Written By Erin Scott
Push vs. Pull Factors in Relocation
Why do people move exactly? While there are countless specific reasons for moving, each one falls under one of two categories: push factor or pull factor.
Push factors include any negative circumstance driving departure from an area. This includes health reasons, foreclosure or eviction, and natural disasters.
Pull factors are positive attractions that draw people into a new area. The desire for cheaper or better housing, a new job, marriage, and retirement would all be considered pull factors enticing people to relocate.
Why Do People Move? Top Reasons for Moving
Beyond pull and push factors, we can further divide the reasons for moving into six categories to get a better understanding of moving trends across the country.
Based on 2024 U.S. Census data, the top reasons for what’s driving people to move include wanting new or better housing, getting a new job or being transferred, and the desire to establish one’s own household.
While 8.6% of moves are attributed to unspecified reasons, when we organize the other 91.4% into the following general categories, we get a clear picture of why people move:
Housing-Related Reasons — 35.61%
Most moves are the result of housing-related reasons, such as the desire for new or better housing, cheaper housing, and wanting to own a home rather than rent. While most housing-related reasons are pull factors, push factors like foreclosure and eviction also fall under this category.
Family Considerations — 18.02%
Family considerations account for about 18% of moves. This category includes marriage, divorce, growing a family, and the desire to live close to (or far from) family members.
Job Opportunities — 17.27%
Job opportunities are another driving force, with more than 17% of relocations being job-related moves. Common reasons include a new position or job transfer and wanting to live closer to work.
Lifestyle Preferences — 10.22%
About 10% of moves are sparked by lifestyle preferences. When considering lifestyle changes and moving, we see that the desire to establish one’s own household accounts for 8% of all moves (not just those related to lifestyle), while retirement and the search for a more preferable climate each account for 1%.
Health and Safety — 7.57%
The only category made up entirely of push factors is health and safety. These account for nearly 8% of all moves. The search for a better neighborhood drives ~5% of moves, and around 2.3% of moves are due to health reasons. Another 0.25% stem from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes.
How Moving Motivations Change Based on Age and Income
Motivations for moving don’t exist in a vacuum. Factors like age and income play a major role in shaping the reasons why people decide to move. For example, higher incomes often allow for more lifestyle-driven moves, while lower-income earners may be more susceptible to push factors. And when it comes to age, priorities shift during different phases of life—young adults often move for education or jobs, while older adults may relocate for retirement or lifestyle changes.
Keep reading to see how motivations shift across income levels and generations.
Why Lower- and Higher-Income Earners Are Moving
Across the wide spectrum of earning levels, the search for new or better housing consistently ranks as one of the top three reasons to move, often ranking no. 1.
Even within the lowest income brackets — where family reasons and the pursuit of cheaper housing are top priorities — the desire for new or better housing takes the top position.
The percentage of moves driven by this desire generally increases with income level, from 10.8% for those earning less than $12,000 a year to 30% for those in the highest income bracket.
Below are the top three reasons to move for each income bracket.
Top Three Reasons To Move (<$12,000)
- New or better housing (10.8%)
- New job or job transfer (10.10%)
- Other family reason (9.8%)
Top Three Reasons To Move ($12K–$50K)
- New or better housing (13%
- Cheaper housing (10%)
- Establish own household (9.8%)
Top Three Reasons To Move ($51K–$100K)
- New or better housing (13.6%)
- New job or job transfer (13%)
- Establish own household (9.7%)
Top Three Reasons To Move ($101K–$200K)
- New or better housing (16.9%)
- New job or job transfer (16.8%)
- Desire to own home rather than rent (10.6%)
Top Three Reasons To Move ($201K–$250K)
- New or better housing (18.4%)
- Desire to own home rather than rent (14%)
- New job or job transfer (13.10%)
Top Three Reasons To Move ($251K–$500K)
- New job or job transfer (20.20%)
- Desire to own home rather than rent (11.7%)
- New or better housing (10.4%)
Top Three Reasons To Move ($500K+)
- New or better housing (30%)
- Desire to own rather than rent (13.7%)
- Change in marital status (11%)
Why Different Generations Are Moving
The search for new or better housing is still a top reason to move when you consider moving factors based on age. For a deeper insight, we looked at the top five reasons to move for each generation.
When it comes to Gen Z, who are 18–24 year olds ready to leave the nest, establishing a household takes priority. On the other hand, Millennials, after living independently for years, are more focused on finding new or better housing or relocating for job-related reasons. Gen X moves are also triggered to move in pursuit of the hottest zip codes (aka better housing), new jobs, and cheaper housing.
Still, nearly 10% of moves are due to “other family reasons,” which can include caring for aging parents or moving closer to family.
Baby Boomers are the first generation to report health reasons as a top relocation factor, accounting for 8.3% of moves. Unsurprisingly, the Traditionalists list it as the number one reason to move.
Here are the top five reasons to move based on demographic moving trends for each generation:
Gen Z (18-24)
- Establish own household (12.8%)
- New job or job transfer (11.9%)
- New or better housing (10.8%)
- Attend/leave college (9.4%)
- Cheaper housing (9%)
Millennials
- New or better housing (15%)
- New job or job transfer (13.5%)
- Establish own household (10%)
- Cheaper housing (8.6%)
- Desire to own rather than rent (6.8%)
Gen X
- New or better housing (13.5%)
- Other family reason (10.2%)
- New job or job transfer (9.9%)
- Other reasons (8.1%)
- Cheaper housing (7.8%)
Baby Boomers
- Other family reason (14.2%)
- Other housing reason (10%)
- New or better housing (9.3%)
- Cheaper housing (9.2%)
- Health reasons (8.3%)
Traditionalists
- Health reasons (28.8%)
- Other family reason (12%)
- Other housing reason (9.3%)
- Retired (8.5%)
- For cheaper housing (8.3%)
Economic, Social, and Environmental Factors Driving Moves
There are other important factors to consider when looking at why people move, as the urge to relocate is sometimes spurred by environmental factors such as rising costs of living, changing tax policies, societal shifts, and natural disasters. Below, we explore the economic, social, and environmental drivers behind why Americans choose to move.
Cost of Living
Between 2000 and 2024, the nation’s annual inflation rate averaged 2.57% while the per capita income only increased by an average of 1.01% year-over-year. Add to that ever-increasing housing prices and rental costs, and it’s no wonder people are moving for cheaper housing.
Rise of Remote Work
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a huge increase in remote work across all major industries in the U.S. While the number of remote workers decreased slightly in 2022, it still remained higher than post-pandemic levels in most industries. This shift meant many Americans suddenly had the freedom to move to more affordable or desirable parts of the country, regardless of where their jobs were located.
However, as we’ve moved further away from the pandemic, more and more companies are insisting employees return to the office — and losing some staff as a result.
Tax Incentives and Disincentives
According to a report from the Tax Foundation (based on IRS and Census migration data), it’s clear that each state’s tax-friendliness — or unfriendliness — has an impact on moving trends. The states with lower taxes and less burdensome tax structures experienced more inbound moves between 2021 and 2022 compared to those with higher taxes and less favorable tax policies.
According to the data, the most moved-to states include Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — three of which impose no state income tax. 24 states and D.C. experienced a net loss in tax filers between 2021 and 2022. The five states that experienced the most move-outs were California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, four of which rank in the top 10 for highest income tax rates in the country.
Natural Disasters and Climate Change
In October 2024, Florida’s west coast experienced back-to-back hurricanes with record-setting storm surges and tornadoes, resulting in incredible damage to residential properties. Just a few months later, the Palisades and Eaton fires wreaked havoc across Los Angeles, razing over 37,000 acres and more than 16,000 structures.
While many people choose to remain where they are and rebuild after a disaster, some studies predict that global warming and climate disasters could result in tens of millions of Americans being uprooted this century. According to geographer Alex de Sherbinin of Columbia University, the U.S. will likely see population shifts in the coming decades as a result of climate change, which could include significant migrations northward away from the coast.
Finding the Right Moving Plan Based on Your Motivations
Understanding your own motivations for moving can help you choose where to live and craft a moving plan that best aligns with your goals. Remember, the right moving option will help reduce stress during your move.
Here are some of the most common moving motivations with the best moving options for each.
New or Better Housing — Labor-Only Movers
If you’re upgrading your housing situation, you’re likely also preparing to increase your monthly living expenses. While hiring full-service movers is the easiest way to move, it also tends to be more expensive than most other options.
You can save money on your move by hiring labor-only movers to load and unload your rental truck or moving container, taking care of the rest of the move yourself.
Using a moving marketplace like MovingPlace can help you find moving professionals at a fair price who are fully vetted, licensed, and insured.
New Job or Job Transfer — Full-Service Movers
If your move is job-related, your employer may offer a relocation package that will pay for, or reimburse you for, your moving expenses.
Be sure to ask HR if your company offers this perk before planning your move. If they do, that’s good news, because in that scenario, hiring full-service movers is a lot easier than a DIY move. This is especially true if you have to arrive at your new office within a tight timeline.
On the other hand, if your employer provides a lump-sum relocation benefit, you might opt instead for a lower-cost option like a freight trailer with moving labor and pocket the savings.
Establish Own Household — DIY Move With a Rental Truck
If you’re striking out for the first time, odds are you don’t have a lot of stuff — or a big moving budget. Small moves like these can usually be completed inexpensively as a DIY move with a rental truck. However, keep in mind that most people moving into their first solo home arrive without much furniture or decor — and acquiring these things becomes an added expense to their move-in costs.
Moving locally means you’ll likely have friends and family to help with the loading and unloading. If you’re moving long-distance, you may want to hire hourly labor-only movers to help with the heavy lifting.
Family-Related Reasons — Full-Service Movers or Labor-Only Movers + Rental Truck
While “family-related reasons” could mean a whole slew of things, they’re often urgent, emotional, and/or financial in nature. If you’re willing to spend a little more on your move, hiring full-service movers is a good idea, particularly when your attention is occupied with emotional and taxing family matters.
If cost is a concern, you can pair labor-only moving help with your own moving truck rental to get assistance with the hardest part of moving — the heavy lifting.
Cheaper Housing — DIY Move With a Rental Truck
If you’re looking for cheaper housing, you’re almost certainly trying to cut down on costs. In this case, a DIY move with a rental truck or trailer will be the most affordable option.
Getting packing and loading help from friends and family (in exchange for pizza, of course) is also a great way to save on moving costs. If that’s not an option, consider hiring labor-only movers for a few hours to handle the grunt work.
Karen Bodkin
