More Americans Staying Put as Mobility Reaches Record Low

Posted By Mike Maciag | November 15, 2011

Mobility in the U.S has reached a record low as more Americans opt to stay put in a weak economy.

Figures reported today by the U.S. Census Bureau show only 11.6 percent of the population moved from 2010 to 2011, the lowest since the number was first tracked in 1948.

The 2011 Current Population Survey also found 7.7 percent of residents moved within the same county, also a historic low. Another 2 percent of Americans moved to different counties within the same state, with the remainder moving among states or from abroad.

Housing-related reasons drove most decisions to move. Survey estimates indicate people moved for the following reasons:

Housing-related: 44.9 percent
Family-related 27.9 percent
Employment-related: 18.5 percent
Other: 8.8 percent

Data for the 2011 Current Population Survey was compiled using responses from 50,000 households across the country. Those living in nursing homes, college dormitories, military bases and other "group quarters" were not surveyed.

Breakdowns of data by geographic area are not available. Recently-released 2010 American Community Survey figures do, though, illustrate similar mobility trends by state.

The following 2010 ACS figures are for the population one year and older. Please note that estimates were compiled differently than 2011 Current Population Survey data.

State	1 and over population	Same house 1 year ago	Percent moving
Alabama	4,729,509	3,987,155	15.7
Alaska	702,974	565,031	19.6
Arizona	6,332,786	5,069,002	20.0
Arkansas	2,888,304	2,387,806	17.3
California	36,907,897	30,790,221	16.6
Colorado	4,988,190	4,042,039	19.0
Connecticut	3,541,146	3,100,742	12.4
Delaware	889,812	764,640	14.1
District of Columbia	596,747	474,676	20.5
Florida	18,647,600	15,554,008	16.6
Georgia	9,587,237	8,015,409	16.4
Hawaii	1,346,274	1,140,572	15.3
Idaho	1,550,967	1,279,856	17.5
Illinois	12,680,126	11,009,852	13.2
Indiana	6,414,862	5,431,015	15.3
Iowa	3,013,053	2,553,210	15.3
Kansas	2,820,894	2,341,401	17.0
Kentucky	4,296,639	3,638,259	15.3
Louisiana	4,483,529	3,826,390	14.7
Maine	1,313,902	1,136,780	13.5
Maryland	5,716,785	4,917,637	14.0
Massachusetts	6,489,250	5,583,650	14.0
Michigan	9,762,127	8,310,098	14.9
Minnesota	5,244,256	4,480,630	14.6
Mississippi	2,931,228	2,510,729	14.3
Missouri	5,920,858	4,968,921	16.1
Montana	978,507	821,709	16.0
Nebraska	1,802,697	1,497,138	17.0
Nevada	2,667,364	2,030,410	23.9
New Hampshire	1,303,865	1,118,359	14.2
New Jersey	8,709,933	7,841,470	10.0
New Mexico	2,039,549	1,735,950	14.9
New York	19,171,916	16,976,205	11.5
North Carolina	9,443,000	7,982,017	15.5
North Dakota	665,654	556,222	16.4
Ohio	11,405,101	9,745,227	14.6
Oklahoma	3,716,264	3,065,497	17.5
Oregon	3,794,008	3,110,896	18.0
Pennsylvania	12,577,555	11,053,022	12.1
Rhode Island	1,042,240	900,283	13.6
South Carolina	4,577,399	3,870,879	15.4
South Dakota	805,616	680,993	15.5
Tennessee	6,282,706	5,299,496	15.6
Texas	24,899,075	20,500,156	17.7
Utah	2,724,064	2,240,636	17.7
Vermont	619,363	534,975	13.6
Virginia	7,930,773	6,752,310	14.9
Washington	6,661,321	5,464,985	18.0
West Virginia	1,833,535	1,625,125	11.4
Wisconsin	5,623,196	4,824,045	14.2
Wyoming	556,954	444,614	20.2

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