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2023 Study: Where, How and Why Are Americans Moving This Year?

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Key Findings

  • More than half (52%) of all moves in America take place in the summer
  • Our survey findings suggest 40% plan on moving at some point this year
  • ‘Family’ (30%) and ‘Wanting More Space’ (25%) are the top reasons for moving this year
  • A total of 38% are moving for financial reasons, such as inflation, cost of living, and housing unaffordability
  • Climate change is a factor mentioned by 15% of Americans planning to move this year
  • 40% of those moving intend to stay within their city, but 18% are set on moving to a different state
  • More than half (55%) of those not moving this year would move if they had the means

 

Every year, millions of Americans move, and over half (52%) of those moves take place during what we in the moving business call “moving season” — otherwise known as the summer months of May through August.

So what does the moving season hold for us this year? To get a sense of how many Americans intend to move, when they’re going to move, and what drives their moving decisions, HireAHelper conducted a nationally representative survey of 2,000 adults in the U.S. earlier this month.

 

“The state most people have their sights on is California, where 11% would move if finances weren’t an issue.”

 

38% of Americans we surveyed intend to move at some point in 2023, collectively citing “Family“, “Looking for More Space” and “Wanting To Save Money” as the top reasons. A further 35% would move if they could, but find themselves struggling to afford housing where they want to live, or are struggling to afford the move itself.

Let’s delve into the findings and see how Americans look ahead to the 2023 moving season.

Moves in the Making: Four in Ten Americans Plan To Move in 2023

an illustration of someone taping a box. In the corner it's labeled fragileAs we noted earlier, nearly four in ten (40%) of our survey respondents said they are planning to move at some point this year. 

Moving intent is highest among the younger generation, as almost half (49%) of Gen Z respondents reported a planned move for sometime in 2023. And while this intent is still strong with Millennials (42%), it gradually fades with age, and dropping to a reported 27% for Baby Boomers.

Interestingly enough, Parents (41%) are more likely to be planning a move in 2023 than Non-Parents (36%). That said, that only applied to families with one or two kids. For families with three or more children, the percentage of those staying put exceeds the percentage of prospective movers.

Renters (46%) are more likely to be on the move than Homeowners (30%). However, only 25% of renters who are moving expect to own their next home, as 59% of renters reported moving to another rental.

Where are people leaving?

an illustration of white plates and cups being wrapped in brown packing paper. A currently empty cardboard box sits nearbyAmong people living in America’s biggest metropolitan areas, the intent to move is highest in Washington, D.C. (72%) and Los Angeles, CA (55%). There, the majority of residents we surveyed reported having plans to move at some point this year.

In San Francisco, CA (47%), New York, NY (46%), Philadelphia, PA (46%), and Houston, TX (45%), the share of people who reported intent to move this year fell just below half.

Conversely, within the metros of Charlotte, NC (16%), Orlando, FL (32%), and Chicago, IL (32%), the moving intent is the lowest among all metros with a sufficient number of respondents.

At the state level, New Jersey residents seem most keen to move (56%), whereas those in North Carolina (24%) are least likely to relocate in 2023.

Family, Square Footage and Finances: Top Reasons Why Americans Are Moving in 2023

The number one reason for those intending to move this year was reasons related to “Family” (30%), (such as “Being Closer to Family Members,”) with “Wanting More Space or a Bigger Home” (~25%) being the second most popular choice.

 

“Those who do plan on hiring some help for their move are looking to spend an average of $675…[and those] who expect to move without hired help are looking to keep it at an average of $312.”

 

However, if we look at the financial reasons, we’ll find that many Americans are moving either because of  “Foreclosure/Eviction” (7.5%), “Can’t Afford (Their) Current Housing” (10.7%), “(Moving Somewhere With) A Lower Cost of Living” (15.3%), or “Inflation” (17.2%).

If we add up all the respondents that said at least one of these financial reasons applies to them, the total share of Americans who intended to move due to financial pressures rose to 38%.

an illustration of a canvas wrapped in bubble wrap. it's stood on top of other packed boxes. Granted, the higher rates of inflation from 2022 seem to have leveled out, but our findings suggest that financial pressures continue to compel a significant number of Americans to relocate.

The financial reasons above were mentioned at the following rates by these demographics:

  • Families with children (40%) compared to childless households (37%)
  • People of color (44%) compared to white Americans (36%)
  • Renters (41%) compared to homeowners (35%)

Other popular reasons for moving in 2023 include “New Job” (16.2%), which, in fact, is more popular than moving due to “(Becoming) Unemployed” (9.8%).

Curiously, and unfortunately, more people are moving due to an “End of a Relationship/Divorce” (10.3%) compared to those moving due to a “New Relationship or Got Married” (7.1%).

an illustration of boxes being moved with a dollyOne significant reason that’s beginning to factor into the moving plans of Americans is “Climate Change” (14.9%), which is in fact distinct from “Want Nicer Weather” (10.4%).

According to estimates based on U.S. Census Bureau data, climate change affects some 20,000 moves per year, with experts suggesting that figure is set to increase.

Getting Practical: Planned Moving Distance and Estimated Cost

Based on our survey responses, 40% of people who are planning to move in 2023 are staying within the same city, while 33% intend to leave their current city, yet still stay within the same state.

Impressively, 18% of respondents intend to move to a different state. Specifically among those respondents, their reasons given were for “Better Weather” (38%), a “New Job” (34%), “Being Closer to Family” (21%), and “Seeking a Lower Cost of Living” (21%).

Thinking about the cost of their move, 44% intend to spend between $100 and $500 on moving, with an overall average being slightly higher at $530. This estimate includes buying moving boxes, potentially renting a truck, maybe hiring movers, etc.

Needless to say, not all Americans who plan on moving intend to hire movers, but 52% of them do, while 48% either intend to execute the move themselves or haven’t decided yet.

Those who do plan on hiring some help for their move are looking to spend an average of $675 between boxes, truck rentals, and movers. Those who expect to move without hired help are looking to keep it at an average of $312. (This figure is in line with nationwide averages of moving costs.)

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Would If I Could: Common Barriers Preventing Americans from Moving

Quite a few Americans are planning to move this year, and the number could have been even higher if it weren’t for certain factors keeping people from moving.

Of those respondents that aren’t moving this year or aren’t sure yet, 55% would move if they had the means and opportunity. The main reason they can’t move? They can’t afford it. People claimed they “Can’t Afford To Move” (58%) or they “Can’t Afford Housing Where (They) Want To Live” (38%).

But it’s not just the financial worries that keep Americans from moving. About a quarter of respondents in our survey who’d move if they could selected “Would Be Too Far Away From (Their) Family” (24%), “Worried About Making a Big Change” (25%) or “Worried It May Not Work Out” (27%), respectively.

Perhaps these concerns, as well as the general decline in the percentage of Americans moving partially explains why, our study found that, on average, Americans now move an average of eight times in their lifetime, down from a 2007 estimate of 11.7 times.

Dream Destinations: Where Would Americans Move if Anything Was Possible

One question we asked in our survey was about the state Americans would move to if money was no object. 

The state most people have their sights on is California, where 11% would move if finances weren’t an issue. Notably, Hawaii and Florida were the dream destinations for 9% of Americans, while New York and Colorado were the top choices for an additional 5% of respondents. 

Texas — a state that’s recently been a popular destination for corporate moves — would also be the go-to place to be for 4% of respondents.

A surprising 4% would leave the United States altogether if they could, but as many as 9% of our respondents would not choose to leave their state, even if money was no object.

Sources and Methodology
All data, unless otherwise stated, have been derived from the findings of the survey HireAHelper ran via Pollfish in May 2023. The survey used a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults (18+) living in the United States.
Survey results were weighted by age, gender, and income using data extracted from the American Community Survey’s five-year data, collected from ~120,000 households.
Illustrations by Nero Hamaoui

2023 Study: The Strictest State Laws for Moving With Pets

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Key Findings:

  • Hawaii is the strictest state (Stringency Score 69.7 out of 100) for moving with animals, requiring both dogs and cats two rabies vaccinations and an antibody test, or to be placed in quarantine
  • New York (68.8) and Nebraska (68.7) are the next hardest states to move with dogs and cats
  • North Carolina (Stringency Score 13.8) is the most lenient state for incoming cats and dogs, followed by New Jersey (14.8) and Maine (25) 
  • Only one state – New Jersey – doesn’t require dogs to be vaccinated for rabies when moving to the state
  • California, Michigan, New Jersey, Iowa, and Tennessee have stricter rules for dogs than cats

Moving to a new state can be a stressful experience when you have a furry friend to take along. Relocating with a pet requires additional planning and preparation, as the majority of states require cats and dogs to have a valid health certificate and a current rabies vaccination, at the minimum.

Some states, like New York or Nebraska, impose additional requirements for health certificates and vaccinations. Others, such as Maine or New Jersey, allow cats and dogs to move in without any proof of health status or vaccination at all. It can get kind of confusing!

Read on to see which states are the strictest in terms of moving with a pet, see which are the most lenient, and find out whether it’s cats or dogs that face the most scrutiny when moving across state lines.

Hard To Get Into Hawaii: States With the Strictest Rules for Pet Imports

No other state has pet migration rules as stringent as Hawaii.

Having been a rabies-free state for over 100 years, and the only state with that status, it’s understandable that the local government is keen to protect it.

That’s probably why Hawaii is the only state that requires cats and dogs to have a double rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody test, a microchip for identification, and inspection upon arrival. 

If all the requirements aren’t met four months before arriving in Hawaii, the pet may not qualify for immediate release and be quarantined for five days, costing the owner $244 in fees.

 

“There is a cluster of states in the Northeast — namely New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts — that have some of the strictest rules for certificates of veterinary inspection (CVI)…”

 

New York and Nebraska have the next strictest control measures for cats and dogs arriving from other states. Both states require animals to have a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) issued within 30 days of travel, listing a destination address and confirming no visible signs of infectious diseases.

In addition, the rabies vaccine is required for animals as young as three months and it must be administered at least 30 days prior to entering the state.

Other states where rules for bringing cats and dogs are relatively strict include West Virginia and Louisiana, where only 12-month (as opposed to 36-month) rabies vaccinations are recognized, and Connecticut, where the health certificate should state that the animal hadn’t been exposed to rabies for 100 days prior to entering the state.

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North Carolina and New Jersey Most Open to Pet Arrivals

As some states impose rigorous rules on cats and dogs moving in, others appear to be welcoming their new feline and canine residents with open arms.

North Carolina, for example, is the easiest state to move to with a cat or a dog. The state doesn’t require animals to have a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) when entering the state. And, more importantly, animals aged four months or older can enter the state without a rabies vaccine, provided that they receive one within a week of arrival. 

New Jersey is the second most lenient state with regard to pet imports. Here, An illustration of a blue cat and pink dog sitting together in a box. There is a stylized clipboard and vaccine syringe on either side of it. rabies vaccinations aren’t required for cats at all and are only “recommended” for dogs over seven months old. But most New Jersey townships require dogs to be licensed, which does require you to vaccinate your dog against rabies. In addition, dogs entering the state do need to have a CVI that’s no more than 30 days old.

The next states in our lenience ranking are Maine, Montana, and Utah, where the only requirement is a valid rabies vaccination.

Texas is another state where a CVI isn’t required for incoming cats or dogs, but at the same time, new feline and canine residents are to be vaccinated against rabies as soon as they are 12 weeks old.

North and South: Regional Differences in Rules for Moving with Pets

Projecting the rules set out by different states onto a map, a few curious patterns emerge. 

Looking at the overall stringency of rules, the states where it’s the highest are generally in the northern part of the country. Hawaii and Louisiana, of course, are notable exceptions. This is largely mirrored in how strict states are in their requirements for veterinary inspections of incoming cats and dogs. 

 

“It’s true that dogs have traditionally been associated with rabies, but they’re only the majority of cases in certain parts of the world. According to the CDC, there are many more rabid cats than dogs in the United States.”

 

There is a cluster of states in the Northeast — namely New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts — that have some of the strictest rules for certificates of veterinary inspection (CVI) that every cat and dog coming to the state needs to have.

When it comes to regulations around the rabies vaccine, it’s the states in the South that generally have tighter rules. Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Alabama stand out as some of the tightest requirements for rabies vaccination for cats and dogs entering these states.

Unequal Welcome: States with Varying Requirements for Cats and Dogs

More often than not, the rules for cats and dogs moving from one state to another are the same within a given state. And yet, seven states make moving in with one of America’s most beloved pet animals a lot easier than moving in with another one. And, you guessed it, it’s cats that have it easier.

This is most evident in the state of California, where dogs moving to the state need to be vaccinated against rabies and have a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI), while cats are allowed to be brought to the state without adhering to these measures.

Michigan does require both cats and dogs to have a CVI, but only dogs need to be vaccinated against rabies before coming to the state, and this applies to dogs as young as 12 weeks of age.

Iowa and the aforementioned New Jersey are the two other states where the requirement to have your pet vaccinated against rabies only applies to dogs. Dogs may enter New Jersey without a rabies vaccine, but would need one to be licensed in most of the state’s municipalities.

 

“Hawaii is the strictest state (Stringency Score 69.7 out of 100) for moving with animals, requiring both dogs and cats require double rabies vaccinations and an antibody test, or be placed in quarantine.”

 

While it may seem like common sense, this double standard with regard to rabies vaccination for dogs and cats is somewhat dubious.

It’s true that dogs have traditionally been associated with rabies, but they’re only the majority of cases in certain parts of the world. According to the CDC, there are many more rabid cats than dogs in the United States.

Curious to see what rules each state sets out for bringing in cats and dogs? Check out our interactive table below.

Sources and Methodology
In order to rank all U.S. states and the District of Columbia on how stringent or lenient they are as regards the import of cats and dogs, rules for the importation of cats and dogs from other U.S. states or territories were gathered from the official government websites of each state.
The following factors were considered in determining how strict or relaxed the rules were in each state, with the weighted score assigned to each. The rules mostly revolved around the certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) and rabies vaccination requirements:
  • Certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) needed – 25 points
  • Within how many days of travel the CVI had to be issued – 10 points
  • Destination address in the state listed on CVI – 10 points
  • Explicit requirement of confirmation of disease-free status on CVI – 5 points
  • Rabies vaccine mandated before arrival – 25 points
  • Rabies vaccine types accepted (1-year or 3-year) – 5 points
  • Vaccinated at least X days before arrival  – 5 points
  • Vaccination age threshold – 5 points
  • Other vaccine requirements (e.g., quarantine, additional tests, fees) – 15 points
The longer in advance the animal had to be vaccinated or inspected to get a CVI, the more stringent the rules were deemed. The lower the age threshold for vaccination, the stricter the rules were deemed.
States with the highest number of points were deemed more stringent, and states with the lower number of points were deemed more lenient. For states where requirements differed for cats and dogs, an average score of two sets of requirements was taken.
For the complete list of sources, check our datasheet.

 

Illustrations by Chanelle Nibbelink

The Cities with the Most AAPI Diversity in the US (Besides NYC and San Francisco)

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My partner is Chinese-American, so ideally he and I would like to put down roots in a city with a not insignificant Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population. (This rules out cities that might have made my list back when it was just me, my white self, and I.)

In the past, we’ve lived—both separately and together—in diverse places like Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Rockville, Maryland, and Portland, Oregon. Yet ultimately, we want to live in a city that currently has an Asian population significantly higher than the national average, which hovers right around 7%, according to Pew Research Center. 

The reasoning of course is for both comfort and safety reasons. But while we want a piece of that suburban pie, we’d also like to give ourselves a liiiittle bit of distance from big city life. (Ideally, we’d live just far away enough that we can watch House Hunters without stewing in shame over the amount we pay to live on the square footage of a postage stamp.)

But what is anyone’s option for a more suburban and affordable lifestyle within a city or town that isn’t exclusively white? I’m so very glad you asked, since we’re sharing all the research we did for ourselves.

Our search for an Asian community as an interracial couple

Really quickly before I dive in, I want to note a couple things.

First of all, I’ll be citing two statistics for each location: the “Asian alone” population percentage from the United States Census Bureau, which includes solely those responders who are “reporting only one race”. For living purposes, I’m also citing the median gross rent for 2015-2019, a representation of what a middle-of-the-bell-curve citizen pays every month in rent and utilities. (Basically, this is an all-inclusive housing cost, which for your reference is $1,664 in West Hollywood—a number that’s lower than our outright rent… so I guess take these with a grain of salt?)

 

“…we want to live in a city that currently has an Asian population significantly higher than the national average, which hovers right around 7%, according to Pew Research Center.”

 

I point out that first statistic to underline that these aren’t necessarily the most diverse cities overall, as we’re seeking solely the percentage of Asian populations for our particular situation.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Median Gross Rent: $1,745

A big part of my brain doesn’t think I’m allowed to live in a place like Hawaii, because it feels like a reward I haven’t earned. But if I can get past the mental block of whether or not I deserve to live and work on a tropical island, it actually seems like a great setup. In a reversal from every other city on this list, Caucasians are in the minority in Honolulu—people of solely Asian descent represent 42.9% of the population, as compared to 17.9% white people. And that doesn’t even include native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders (9.6%), or those who represent multiple races (22.8%), which boosts the numbers even higher.

Seattle, Washington

Median Gross Rent: $1,614

Across the pond and nestled snuggly into my beloved Pacific Northwest, we have chilly little Seattle, one of the few cities on this list that my partner and I have visited together. We stayed in a pretty industrial area during our visit, which neither of us was super keen on, but I’m still thinking about our day trip out to Bainbridge Island. I’m betting there’s a neighborhood that would check all our boxes.

At the end of the day, it’s hard to argue with the gorgeous views, fresh seafood, and younger-skewing demographics—plus it hits our checkboxes with an Asian-American population of 15.4%.

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Portland, Oregon

portland

Median Gross Rent: $1,248

Sooner or later, they all come crawling back. (At least, according to my social media-stalking of my former high school classmates.) I’ve so far resisted making the full move back to my hometown, but it always shimmers on the horizon. And now that I’m back on the same coast, it feels like just a matter of time. This is especially due to the fact that while Portland has a genuinely terrible record in terms of a lot of diversity, it does host a not-too-shabby Asian population at 8.2%, so it’s worth considering for us. Rents seem great at the moment, but once we’re looking to buy property, we’d probably steer clear of the Portland housing market for a few years, because it is going absolutely bananas right now.

San Diego, California

san diego

Median Gross Rent: $1,695

There are quite a few cities in California that match our requirements, but since I didn’t want to pull more than one option from any given state, the best choice is definitely San Diego. My partner and I visited earlier this year, and all I kept saying was, “Los Angeles wishes!” Same gorgeous weather as LA, same basic lifestyle vibe, similar diversity (with 16.9% Asian population), but cheaper, less sprawling, and way more laid back. (Sorry, LA, but you are a bit of a try-hard in the coolness department.) 

Chicago, Illinois

chicago

Median Gross Rent: $823

Continuing our jaunt eastward, we have to leapfrog a few particularly homogenous states before landing in the lovely little enclave that is Chicago. This is another city that I visited and just had an absolute blast in, although I’ll note that it was in summer, and I’m told that to really get a feel for it, I need to try my hand at Chicago in the winter. But I adored the energy. I found the public transportation system super intuitive, and I simply love to see a median gross rent in the triple-digits.

And while the Asian population currently registers at 6.6%, the midwest is currently home to the fastest-growing Asian American communities, so I’m betting that number will rise. Plus, my partner and I both do long-form improv (humiliating), so Chicago would be an excellent place to keep our comedic skills sharp.

Austin, Texas

austin

Median Gross Rent: $1,280

I gotta be honest, I initially thought the majority of the South would probably be out, but Texas went and surprised me! I’ve not had the pleasure of visiting the state in the past, but I always toyed with the idea of moving to Austin, which I’ve been told has similar vibes to Portland. With an Asian population of 7.6%, it’s just above the national average. But the fact that there’s a significant Latinx community (33.9%) is a nice boost to our search. So Barton Springs, here we (maybe) come!

Newton, Massachusetts

newton

Median Gross Rent: $1,940

After a decade in New York City, I’m a little hesitant to settle in a nearby city like Boston. I scooted next door to Newton to check out the scene and am very happy with what I found.

Once again, it’s close enough to the city that we wouldn’t have to quit urban sprawl cold turkey, but could instead take it in manageable doses. Plus, Newton actually has a significantly larger Asian population—14.8% compared with Boston’s 9.7%—along with great public schools, a suburban feel with great parks, coffee shops, restaurants and multiple awards for being one of the nicest places to live in the United States. (One con? It also has the prices to go with all those pluses.)

Rockville, Maryland

rockville

Median Gross Rent: $1,921

Alright, if my hometown can be on this list, so can his. Not only does Rockville boast a double-digit Asian population at 21.1%, but it’s truly a suburban dream. Rockville is both close enough to DC that it’s not a total nightmare to get to, but secluded enough that I can sleep through the night without getting jolted awake by car alarms or helicopters like we do in LA. Plus, my partner still has a tightly-knit community of friends out there that would be amazing to live nearby. 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA

Median Gross Rent: $1,042

Once again, Philly is just a sliver above the national average at 7.2%, but I’m leaving Philadelphia on the list because I’m intrigued, okay?

Personally, I visited the city once, back in college, and found it very approachable with locals who are very direct, which is a personality type I absolutely love. Plus, I feel like I can’t stop reading headlines about what a great place it is to live, with excellent historical and cultural institutions, and an impressive confluence of affordable housing and job growth. 

Fort Lee, New Jersey

fort lee

Median Gross Rent: $1,923

Does it feel absolutely counterintuitive for me to move all the way back to within eyeshot of New York City without actually moving into the city itself? Yes, yes it does, which is why Fort Lee is at the very end of the list. But it has an Asian population of 42.5%, which is exactly what we’re looking for!

But for me, I’ve already lived at one end of the George Washington Bridge and had about as great an experience as I’d imagine I could, living in a well-priced Manhattan studio for seven glorious years. Trying my hand at a life on the opposite side of the bridge feels like it would only invite—and suffer from—comparison. But truly, all the blessings in the world to everyone who does live there now.

Final protip

Those are the cities we have so far, but to add to the list, my partner had an excellent suggestion that you could potentially use as well: search H-Mart locations. (If a city has an H-Mart, you should consider moving there regardless, because it’s an incredible store.)

If you’re searching for “asian communities near me”, this can also tell you that the area has the population to support this kind of store, and is a great indicator for pockets of diversity that might not necessarily show up in the cold hard stats I’m relying on here.

Illustrations by Celine Lau
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