going to College, but More Are Moving To Pursue Higher Education

Given the kind of year 2020 had been, it’s hardly surprising that fewer Americans enrolled in higher education than in the year prior, likely due to student debt concerns. According to the figures out of National Student Clearinghouse, just over 2.1 million people started college in the fall of 2020, 13% fewer than in the fall of 2019.

And yet, based on the internal migration estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, 938,000 Americans, or 43% of all who enrolled, chose to move to attend college last year. The out-of-state attendance number for 2020 is the highest rate the U.S. has seen since 2005, a year when half of all college freshmen left home to pursue education.

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Brain Drain? States College Students Are Most (and Least) Likely To Leave

With so many newly admitted students moving to college, how far are they moving? Are most of them staying in their home state, or are they crossing state lines in pursuit of higher education?

“The out-of-state attendance number for 2020 is the highest rate the U.S. has seen since 2005…”

Reasons to study in-state are plentiful: remain closer to family, save big money on tuition, or just because great schools are already in your home state.

In fact, the data show 69% of college students who move to go to college actually stay in their state. This is especially true in states like Texas, Mississippi, California, and New Mexico, states where more than 80% of college students have chosen to study closer to home.

On the flip side, nearly a third (31%) of all newly admitted students relocated to a different state to go to college in 2020.

The share of those who are prepared to travel far for a degree is especially high in remote states like Alaska and Hawaii, as well as small states within the New England area, such as New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

State	% of students leaving state	State	% of students leaving state
New Hampshire	75%	Delaware	9%
Alaska	74%	Mississippi	14%
District of Columbia	71%	California	17%
Rhode Island	69%	New Mexico	18%
Connecticut	64%	Texas	20%
Hawaii	61%	North Carolina	21%
Vermont	60%	Wisconsin	24%
Nevada	59%	Ohio	24%
Maryland	55%	Tennessee	24%
North Dakota	53%	Kentucky	25%

Where are all these students moving to? For the most part, students who decide to go to college in a different state head for states known for their great schools, as well as big cities with ample job opportunities.

Almost 1 in 10 (9%) students who attend college out-of-state study in California, the most of any state. Meanwhile, Florida, Illinois, and New York each attract 5-6% of traveling scholars. Notably, Massachusetts, renowned for being home to some of the best schools in the county, receives 4% of all out-of-state college moves.

In all, roughly one in three (30%) students that went to college out-of-state moved to one of these previous five states.

The Colleges With Highest Percentage of Out-of-state Students

Moving for college, of course, is much more about the college than the city or state it’s in. Which colleges in the United States attract the most students from outside their states? We looked at the top 200 colleges and universities listed in the 2021 U.S. News National Universities Ranking and looked up their corresponding 2019 admissions stats from the National Center for Education Statistics. Here’s what we found out.

There are a handful of universities where 98% of freshmen come from out-of-state, and most of them are in Washington D.C. This is hardly surprising, given how small the District of Columbia is, both in area and population.

Yet besides D.C.-based colleges, the highest rates of out-of-state admissions belong to Ivy League schools Dartmouth (97%), Brown (96%), and Yale (93%).

That said, a few schools outside the Ivy League are so popular nationwide that greater than 90% of their new students move from other states. These schools are:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with some of the best technical degree programs in the country
University of Notre Dame, with all-around great academics and a famous college football team
Johns Hopkins University, known for their excellent medical school

Magnet Schools: Colleges with the Farthest Pull

Out-of-state admission is a decent measure of how much of a pull a given college has, but it doesn’t give us the full picture. Some schools may feature a high percentage of out-of-state students, but that number may be inflated by attraction from nearby states.

To estimate the true “pull” of America’s top schools, we looked at the origin states of all new students beginning college in 2019 (latest data available) and calculated roughly how many miles an average freshman has traveled to study there.

The answer? The average distance of a college move for the top 200 schools in America is 293 miles.

The three colleges for which an average new student had to travel the farthest are schools famous for their programs in STEM and computer sciences: California Institute of Technology (CalTech), MIT, and Stanford University. All three average over 1,100 miles traveled by out-of-staters.

To illustrate how far that is, sitting behind these colleges in average distance traveled is the University of Hawaii-Manoa, which is 3,758 miles away from the rest of the United States and 4,108 miles away from Japan!

For most Ivy League colleges like Harvard, Brown, Yale and Columbia, the number of miles their new students traveled to study there sits around the 900 mile mark.

To find out which school is the biggest draw in your state, check the map below:

Great and Local: Top-Ranked Schools With Mostly Local Students

Despite a high percentage of admissions coming from out-of-state students for top colleges, not all great universities rely as heavily on out-of-state tuition.

As a testament to the fact that Californians are less likely to leave their state to go to college, schools within the University of California system (all ranked within the top 100 of the 2021 U.S. News National Universities Ranking) have a share of out-of-state admissions below 10%.

“…nearly a third (31%) of all newly admitted students relocated to a different state to go to college in 2020.”

Similarly, more than 93% of new students at the University of Texas at Austin, ranked 42nd, hail from Texas. Meanwhile, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, ranked by U.S. News as 63rd in the nation, draws 91% of its admissions coming from its native state of New Jersey.

Other excellent schools for which fewer students cross the country to study at are UNC at Chapel Hill, University of Florida, and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The overwhelming majority of new students average around 40 miles of travel to study there.

To see how each of the top 200 schools compare on out-of-state admissions, the distances their students traveled for a degree, and a few other metrics, check out the table below.

Sources and Methodology

Figures on the number and percentage of people moving to college within or outside their home state come from the Current Population Survey (CPS).

Data on college admissions, including origin states of newly admitted students, is taken from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

The U.S. News 2021 Best National University Rankings is used as the basis for selecting top 200 colleges in the United States.

To estimate the average distance traveled by a newly admitted student, we took the school’s location and calculated the distance between its campus and the statistical population centers of each state (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau)

Key Findings

Moving for Better Weather OR Fleeing Climate Change? How We Counted ‘Climate Change Moves’

“The projected number of people leaving the most-at-risk counties is 40,000-50,000 per year. These are moves that otherwise would have no reason to happen.”

Ten Years of Climate Change Moves: A Quarter of a Million Moves Since 2010

“…counties in Texas are the most frequently occuring origin points for climate change-related moves.”

Torrid Texas: Counties in Lone Star State Top List of Climate Move Origins

Where to? The Most Popular Destinations of Climate Change Moves

Methodology and Sources

Explore data by yourself by looking for climate move stats on each of the 460 most-at-risk counties for climate change we included in our analysis from the following places:

Counties most at risk for climate change: ProPublica (counties rated 9 or 10 for at least one of the following climate change risks: heat, wet bulb, very large fires, farm crop yields, and economic damages)

Reasons for Moving: Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey (CPS) via IPUMS

County-to-county moves, origins and destinations: American Community Survey via Census Bureau API

Illustrations by Jiaqi Zhou

Are in-office jobs coming back?

Seriously consider whether moving cross-country for work is for you

How much does moving for a job cost?

Use websites to do the math on living in a new city

“An interstate household move costs between $3,500 -$6,000 on average, depending on who you choose to move you.”

Never ever be afraid to leverage cost of living in your negotiations

Consider living outside your new job’s ZIP Code (this is attractive to recruiters)

Always ask about a company’s relocation assistance

What’s in a relocation package, exactly?

Moving far away?

Do it cheaper.

Budget ahead of time for what your employer won’t cover

Know your moving options

What if I don’t have a job lined up yet?

“Candidates who applied to positions outside NYC had more of a chance of not only getting interviewed, but getting hired.”

– Vicki Salemi, Monster.com career expert

How to start the process of looking for a new job in a new city

Security Deposit 101

What can prevent you from getting your security deposit back?

How do I increase the odds of getting my deposit back before I move In?

What fees or expenses are renters responsible for paying?

What can and can’t I change in the apartment?

The 5 Must-Cleans: Floors, Surfaces, Trash, Fridge and Your Belongings

Less Obvious Security Deposit Ruiners: Stains, Dings, Odors and Drains

The Top 5 Movers in Denver

1. LeDoux Moving Solutions, LLC.

2. Unloading Services Inc.

3. Colorado Relocators Professional Services

4. Genesys Moving Services LLC

5. 4 Corner Movers

Denver Moving Stats

How much would it cost to hire movers in Denver?

How long do moves take in Denver on average?

Want more options?

Get Help Unloading Your Rental Truck

Reviews and stats from HireAHelper.com as of February 2022

The Power of Women in Business

“Another comprehensive peer-reviewed study found that despite the wide disparity in numbers, female-led organizations are more profitable, earn higher profit margins and perform better overall versus male-led companies.”

Trouble with Co-workers

Moving Industry Still Dominated by Men

“You want to see some change, put a girl in it”

“Today, there are roughly 211,000 U.S. businesses operating in the transportation and warehousing sector, and only 9% (roughly 19,000) are owned exclusively by women.”

True Change Comes From the Top

A Recurring Theme

Illustrations by Ana Jaks

Before You Move: You Need a Smart Downsize

The eco-friendly plan

Create a space for these specific piles

Eco-friendly Moves Really Happen During the Packing

Only use these eco-friendly packing materials

The zero-waste packing method

Moving Day Must-do’s

Turn off the HVAC while you load

Save on gas and reduce exhaust

Recycle those packaging materials

A New Start: Going Green for Good

Protect your air quality

Conserve energy and lower your utility bills

Conserve water better

Finally get your household waste under control

Note: The bottom of this piece features some potential resources if you or someone you know is in need of help.

The Movers Who Rescue Victims

“…half of all homeless women and children in the U.S. are fleeing domestic violence.”

Here’s $25 Off Movers

Risks on the Job

“Google nearby shelters and moving companies that may be able to help, even if you don’t plan on using them.”

A Moving Trend