Moving Trends & Relocation Industry Analysis

Most people think that money gives you power. However, to earn money, you need to possess the right information. Information that will allow your company to establish a presence and authority in your respective industry. As a long-time member of the moving industry, Movers Development understands the importance of having the right information. And with the start of each moving season, having the moving industry statistics from past years is the best foundation for the upcoming season. Here, you will be able to find the moving trends from previous years, as well as the predictions for the upcoming moving seasons.

Movers Development – your portal into the world of moving industry trends

With the moving industry being such a wide-spread and profitable industry, there are many moving trends that one can analyze. In this report, we will include as much information as possible that we consider practical and potentially profitable for your moving business. Gathering information about your industry can prove beneficial for a multitude of reasons:

• Defining ways to optimize and upgrade your moving company website
• Teaches you the importance of location strategy and how to develop yours
• How to advertise your moving company in the best way possible

We will focus our efforts primarily on local and interstate relocation industry statistics in the US, with some notable mentions of other international markets and trends. The moving statistics noted here present a combination of our case studies and the studies conducted by other authoritative enterprises and organizations within the moving industry. So, let’s get down to it.

Throwback to the moving industry trends analysis for 2019

Reports of how the moving industry fared in 2019 might be late on our part, but it also offers us the opportunity to give insight on how moving industry statistics from the past year will be affected by the events that have already taken place during 2020. So, let’s take a closer look at how 2019 fared for professional moving companies in the US.

Interstate vs. Local Moves – crossing state lines is still in the lead, although dropping

As the years pass by, people in the US appear to be quite satisfied with the states they live in. What used to be a strong trend of interstate moves with a 65.71% rate back in 2017 has dropped to 54.5% in 2019. As more local communities continue to go digital and develop, people have less need for seeking employment outside of their 100-mile radius. And so, local moving trends in 2019 have reached a new high, with a total of 45.5% moves being within 100 miles.

• Interstate moves: 54.5% / Local moves: 45.5%

Given the COVID-19 crisis and the issues that 2020 has brought forth so far, we will probably see the rapid growth of local moving projects, with people not willing to risk crossing state lines without guarantees. Additionally, intrastate moves are much more affordable in comparison to those that involve crossing state lines. Statistics show that interstate moves can cost twice as more than your typical in-state move.

Number of moves per size

When it comes to the size of residential moves, the data is slightly different in comparison to 2018. With an increase in the percentage of 1-bedroom (28.81%) and 2-bedroom homes (21.16%), the relocation of 3-bedroom (20.27%) and 4-bedroom homes (12.69%) has dropped in numbers in 2019.

• 1 Bedroom – 30%
• 2 Bedroom – 24%
• 3 Bedroom – 16%
• 4+ Bedroom – 7%
• Studio – 10%
• Partial move – 13%

Studio moves and partial move have remained similar in volume, which only goes to show how gradual changes are when it comes to the US moving industry statistics, with no spiking in number. Although people continue to relocate, it takes years for specific moving trends to define themselves and become obvious.

Number of moves per month

It would appear that 2019 has brought about an early beginning of the peak of the moving season, with 11.4% of all moves in the US being scheduled during that month. June, July and August are still holding on, although each month with a drop, while it would appear that the first quarter of the year was on the rise with the overall number of moves.

• May – 11.4% (10.49% in 2018)
• June – 10% (13.11% in 2018)
• April – 10% (8.42% in 2018)
• March – 9.8% (9.05% in 2018)
• July – 9.7% (11.72% in 2018)
• August – 9.4% (12.09% in 2018)
• February – 7.6% (6.40% in 2018)
• January – 7.5% (3.49% in 2018)
• September – 7% (8.71% in 2018)
• October – 6.8% (7.17% in 2018)
• November – 5.4% (6.09% in 2018)
• December – 5.3% (3.26% in 2018)

Moving services market research is showing more activity before and during the spring season in 2019, a trend that might be catching on as most look to avoid the busy moving season and catch more affordable and manageable deals during May and April. After all – the moving rates are cheaper, there are more choices among professional moving companies, and the climate conditions are well-balanced.

Number of moves per weekday

• Friday – 19.8%
• Saturday – 18.7%
• Monday – 16.1%
• Thursday – 13.2%
• Wednesday – 12.4%
• Tuesday – 11.3%
• Sunday – 8.4%

Things remain balanced when it comes to the choice of the weekday to move house, with slower days catching up in percentage but still remaining where they were back in 2018. Most people still cling to Fridays and Saturdays, giving them the chance to get that extra day or two during the weekend to unpack and settle in. Sunday still remains at last place, which comes at no surprise, since everybody wants to avoid having to handle an entire relocation, only to have to get up early and go off to work the next day.

What about the busiest date for the moving industry in 2019?

As we mentioned earlier, relocation industry statistics are shifting toward the spring months, and the dates are here to confirm that. Even back in 2018, June 1st marked dominance in comparison to other dates during the year. However, unlike the runner-up position that August 1st had last year, in 2019 that status was claimed by May 31st. It remains to be seen how the COVID-19 crisis and riots have influenced the summer of 2020.

Top five moving routes

1. California to Texas
2. New York to Florida
3. New York to California
4. California to Washington
5. California to Arizona

California continues to demonstrate a trend of overpopulation and a high, competitive standard, as more people choose to leave it for other states. Texas still remains the preferred choice for Californians, followed by Washington and Arizona. On the other hand, the East Coast (New York) in particular continues to seek out better opportunities in Florida and California.

Taking into consideration the effects COVID-19 had on New York and California, this is a trend that is sure to follow, as people will be looking for escape in states less affected by the global crisis.

What about the local moving industry trends among the US states?

1. California
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. New York

Given the overpopulation of their state, Californians not only look toward moving to other states, but also within California. Texas, on the other hand, offers plenty of growth and development within its vast size, not giving Texans a reason to ever want to leave the state. And so, the Golden State and the Lone Star State once again experienced the largest number of local moving projects in 2019. And this is a moving industry statistic that promises to remain a constant in 2020 as well.

This time, Florida has taken the third place from Georgia, while New York remains firmly on the 5th spot. Ultimately, it can be both interesting and useful to observe the transitional dynamics of local moving within a given state.

Top inbound states for relocation

(States gained more population than lost in terms of mobility)

• Florida
• Texas
• California
• New York
• North Carolina
• Georgia
• Arizona
• Washington
• Illinois
• Colorado

The big winner for 2019 appears to be Florida – the state has gained more population than any other state in the country. Right after the Sunshine State – the top inbound migration state – comes Texas which was the 2018 winner of that prestigious moving statistic. The third place in terms of net migration is occupied by the state of California.

Top outbound states for relocation

(lost more population in terms of migration)

• California
• New York
• Florida
• Illinois
• Texas
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• Georgia
• Massachusetts

Despite being the state with the largest gross state product in the country and the largest sub-national economy in the world, California has lost the highest number of people of any other state due to the high level of net outbound migration. The state of New York comes second on the list of the top out-migration states, followed duly by Florida.

Summary

The moving industry trends for 2019 show slight shifts in comparison to 2018, but enough to give a glimpse into how certain trends are shifting. On the other hand, 2020 has brought about many spikes and impacts that are changing the course of the entire economy as we are discussing these moving statistics. There are plenty of challenges that still lay ahead, for both US residents and businesses looking to relocate as well as the professional moving companies that wish to help them do so.

• Keep following our blog for more information about the development of the moving industry and the influence internal and external factors have on it.

We start with some general moving industry trends 2018 brought

Although the ratio of local vs. interstate moves remained unchanged in comparison to previous years, 2018 brought some exciting changes. Busiest moving routes have changed, in addition to other intriguing moving statistics.

Local vs. Interstate Moving Ratio in 2018 -> 39.49% vs. 60.51%

With the 2019 moving season well underway, we are still drawing the same conclusion we drew last year. With a percentage of 60.51, interstate moves are still beating the amount of local moving endeavors (39.49 percent). In comparison to 2017, interstate moves have experienced a 5 percent drop, meaning that in-state opportunities are on the rise.

Sizing up the current moving trends

With the significant difference in terms of the size of the property you’re relocating, this is another vital factor to consider. Why? Because you won’t need the same equipment or workforce to help relocate a studio apartment or single bedroom house, and a 2-story 4+ bedroom household. Knowing which to expect can end up saving your company quite a bit of money.

Here, we find a similarity with 2017 – where the majority of moves were based around single bedroom homes. However, there has been a surge in terms of 3-bedroom households, with the 2018 moving statistics showing a 4-percent increase in comparison to the past year. And with full-service movers becoming more frequent and affordable, people naturally find them more appealing than the once popular partial moving assistance. As a result, we end up with the following percentage:

• 1 Bedroom Home – 28.81%
• 2 Bedroom Home – 21.16%
• 3 Bedroom Home – 20.27%
• Partial Moves – 12.69%
• Studio Moves – 9.37%
• 4+ Bedroom Home – 7.70%

Who employs all these professional moving companies?

With so many different reasons for relocation, four broader categories use the services of moving companies:

• Individuals (44%)
• Corporate (39%)
• Military (16%)
• Fed Government (1%)

The average client that uses moving services is young couples ages between 18-34, with 1-2 children. That means that young families are still the most effective ones when it comes to relocation and hiring professional moving companies. After all, the older people get, the less inclined we are to make more significant changes in our lives.

How do people prefer to relocate?

Moving is all good and fine. We all have different reasons for choosing to relocate, and we all have our own needs and expectations. However, when it comes to how you are going to relocate, there are only three methods to choose from:

1. Hiring professional moving companies to handle everything for you
2. Renting a moving truck and doing a partially assisted relocation
3. DIY – employ no one, rent nothing and do everything by yourself

According to AMSA findings, you will find that as many as 45% of people chose to relocate on their own in 2018. 33% went as far as renting a moving truck, while the lowest number of people opted for hiring professional movers – 21%. Despite this surprising turn of events, the moving industry still grows from year to year.

What are the reasons for people deciding to relocate?

With so many moves and changes, people often wonder what the motives behind it all are. As the years go by, specific moving trends tend to chance, but some still remain. And among the most common relocation industry statistics are the reasons why people relocate:

1. In search of a new and better quality of life
2. Setting up and settling into their own home
3. For family-related purposes
4. In search of employment or for the sake of current work
5. To find cheaper housing opportunities
6. For the sake of an easier commute and vicinity to work
7. Due to marital status changes
8. To attend college or post-graduation

What about the number of moves per month?

Indeed, with the peak season having just begun, we already know that there are differences to be made in terms of the months you move in. Hence, you can’t very well expect the same amount of moving jobs in December (lowest point with 3.26%) and June (peak of the 2018 moving season at 13.11%). Once again, the rule of thumb is that late spring and summer remain the busiest four months for relocation projects. And this is how the moving trends from past years divide the monthly moving ratio:

1. June – 13.11%
2. August – 12.09%
3. July – 11.72%
4. May – 10.49%
5. March – 9.05%
6. September – 8.71%
7. April – 8.42%
8. October – 7.17%
9. February – 6.40%
10. November – 6.09%
11. January – 3.49%
12. December – 3.26%

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Weekdays also count in moving industry statistics

Friday remains the busiest day in the week when we discuss relocation. As such, with more than 20 percent, it has remained dominant when it comes to the most popular day in the week for relocating. So, if you want to steer clear from crowds and booking troubles, you might want to join the 7.69 percent that chooses Sunday as their moving day. But, here are the exact stats when it comes to the percentage of moves per weekday:

1. Friday – 20.22%
2. Saturday – 18.40%
3. Monday – 16.15%
4. Thursday – 13.60%
5. Wednesday – 13.27%
6. Tuesday – 10.67%
7. Sunday – 7.69%

But which was the busiest date for relocation in 2018?

Unlike the notion of moving on Friday, one thing that has changed according to moving industry trends in 2018 is that June 30^th was not the busiest day in the year. Instead, we welcomed June 1^st on the throne, with August 1^st being the runner-up.

We move on to local moving statistics 2018 has brought

As far as local and intra-state moves are concerned, it should come as no surprise that California and Texas came out on top of the list. Since both states have a concrete economy and are super-large areas, they easily top the other states in terms of internal migrations. Following them are:

• Georgia (mostly due to the rapid development of Atlanta)
• Florida (as an evergreen destination among Americans)
• New York (no real explanation needed here)

What about the top cities for local moves in 2018?

Well, the capital of Georgia definitely topped all other cities in this race. And this is a trend that promises to continue in 2019 since Atlanta isn’t planning to stop its expansion any time soon. But here are the other cities that qualified on the top 10 list according to moving trends from the past year:

1. Atlanta, GA
2. Houston, TX
3. Chicago, IL
4. Brooklyn, NY
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Fresno, CA
7. Charlotte, NC
8. Dallas, TX
9. New York City, NY
10. Milwaukee, WI

The relocation industry statistics for cross country moves

Having covered the important moving trends for local migrations, it is time also to tackle the nationwide ones. After all, with an average of 12 moves per lifetime, Americans continue to be the most mobile people in the world. But, what are the destinations within the US that they focused most on in 2018?

Top inbound states for relocation

Although the migration trends in the US don’t change drastically, each year brings some new surprises in terms of inbound and outbound cross country moving trends. And in 2018, the list of top 10 states for inbound moves welcomes Arizona and the District of Columbia on its list. Now, the list stands as follows:

1. Vermont
2. Oregon
3. Idaho
4. Nevada
5. Arizona
6. South Carolina
7. Washington
8. North Carolina
9. South Dakota
10. District of Columbia

As one can notice, the moving industry trends 2018 lead towards states in the Mountain West and Pacific West regions primarily. The main reasons behind these moves focused on retirement, family, and a change of lifestyle. Of course, other states joined the fold, the likes of South Carolina, North Carolina, where the appeal of employment and retirement played the critical factor.

Top outbound states for relocation

While people are drawn towards the northwestern states, the other side of the coin rests on northeastern areas. That is where the core of the top 10 outbound states is. And the moving statistics from 2018 demonstrate as much, with the following ten states:

1. New Jersey
2. Illinois
3. Connecticut
4. New York
5. Kansas
6. Ohio
7. Massachusetts
8. Iowa
9. Montana
10. Michigan

After ten years of being ranked 2^nd, New Jersey finally took the position from Illinois when it comes to the number of residents moving out.

6 busiest US relocation routes in 2018

Although California has the largest GDP in the nation and is the 3^rd largest US state, it is no longer as popular as it once was. Nowadays, moving industry trends note it as one of the more popular starting points for relocation. People are replacing the California sun with that of Texas, Washington, and Arizona. All the while, New Yorkers are looking to escape the urban jungle and chaos of everyday life in the Big Apple. They find the ideal replacement for it in warmer climates that Florida and California offer. So, these are the six busiest routes for cross country movers in the US:

• California – Texas
• New York – Florida
• California – Washington
• California – Arizona
• New York – California
• Massachusetts to New York

And what of international moving trends?

The USA remains a strong foothold for expats, and the moving statistics from 2018 prove as much. The overall presence of import/export relocation jobs was dominant throughout the past year. In spite of Trump’s policies and political plans, America continues to be the global leader when it comes to inbound international moving leads. According to over 6,000 international household moves done in 2018, these were the top 10 destinations:

1. California
2. Texas
3. Virginia
4. South Korea
5. Japan
6. Hawaii
7. Germany
8. England
9. Washington
10. Maryland

What does 2019 hold for the moving industry?

With a population of over 327 million people spanning over nearly 10 million km2, no relocation market in the world comes close to the US one. The moving services that US companies offer to its residents consist of a combination of residential, commercial, and warehousing expertise. And as a result of the extent of the services and the number of people that use it daily, the US moving market has marked a steady growth over the past 8 years. According to recent moving trends, 2018 marked the peak of industry revenue, boasting a total of $18 billion (2.4% increase in comparison to 2017).

Furthermore, revenue is not the only factor on the rise in the moving industry. Industry expansion has also led to an increase in moving companies (+ 1.9%) and the number of employees in the relocation sector (+2.2%).

Moving trends for 2017

Why, when, and where do people move? These are the three most difficult questions to answer in the world of moving. In fact, if someone had the answer to all of them, they would be able to monopolize the market. But what everybody tries to do is make predictions regarding the upcoming trends in the moving industry, as accurately as possible. You might find it unusual to discuss the current relocation trends at the end of the year, but it can be helpful. Why? The moving trends analysis for 2017 can help you make accurate predictions for 2018. However, do bear in mind that the peak of the moving season starts at the end of April, which is in less than six months. That doesn’t leave you much time to prepare your moving business strategy. Hence, let’s discuss the analysis of moving trends in 2017 for you to be better prepared for 2018.

Forecasts for the moving season peak: Moving trends analysis for 2017

To talk about the moving trends expected during the peak season of the year, we must discuss the trends in the previous year, and the year before that. Comparing those results, we can see what we can expect in the moving market this year. To achieve movers development, you should follow movers’ news. That’s how you’ll be able to predict some moving trends and grab your competition’s customers. It sounds cruel. But if you don’t grab their customers, they will grab yours! Hence, we shall compare statistics from 2016 to the statistics from 2015. That will give some picture to predict the trends in the moving season to follow.

We got statistic data for our research from several moving agencies we cooperate with. Together with the official data from some credible organizations, here’s what fields we made predictions for making moving trends analysis for 2017:

• Moving anatomy in 2016- How many relocations were there, and what were the reasons for them.
• The busiest moving parts of the year, week and hour- When were those relocations going on?
• Different relocation sizes- How big were the relocations in 2016 comparing to 2015, and what’s expected for 2017?
• What were the starting and ending points for USA migrations- Where did people move within the USA.

The number of Americans moving during one year is at its historical minimum

But there’s nothing to be worried about. People are still moving. Only that they moved slightly less during 2016 than the year before. Only 11.2% of Americans moved during last year. That is a pretty low number comparing to, for example, the 1980s when around 20% of people were moving every year. But having in mind that the figures are a lot lower during the last two decades, professional movers have no reason to fear. The forecasts show, being that the housing industry is rapidly recovering, that the number of people moving will rise in the next five years.

Given that we shall provide you with the actual moving trends analysis for 2017, we shall go to some exact numbers:

• Around 50% of all people moving in 2016 moved outside of the country, or out of the state.
• 42.2% of people moving during 2016 claimed they moved because of the housing.
• 27.7% stated they moved for family reasons.
• 20.2% moved for a job. 
• 10.2% that left had some other reasons for their relocations.

Talking about moving trends analysis for 2017, the most important reasons for moving won’t change. That could show the moving agencies where to search for new customers. The number of relocations is expected to grow in 2017.

When were people moving in 2016, and what are the predictions for 2017?

The moving trends analysis didn’t show significant changes discussing the time when relocations were conducted. As you could expect, Friday was the busiest day of the week with 19.7% moving that day. Nothing too weird. People moving on Friday have two-three days to do everything and prepare for the work week to come. The most attractive days after Friday was Saturday(17.9%) and Monday(17.2%).

Talking about the months, June, July, and August were the busiest months for moving companies. 14.1% of people conducted their moving during June, 12.6% moved in July while 11.5% relocated in August. Summer repeats to be the most attractive season for moving people year after year.

Standardly, May is also an attractive month for moving. In 2016 10.5% moved in May, using spring to relocate. What did change was the percentage of those moving during the summer? Being that more Americans chose to wait for summer to finish and move during the fall. 8.5% moved during the September, and 8.1% picked October to be the best for their moving month.

It is predicted that the figures you just read are going to remain the same in 2017. There could be slight changes, but no significant change is expected. May is the start of moving season, while summer is predicted to remain the most attractive for moving people. Talking about the days, maybe some number of people will choose to move on Tuesday and Wednesday, having that the prices are lowest in those days. Still, Friday will almost surely stay the most attractive day for moving in 2017.

The sizes of relocations

On the contrary from the fact that fewer Americans moved in 2016, the average size of relocations increased. It seems to be the trend now. Being that that appears to happen every year for the last several years. That is maybe the most compelling reason why the revenue of the moving companies rose even though the number of relocations fell. Moving trends analysis for 2017 shows that this is going to continue. Good news for professional movers!

Here’s what were the sizes of homes people moved in 2016:

• 8,4% – studio
• 25.2% – 1 bedroom
• 23.4% – 2 bedroom
• 16.9% – 3 bedroom
• 10.4% – 4+ bedroom
• 15.7% – Partial move

The most important information is that the number of 1-bedroom relocations reduced by more than 14% in 2016! And the trends show that in 2017 the size of relocations will remain to grow. Being that people look to buy bigger homes.

Where were people moving in 2016?

Talking about the locations, the trends remained the same in 2016. For example, New Yorker’s still love moving to California. On the other hand, Californians commonly move to Washington. Therefore, people move from western to the eastern coast, but also in the opposite direction.

Here’s what states were trendy for relocating to in 2016:

• California
• Florida
• Texas
• New Jersey
• Illinois

Talking about the cities, here are the top five picked by 2016 moving people:

• NYC
• Chicago
• Houston
• LA
• Miami

Moving trends analysis for 2017 shows that it’s most likely that the top 5 states we mentioned will remain the most desired destinations for moving to. There could be some changes in the most desired cities. But those changes would rather be in the position among the top 5 cities, then to expect that some other city will jump and change the names in the top 5 lists. At least that’s what we predict based on the research we did to create this moving trends analysis for 2017.

Plus, a certain amount of people will inevitably move to one of the top 10 best cities for living in the USA. So it could be interesting information to know for professional movers.

The new trends in global mobility

After we discussed the trends in 2015, 2016 and 2017, we must say a few words about the global trends. There are changes in overall migrations every year. Some of them are happening due to a difficult political situation, others for different sorts of discrimination, yet others because of war, etc. We won’t be discussing these kinds of trends, given that you can learn about them by following the regular news.

What we will be explaining are the trends caused by the economy. Those are the trends that last for a longer period of time and influence the movement globally. We won’t be talking only about changing the address due to the change of a job (although there is a significant percentage of people moving, for this reason, more than 20%). But we will discuss different aspects of relocations for a better life. What are the strongest global mobility trends nowadays:

• Moving for a higher salary

  

  People might be satisfied with what they do. But what counts is the amount of money they bring home. Hence, many people decide to change their residence when they get a chance of being paid more. These trends are practically the most important for this year and for the years to come. While doing our moving trends analysis for 2017, we didn’t get the results showing that people are currently moving for a better salary that much, although the current levels are significant too. However, plenty of other people we talked to said they would accept to move to another place if they got a higher salary. Given that the economy of individual countries is getting stronger on a daily level, you must consider this important factor while creating the next marketing or sales strategy for your moving company.

• Seeking for a more comfortable life

  That is connected to a previous reason but also influenced by other factors. I mean, having more money to buy goods and services surely is the reason number one to change your residence. But there are other reasons. Such as lower costs of living, more chances to spend quality time with family, less time spent on transportation, etc. Therefore, do your research and find out what cities are superior, and which ones are inferior to the criteria mentioned above, and you’ll have a map of future migrations in the USA and worldwide.

• Searching for a better education

  Sure, money isn’t everything. But it makes our life better. So it influences the relocations too. One of the reasons why people will migrate in the years to come is seeking a better education. It’s not directly connected to making more money, but it certainly makes it easier to get a better and more paid job.

• Better opportunities for your children and your spouse

  That is the reason that summarizes all of the three factors mentioned above why people change their location. Moving to another city, state, or even continent is almost 100% influenced by a better life pursuit. Therefore, it’s not enough that only one spouse has a good job, or only one child has a good chance for education. Families especially have a difficult task to decide where the next home destination should be. Families must find a city that has excellent job opportunities for both husband and wife, as well as quality schools for all of their children. Hence, it would be nothing weird to see a family moving somewhere else even if one spouse had a job with a considerable salary.

In the end, we want to say a few words about the moving analysis. It’s good that you took the time and checked out our moving trend analysis. But it’s undoubtedly not enough. You must keep following the trends in the moving world, and we shall do everything to keep you informed!

For example, one of the most significant trends in the moving world is that the best moving companies are implementing the moving quote calculator on their website. And the customers are delighted with a chance to get a moving estimate directly on the website. Would you be interested in pleasing your potential customers and getting the leads easily by providing them with an accurate moving quote?