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
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 |
