Moving industry statistics answer three questions every moving company owner asks before a new season: how many households will actually move, where they are going, and which months will carry the year. This 2026 edition of the Movers Development report brings together the relocation data we have published since 2017, from Census mover rates to state rankings, routes, seasonality and move sizes, and labels every figure with its year and source. Where the newest number in our sources is from 2019–2023, we say so instead of guessing a 2025 or 2026 value.
Key Moving Industry Statistics at a Glance
The table below is the short version of the report. Each row shows the latest year available in the source, so read 2019–2023 figures as the most recent published data point, not as a current-year estimate.
| Metric | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of Americans who moved | 11.2% (a record low at the time) | 2016 | U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey |
| People who moved | 34,902,000 | 2017 | U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey |
| Share of Americans who moved | 10.1% (32,352,000 people) | 2018 | U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey |
| People who moved | 27,059,000 (8.4% of Americans) | 2021, latest in our sources | U.S. Census Bureau data, as reported by Forbes |
| Movers who crossed state lines | About 15% | 2018, latest in our sources | Movers Development 2019 report |
| Local moves as a share of all moves | 56.7% | 2023 roundup | Movers Development 2023 statistics roundup |
| Households that hired full-service movers | 22.7%–26% | 2023 | Two 2023 data sets compiled by Movers Development |
| Moves made between May and August | About 45% | 2022 (reported 2023) | Movers Development 2023 statistics roundup |
| Busiest month and weekday | May (11.4%), Friday (19.8%) | 2019, latest in our sources | Movers Development 2016–2019 trend analysis |
| Most common move size | 1-bedroom home (31.61% of moves) | 2020, latest in our sources | Combined AMSA and United Van Lines data |
| Moves by customer type | Individuals 51%, corporate 29%, military 18%, federal 2% | 2020, latest in our sources | Combined AMSA and United Van Lines data |
| Average cost of a move | $1,250 local, $2,300 intrastate long distance, $4,890 interstate | As cited in 2020 | American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) |
| Top inbound and outbound state | Vermont (in), New Jersey (out) | 2019 report, latest in our sources | Movers Development 2019 state analysis |
| Top reason for moving | Better quality of life (24%) | 2023 | 2023 survey data in our earlier analysis |
None of the figures above is a 2025 or 2026 projection. Where a newer official number exists, the Census link near the end of this report is the place to check it.
How Many People Move Each Year in the US?
Fewer Americans move every year, and the decline has been steady. In 2016 the national mover rate hit 11.2%, a historic low at that point. By 2018 it was 10.1%, or 32,352,000 people. Census data for 2021, the latest figure in our sources, puts it at 8.4%, or 27,059,000 people. That is about 7.8 million fewer movers than in 2017, when 34,902,000 Americans relocated.
Industry revenue did not fall at the same pace, because the average relocation got bigger for several years after 2016, and long-distance jobs pay several times more than local ones. These moving industry statistics also show how small the pool of interstate work is. In 2018, only about 15% of movers crossed state lines, and in our 2023 roundup local moves made up 56.7% of all moves. A local company that adds long-distance service is competing for the most valuable slice of a shrinking market.
How many movers hire a professional moving company?
Most households do not buy the full package. One 2023 data set we published found that 37% of Americans went for DIY relocations, 31% rented vehicles or storage pods, and 26% hired full-service movers. A second 2023 roundup put full-service hires at 22.7%, truck rentals at 37.5%, pure DIY moves at 24.1%, and container-only moves at 15.7%. Either way, roughly three in four households skip full service.
That gap is a sales problem as much as a demand problem. Labor-only loading, packing-only help and container loading let you win part of the DIY budget instead of losing the whole job to a truck rental.
Why Do Americans Move?
Cost and space drive most relocation decisions. Among the moving industry statistics we track, the 2023 survey data ranked the top reasons this way:
- 24% moved for a better quality of life, such as cleaner air and recreation
- 23% moved for a lower cost of living or better home prices
- 22% moved to upsize
- 22% moved because of work flexibility, such as remote work
- 21% moved to be closer to friends or family
A second 2023 data set showed the same order: better living conditions at 25.6%, lower housing costs at 21.4%, and moving closer to loved ones or back home at 17%. Cities with cheaper housing gained the most, because buyers there can afford a larger home on the same budget.
How reasons for moving changed from 2016 to 2019
Housing was the biggest driver well before the pandemic. The share of people moving for housing reasons (cheaper rent, a better home, or buying instead of renting) rose from 42% in 2016 to 48% in 2017 and 55% in 2018, then held at 54% in 2019. Job-related moves were 20.2% in 2016 and about 17% in 2019. United Van Lines data showed a spike to 55% in 2017, and its 2018 study found that 46.6% of people moving south did so for a job change, while Statista put all work-related moves at 18% that year. Family reasons fell from 27.7% in 2016 to 21% in both 2018 and 2019.
Who is upsizing and who is downsizing?
The 2023 data shows a clear generational split. 50% of boomers upsized compared with 32% of millennials, 31% of boomers downsized compared with 40% of millennials, and 19% of boomers kept the same size compared with 28% of millennials. In other words, 69% of boomers did not downsize, so retirement does not automatically mean a smaller move. Millennials are the group most likely to trade down, which makes them the natural audience for studio and 1-bedroom offers.
Where Are Americans Moving? States, Cities and Routes
Destination data tells you which lanes to price, staff and advertise. Across our reports, the Sun Belt and the Mountain West dominated inbound lists, while the Northeast and Midwest kept losing residents.
Top inbound and outbound states
Our 2019 state analysis ranked these as the top destination and departure states. They are the most recent state rankings in our sources:
| Rank | Top inbound states | Top outbound states |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | New Jersey |
| 2 | Oregon | Illinois |
| 3 | Idaho | Connecticut |
| 4 | Nevada | New York |
| 5 | Arizona | Kansas |
| 6 | South Carolina | Ohio |
| 7 | Washington | Massachusetts |
| 8 | North Carolina | Iowa |
| 9 | South Dakota | Montana |
| 10 | District of Columbia | Michigan |
Outbound states are mostly expensive, crowded markets where people want more space for the money. Inbound winners combine cheaper housing with job growth, with Vermont, the Carolinas and DC as East Coast exceptions to the westward pull. In 2016 and 2017, before this shift, the top five destination states were California, Florida, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois.
Most popular interstate moving routes
The six busiest US relocation routes in our 2019 analysis were California to Texas, New York to Florida, California to Washington, California to Arizona, New York to California, and Massachusetts to New York. In 2020, COVID-19 pushed people out of crowded states and reshuffled the list: California to Idaho, Oregon to Idaho, California to Arizona, California to Texas, New York to South Carolina, New York to Delaware, California to New Mexico, Louisiana to Texas, New York to Maine, and New Jersey to Florida.
California is the origin of four of the ten 2020 routes and New York of three. If you run long-distance moves out of either state, those lanes are where route-specific pages and ads earn their keep. Interstate jobs are also where the money is: AMSA figures we cited in 2020 put the average interstate move at $4,890, against $2,300 for a long-distance intrastate move and $1,250 for a local move.
Which cities are Americans moving to?
In the 2023 data, the metros gaining the most movers were Myrtle Beach/Wilmington, Sarasota, Orlando, Ocala, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Knoxville and Jacksonville. Florida holds four of the eight spots. California is the opposite case: 27% of Americans said they would like to move there, but the cost of living keeps most of them out. Our 2017 list of top cities Americans were moving to leaned the same way, toward metros with lower rents than New York, such as Hoboken, Austin and Denver.
Suburbs won the post-COVID shuffle. 25% of all relocations went from cities to suburbs, 39% of all moves ended in a suburb, and 31% of rural residents who moved also chose the suburbs, even though about 40% of Americans say they prefer city life. For local work, the top cities in 2018 were Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Fresno, Charlotte, Dallas, New York City and Milwaukee. Big-city customers still expect the basics covered in what people in major cities want from movers: fast replies, careful handling and know-how about building rules.
Best US cities for moving with family
Our 2020 list of the top US cities for moving with family favored safe suburbs close to big job markets:
- Bowling Green, Ohio: parks, good schools and Wood County Hospital
- Carmel, Indiana: crime in its suburbs 72% below average
- Franklin Park, Pennsylvania: crime 87% below average, close to Pittsburgh
- Highland Park, Texas: an affluent, close-knit town next to Dallas
- Cary, North Carolina: low crime, near Raleigh and Durham
- Minnetonka, Minnesota: high graduation rates and affordable housing
- Newton, Massachusetts: a group of villages next to Boston
- Rockville, Maryland: high-paying jobs and strong science schools
- Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: low crime and warm weather
- Ann Arbor, Michigan: home to Michigan Medicine
Family moves in these suburbs tend to be bigger homes on a school-year schedule, which feeds straight into the summer peak.
When Do People Move? Seasonality by Month and Weekday
Summer is still the peak. Our 2023 roundup found that about 45% of the previous year’s moves happened between May and August, and our 2023 trend review named April through August as the busiest stretch. The 2016–2019 monthly data, the latest month-by-month series in our sources, shows how the curve flattened before the pandemic:
| Month | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.25% | 4.02% | 3.49% | 7.5% |
| February | 5.91% | 6.1% | 6.40% | 7.6% |
| March | 7.17% | 7.9% | 9.05% | 9.8% |
| April | 8.00% | 8.24% | 8.42% | 10% |
| May | 10.15% | 10.36% | 10.49% | 11.4% |
| June | 13.91% | 13.65% | 13.11% | 10% |
| July | 12.60% | 12.1% | 11.72% | 9.7% |
| August | 11.39% | 11.76% | 12.09% | 9.4% |
| September | 8.58% | 8.62% | 8.71% | 7% |
| October | 8.08% | 7.83% | 7.17% | 6.8% |
| November | 6.64% | 6.32% | 6.09% | 5.4% |
| December | 3.31% | 3.23% | 3.26% | 5.3% |
The 2019 numbers stand out. June fell from 13.11% to 10% and July from 11.72% to 9.7%, while January more than doubled its share (3.49% to 7.5%) and December rose from 3.26% to 5.3%. More people moved in colder months than before, which is why off-season budgets matter. We break down the pattern in seasonal trends in moving, and the summer prep work in peak season preparations.
Busiest moving days of the week
Friday was the busiest moving day in every year of the data, with 19.67% of moves in 2016 and 19.8% in 2019. Saturday followed (17.95% to 18.7%), then Monday (15.7% to 16.1%). Sunday stayed the quietest day at 7.69%–8.4%. Tuesday gained ground, from 9.89% to 11.3%, while Wednesday slipped from 13.4% to 12.4%. A midweek rate is one practical way to fill trucks on the slow days.
Which states stay busy in the off-season?
Warm-weather states keep booking winter jobs. Our 2019 pick of the top states for off-season relocations was Texas, Florida, Arizona, California and Georgia. Arizona flips the calendar: summer heat makes it the slow season there, so spring and fall carry the year. Florida draws retirees, young couples and families in every month. If your trucks run into any of these states, our off-season marketing strategy for movers covers budgets and campaigns for the slow months.
What Types and Sizes of Moves Bring the Most Revenue?
Residential moves bring in most of the work in the relocation industry, and 1-bedroom homes are the most common job. Here is how move sizes shifted from 2016 to 2020, the latest year in our sources (the 2020 figures combine AMSA and United Van Lines data):
| Move size | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 8.4% | 8.7% | 9.37% | 10% | 10.37% |
| 1 bedroom | 25.2% | 26.75% | 28.81% | 30% | 31.61% |
| 2 bedroom | 23.4% | 22.3% | 21.16% | 24% | 20.32% |
| 3 bedroom | 16.9% | 17.5% | 20.27% | 16% | 18.47% |
| 4+ bedroom | 10.4% | 8.3% | 7.70% | 7% | 5.80% |
| Partial move | 15.7% | 13.4% | 12.69% | 13% | 13.43% |
Studio and 1-bedroom moves grew every year in the series, from a combined 33.6% in 2016 to about 42% in 2020, while 4+ bedroom moves fell from 10.4% to 5.8%. Our 2023 review noted families shifting back toward 3-bedroom-plus homes for more space, but it did not publish a percentage. The most profitable relocation types and sizes are therefore a mix: high-volume small moves that keep crews busy, and fewer large or interstate jobs that carry the margin.
By customer type, the 2019 to 2020 shift was clear. Individuals who hire movers rose from 44% to 51% of moves, corporate relocations financed by employers fell from 39% to 29%, military moves rose from 16% to 18%, and federal government moves went from 1% to 2%. Corporate work dropped when many small businesses paused or closed during the pandemic.
What does a nationwide relocation take?
Nationwide relocation services are where the $4,890 average interstate ticket lives, but they take more than a bigger truck. Our guide to organizing a nationwide relocation boils it down to four steps:
- Train every crew member for long hauls and put an experienced lead on each cross-country job.
- Service your trucks for long trips, or rent one for the first project before you buy.
- Line up a packing supplier, a logistics or freight partner for very long lanes, and storage at both the origin and the destination.
- Decide whether a moving broker will sell and book part of the work. Brokers give estimates and take deposits for the carrier, but they never perform the move.
How Do Remote Work and the Housing Market Affect Moving Demand?
Two forces outside the industry now set the pace of relocation trends: where people can work, and whether they can afford to buy.
Remote work and moving trends
Remote work cut the link between job and address. In the 2023 data, 22% of movers relocated because of work flexibility. Remote workers lean toward suburbs and rural areas with bigger homes and room for an office, which pushes demand toward interstate and long-distance moves. They also move off-peak more often, because they do not need time off to relocate. Their checklist is consistent: cost of living, reliable internet, good schools and healthcare, and access to nature.
For movers, that means virtual surveys and online quotes, flexible packages, short-term storage and home setup help. A survey cited by Architectural Digest found that 55% of US adults want to relocate. Remote workers are a large part of that pool, but the economy decides how many of them actually move.
Housing market and mortgage rates
Housing supply sets the rhythm of the moving season. Our 2024 housing market analysis tracked three effects that still apply. Mortgage rate changes decide when homeowners list. Low inventory forces buyers to decide fast, which creates last-minute moving requests. Slow markets leave sellers waiting, which creates storage demand. Federal Reserve rate decisions sit behind all three, and spring remains the most active home-buying season. Our analysis of the impact of rising mortgage rates on the moving industry covers what happens to bookings when rates climb. The short rule: in hot markets, sell speed; in slow markets, sell storage.
What Do These Moving Trends Mean for Your Marketing?
Every number above points to the same plan: fewer movers, more competition for each job, and a peak that has to pay for the slow months. In our work with 400+ moving companies across the US, Canada, and other countries, the ones that grow treat this data as a media plan. Here is how the moving industry trends translate into action:
- Target long-distance search terms. With interstate jobs averaging $4,890 against $1,250 local, build route and destination pages around a list of keywords for moving companies that favors long-distance terms.
- Start organic work before the peak. SEO for moving companies takes months to pay off, so pages meant for May–August need to go live in winter.
- Weight paid budgets by season and lane. Location-targeted PPC for moving companies can follow the summer peak and geotarget the outbound states and busy routes above.
- Offer DIY-friendly services. With full-service hires at 22.7%–26%, labor-only, packing-only and container-loading options capture budget you would otherwise lose to truck rentals.
- Make quoting instant. Moving quote calculators and virtual consultations suit remote workers and fast-moving buyers who want a price before they talk to anyone.
- Publish useful content. In our 2023 roundup, blog content ranked as the top draw on moving company websites, followed by location-targeted PPC and social media.
- Show green practices if you have them. Since 2019, more movers use biodiesel or electric trucks, reusable packing materials and route optimization to cut fuel use, and eco-minded customers notice.
The figures in this report are the latest in our sources. Before you set targets for 2027, check the newest mover rate in the Census Bureau’s geographic mobility data, which is updated from the Current Population Survey and the American Community Survey.
How the modern moving process shapes buying decisions
Customers now run the modern moving process online from the first step: they browse homes on Zillow, compare quotes on moving company sites, track tasks in apps like Sortly, and book repairs through Thumbtack. A website built for moving companies that loads fast, shows pricing and makes booking easy wins the jobs that shopping process creates. For more channel ideas, see our guide to ways to advertise your moving business.
Turn Relocation Data Into Booked Jobs
Moving industry statistics only pay off when they change where your next marketing dollar goes. Movers Development runs SEO, PPC, websites and Google Business Profile programs exclusively for moving companies, and we use demand data like this to decide which routes, seasons and services to push for each client. If you want to see how your company stacks up in your market, request a free marketing analysis and get a custom growth plan for the coming season.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people move each year in the US?
About 27.1 million Americans, or 8.4% of the population, moved in 2021, the latest Census-based figure in our sources. That is down from 34.9 million people in 2017 and a 10.1% mover rate in 2018, when 32.4 million people moved. The share has fallen for years, so moving companies compete for fewer jobs, and only about 15% of movers cross state lines.
What are the current moving trends?
The main moving trends are fewer total moves, a strong pull toward suburbs and Sun Belt states, and more DIY relocations. In 2023 data, 39% of moves ended in a suburb, Florida held four of the eight fastest-growing metros, and only 22.7%–26% of households hired full-service movers. Cost and lifestyle drive the decisions: 24% moved for a better quality of life and 23% for a lower cost of living.
Are moving companies busy right now?
Moving companies are busiest from May through August, when about 45% of all moves happen. In 2019 data, May carried 11.4% of annual moves, while October had 6.8%, November 5.4% and December 5.3%, so late fall and winter are the slow months. Friday is the busiest day of the week at about 19.8% of moves, and warm states such as Texas, Florida and Arizona stay busier through the winter.
What are the most popular moving routes in the US?
The six busiest US relocation routes in our 2019 analysis were California to Texas, New York to Florida, California to Washington, California to Arizona, New York to California, and Massachusetts to New York. In 2020, COVID-19 shifted demand toward less crowded states, with California to Idaho, Oregon to Idaho and California to Arizona leading the list. These are the latest route rankings in our sources.
What are the types of relocation?
By customer, relocations split into individual moves, corporate relocations paid by employers, military moves and federal government moves. In 2020, individuals made up 51% of moves, corporate relocations 29%, military moves 18% and federal moves 2%, based on combined AMSA and United Van Lines data. By distance, moves are local, intrastate long distance or interstate, with AMSA-cited average costs of $1,250, $2,300 and $4,890.
Do companies prefer one-bedroom or multi-bedroom setups for relocations?
By volume, one-bedroom moves lead. In 2020 data combining AMSA and United Van Lines figures, 1-bedroom homes made up 31.61% of moves, 2-bedroom homes 20.32%, 3-bedroom homes 18.47%, studios 10.37% and 4+ bedroom homes 5.80%. Small moves keep crews busy and fill the calendar, while multi-bedroom and interstate jobs carry the higher tickets, so a profitable schedule needs both.
What pricing tools help optimize rates as remote work and relocation patterns shift?
An instant quote calculator on your website is the most direct tool, because it gives remote workers and fast-moving home buyers a price before they call. Pair it with online estimate forms and virtual surveys for larger moves, then compare quote requests by route and month against the seasonal pattern, where about 45% of moves fall between May and August. That comparison shows where midweek or off-season rates can fill empty trucks.
What are nationwide relocation services?
Nationwide relocation services are interstate moves from one part of the country to another, usually bundled with packing, long-haul transport and storage. For a moving company, offering them takes trained long-haul crews, trucks serviced for long trips, a packing supplier, freight partners and storage at both ends. AMSA figures cited in 2020 put the average interstate move at $4,890, compared with $1,250 for a local move.
