Pandemic moving trends in 2020 – where and why

Moving companies across the nation are sharing trends for inbound and outbound migration during the pandemic citing the desire to be nearer to family, health concerns, working from home taking center stage, and lifestyle changes among the top reasons people made a move in 2020.

It’s clear that COVID-19 has had a direct impact on moving trends with stay-at-home orders requiring people to spend more time in their houses this year, needs have shifted and new trends are emerging as many re-evaluate what they find most important in a home. Continue reading: Pandemic Home Buying & Selling Trends – 2020

According to Zillow:

“In 2020, homes went from the place people returned to after work, school, hitting the gym or vacationing, to the place where families do all of the above. For those who now spend the majority of their hours at home, there’s a growing wish list of what they’d change about their homes, if possible.” 

United Van Lines today released the company’s 44^th Annual National Migration Study, revealing that in 2020 Americans continued to move westbound and southbound – and the COVID-19 pandemic factored into and accelerated many of those decisions to move. Among the top inbound states were South Carolina (64%), Oregon (63%), South Dakota (62%) and Arizona (62%), while New York (67%), Illinois (67%), Connecticut (63%) and California (59%) were among the states experiencing the largest exoduses.

The top inbound states (with 250 moves or more) of 2020 were:

1. Idaho
2. South Carolina
3. Oregon
4. South Dakota
5. Arizona
6. North Carolina
7. Tennessee
8. Alabama
9. Florida
10. Arkansas

New to the 2020 top inbound list are Tennessee at No. 7 and Alabama at No. 8, both with inbound percentages of 60, and Arkansas at No. 10 with 59% inbound.

The top outbound states for 2020 were:

1. New Jersey
2. New York
3. Illinois
4. Connecticut
5. California
6. Kansas
7. North Dakota
8. Massachusetts
9. Ohio
10. Maryland

The 2020 Atlas® Van Lines Migration Patterns Study found that 23 U.S. states registered as balanced—meaning that moves in and out of the states were roughly equal – including Oregon.

The Central Oregon lifestyle and competitive housing market

Homeownership needs are evolving, companies have realized the effectiveness of working from home, and with the desirability of the Central Oregon lifestyle, we’re experiencing an extremely competitive housing market here locally with a large pool of buyers and a lack of available home inventory on the market.

Central Oregon is home to world-class outdoor recreation, award-winning craft breweries, and a distinct sense of community, so it’s not too surprising that remote workers are seeking to make their favorite vacation getaway into their full-time home and why several cities within the area are becoming popular Zoom Towns.

Quick Links:

• Top 4 Reasons People Are Moving This Year
• Bend, Oregon Among The Top Places To Live – 2020
• Central Oregon – Home To Zoom Towns

Make your move

Whatever your priorities or homeownership needs are, we’re here to help. As many homeowners realize their current home doesn’t meet their new needs and buyers are assessing how they’ll utilize and enjoy their homes – inside and out – now is a great time to sell or buy.  If you’re ready to make a move, get in touch via the form below, and we’ll follow-up promptly to assist.