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New Survey Reveals People Want to Move Out During Coronavirus Pandemic

May’s National Moving Month kicks off the start of the summer moving season. The weather is starting to warm up and it’s a great time to make the transition to a new location. While the unfortunate Coronavirus pandemic has no doubt made an impact on the economy, a new national survey commissioned by Our Town America shows many people are actually looking to move – some as a result of the current crisis.

The survey of 1,000 people across America answers the question of whether or not people will relocate homes due to Coronavirus and offers responses that might shock you!

Getting Personal

The survey first gathered personal information to gain a better understanding of the context for responses. Our diverse pool of respondents is a good representation of the general population’s thoughts during the moving season.

  1. When asked, what is your age?

9.6% said Generation Z (18-23 years old)

32.7% said Millennials (24-39 years old)

27.5% said Generation X (40-55 years old)

26.7% said Boomers (56-74 years old)

3.6% said Silent Generation (75+ years old)

  1. When asked, do you identify as male or female?

49.2% said Male

50.3% said Female

0.5% said Neither

  1. When asked, Which State do you live in?

10.0% said California

10.0% said Connecticut

10.0% said Florida

10.0% said Illinois

10.0% said Louisiana

10.0% said Massachusetts

10.0% said Michigan

10.1% said New Jersey

10.0% said New York

10.0% said Pennsylvania

  1. When asked, what is your current marital status?

31.5% said Single, never married

48.4% said Married

7.9% said Divorced

0.7% said Separated

3.5% said Widowed

7.8% said Living with partner or significant other

0.3% said Prefer not to answer

  1. When asked, how many children do you have?

45.5% said 0

17.6% said 1

23.4% said 2

8.0% said 3

3.4% said 4

1.3% said 5

0.5% said 6

0.3% said 7

0.1% said 8 or more

  1. When asked, in what type of area do you currently live?

32.4% said City

52.8% said Suburbs

14.8% said Rural

  1. When asked, how long have you lived in your current state?

1.7% said A few months

2.0% said One year

7.3% said Two to five years

6.1% said Six to ten years

6.6% said Eleven to fifteen years

5.4% said Sixteen to twenty years

19.8% said More than twenty years

51.1% said My whole life

How people view the effects of Coronavirus

Next, we had to identify concerns of Coronavirus in the survey takers’ current state. If someone lives in a hotspot for Coronavirus, would they consider moving? Would they consider moving because of something related to the Coronavirus? Understanding the feelings of this crisis, we were able to paint a clearer picture of our respondents’ situations.

  1. When asked, how concerned are you about Coronavirus in your area?

51.0% said Very concerned

31.7% said Somewhat concerned

12.4% said Moderately concerned

4.9% said Not at all concerned

  1. When asked, how do you feel about where you live right now? (Choose best answer)

4.5% said I hate it

7.3% said I don’t like it

26.2% said It’s OK, but I feel as if I need a change

31.1% said I like it

11.2% said I love it, but I feel like I need to move

19.8% said I love it and I’m never moving

  1. When asked, you live in one of the hotspot States for Coronavirus. Would you consider moving?

41.7% said Yes

58.3% said No

  1. When asked, would you consider moving because of anything related to the coronavirus?

26.0% said Yes

74.0% said No

  1. When asked, how strongly would you consider a move? (Choose best answer)

36.5% said Very strongly

50.8% said Somewhat strongly

12.7% said Would mildly consider

  1. When asked, what is it related to Coronavirus that makes you consider moving? (Select all that apply)

41.5% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my health or the health of my family member(s)

43.5% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my finances

37.3% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my mental well-being

25.8% said Because of the coronavirus, I lost work/my job and/or my business is suffering

33.1% said I’m tired of stay-at-home orders

35.4% said I want my freedom and want lesser restrictions

23.8% said the coronavirus may take (and/or has already taken) a toll on my relationships

Driving forces to move because of the pandemic

The next section shows when, where and why people would move due to Coronavirus. So many options for people to consider!

  1. When asked, when would you move? (Choose best answer)

19.6% said as fast as I can. I want out!

8.1% said This spring

16.5% said This summer

12.7% said This fall

6.5% said This winter

17.7% said Sometime next year

18.8% said Sometime in the next few years

  1. When asked, how strongly would you consider a move if there's a second wave of Coronavirus where you live? (Choose best answer)

16.2% said Very strongly

18.2% said Somewhat strongly

27.0% said Would mildly consider

38.7% said Would not consider at all

  1. When asked, would you want to move to an area that was less effected by the Coronavirus? (Had fewer Coronavirus cases and deaths compared to where you live now)

53.3% said Yes

46.7% said No

  1. When asked, why do you want to move to an area less effected by the Coronavirus? (Select all that apply)

29.0% said Fewer people

39.5% said Less chance of me and my family catching coronavirus

26.6% said Less chance of another resurgence of coronavirus that shuts down the whole area

9.7% said My area will have bad memories of coronavirus and I need to get away

27.0% said Need a new place for a fresh start

16.7% said I want to live in an area that has/had looser restrictions or no restrictions at all.

44.2% said I want peace of mind for me and my family

31.8% said I want somewhere less expensive to live

27.7% said I want to live in an area with a warmer climate

8.2% said I want my kids to be able to start school sooner

23.6% said I’m hoping for better job opportunities

12.9% said I want easier access to medical facilities

10.5% said I want an area that will have more amenities/ areas for my pet

  1. When asked, why did you select 'I want to move to an area with warmer climate'? (Choose best answer)

16.9% said I think Coronavirus has less chance to spread in a warmer climate

52.7% said Warmer climate is better for my physical and mental health

23.0% said I’ve been cooped up too long inside and want more outside time year round

7.4% said Since prices may drop, I can hopefully afford it now

  1. When asked, what region would you most likely move to? Select one.

16.4% said New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)

13.4% said Mid-Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA)

9.6% said East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)

4.1% said West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)

26.1% said South Atlantic (DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, DC, WV)

2.8% said East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)

7.3% said West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)

9.6% said Mountain West (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)

10.9% said Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)

  1. When asked, Which State(s) would you most likely move to? (Choose your top 3)

8.1% said Arizona

15.5% said California

6.1% said Colorado

20.9% said Florida

5.1% said Georgia

3.5% said Hawaii

3.3% said Illinois

3.5% said Louisiana

3.9% said Maine

6.2% said Massachusetts

3.3% said Michigan

3.9% said Nevada

3.6% said New Hampshire

5.7% said New Jersey

6.0% said New York

10.0% said North Carolina

3.6% said Ohio

5.4% said Oregon

5.2% said Pennsylvania

6.8% said South Carolina

3.5% said Tennessee

8.7% said Texas

3.8% said Virginia

4.8% said Washington

46.9% said All Others (click to expand/hide)

1.9% said Alabama

1.7% said Alaska

1.7% said Arkansas

2.9% said Connecticut

2.6% said Delaware

0.6% said District of Colombia

0.7% said Idaho

2.3% said Indiana

1.7% said Iowa

1.2% said Kansas

1.3% said Kentucky

1.6% said Maryland

1.0% said Minnesota

0.9% said Mississippi

2.3% said Missouri

2.6% said Montana

2.3% said Nebraska

1.5% said New Mexico

1.3% said North Dakota

1.6% said Oklahoma

1.7% said Rhode Island

1.2% said South Dakota

2.2% said Utah

2.9% said Vermont

1.9% said West Virginia

1.3% said Wisconsin

2.0% said Wyoming

Worries about the Coronavirus and the lasting impacts 

What is our future going to look like? Is now a good time to make a move? People answer these questions in the next section.

  1. When asked, did you or anyone in your family lose work or a job because of Coronavirus?

34.8% said Yes

65.2% said No

  1. When asked, Is the Coronavirus causing you to worry?

76.3% said Yes

23.7% said No

  1. When asked, what are your Coronavirus worries about? Select all that apply.

55.6% said Finances

38.4% said My job/work/business

73.6% said Health

46.6% said Mental well-being

42.4% said Friends

67.9% said Family

22.0% said Education

36.0% said My kid’s well-being

Analyzing the response to Coronavirus

Do you agree with how your state handled the pandemic? Is that a factor to consider moving? People have opinions on how community leaders handled the COVID-19 crisis. See the multiple responses below.

  1. When asked, do you think your area will get back to normal/pre Covid-19?

66.6% said Yes

33.4% said No

  1. When asked, do you feel the Stay-At-Home restrictions in your area were too severe?

30.4% said Yes

69.6% said No

  1. When asked, would you have preferred no Stay-At-Home orders and just taken a chance?

28.0% said Yes

72.0% said No

  1. When asked, describe how you are/were feeling during the lockdown? (Choose all that apply)

16.3% said Stir-crazy, about to lose it

27.9% said Isolated

18.0% said Lonely

9.7% said Miserable

34.0% said Worried

23.8% said Felt lazy

28.6% said Fine

26.7% said Enjoyed the peace of not having to go out and do anything

20.9% said Healing. I think the world needed this.

  1. When asked, what do/did you miss the most during Stay-At-Home orders? (Choose top 3)

33.1% said Spending time with family and friends

34.2% said Eating out at restaurants

11.1% said Exercising

12.1% said Going to work

17.8% said Freedom

11.0% said Attending religious services

2.7% said Going to school

18.1% said Going to movies, concerts, plays, community events

6.7% said Going to sporting events

12.0% said Watching sporting events

17.1% said Shopping

12.3% said Going to the salon for a dye job or haircut

5.0% said Going to the doctor

3.3% said Going to get a massage

3.2% said Going to get my nails done

17.3% said Following my regular routine

30.3% said Getting out and doing errands without worrying about my health (i.e. grocery shopping, dropping clothes off at the dry cleaners, visiting the bank, etc.)

15.8% said Attending functions for families and friends

4.1% said Taking my pet(s) to local parks, events, etc.

  1. When asked, are you ready for the country to open up again?

65.7% said Yes

34.3% said No

  1. When asked, Are you at all scared for your future?

64.0% said Yes

36.0% said No

  1. When asked, would you be less scared for your future if you lived in an area that was not as effected by the Coronavirus?

57.4% said Yes

42.6% said No

  1. When asked, how would you describe where you live now as it relates to the Coronavirus? (Choose all that apply)

3.5% said Invasion of the body snatchers

6.7% said Hell

22.4% said Scary

30.1% said Weird

17.8% said Unhealthy

14.4% said Suffocating

11.0% said Prison

5.0% said Militant

28.3% said Boring

6.1% said Fun

15.4% said Pleasant

26.9% said Same as always

  1. When asked, if you do move, would you be open to trying out new businesses in your new city?

70.5% said Yes

29.5% said No

  1. When asked, Will you eat at restaurants as restrictions loosen up or stick to takeout and curbside?

35.1% said Eat inside restaurants

48.8% said Stick to Takeout and Curbside

16.2% said Not eat out at all

Incentives to Move

Considering that quarantining has made many people feel isolated and stir crazy, it’s safe to assume that folks will be looking to move to homes with a yard for their families and pets to safely enjoy the outdoors. So, what type of offers would make moving more appealing? Find out what the respondents said in the next section!

  1. When asked, if you moved to a new city, what should a business do to get you to try out their products or services? (Check all that apply)

39.3% said Offers of free goods and services

49.7% said Takeout or Delivery service

62.3% said Prove they’re following government approved guidelines to keep workers and customers healthy and safe during this pandemic

  1. When asked, would you take advantage of a proven offer (i.e. free meal, haircut, etc.) from a local business if they took the time to welcome you to your new community upon move-in?

81.4% said Yes

18.6% said No

  1. When asked, Would you use a business directory (such as TakeOutOpen.com) that listed restaurants open for takeout/delivery as you live (or when you were living) in quarantine, had you known it was available?

70.6% said Yes

29.4% said No

  1. When asked, would you use a business directory (such as TakeOutOpen.com) that listed restaurants open for takeout/delivery when the quarantine is fully lifted, if you knew it was available?

72.8% said Yes

27.2% said No

  1. When asked, if you were to move, do you feel neighbors will be somewhat hesitant to come over and welcome you since you moved from a Coronavirus hotspot?

67.8% said Yes

32.2% said No

  1. When asked, if you were to move, do you think it would be nice for your new neighbors to welcome you?

78.9% said Yes

21.1% said No

  1. When asked, how would you prefer new neighbors welcome you to your new area? (Check all that apply)

32.2% said Leave a card in the mailbox

30.9% said Leave a welcome gift on the front porch

59.6% said Flag me down when I’m in the front yard and introduce themselves following social distancing guidelines

36.5% said Knock on the door and say hello

  1. When asked, would receiving a housewarming gift make you feel more comfortable in a new home/neighborhood?

69.0% said Yes

31.0% said No

The survey results show that this is an opportune time for businesses to reach out to consumers with an invitation to try out their business – whether in-store or through curbside/pickup.

For 48 years, Our Town America has helped hundreds of thousands of businesses target new movers. The exclusive Welcome Package has brought millions of new, loyal customers to thousands of local businesses by inviting them to try their products or services through a beautifully crafted one-time-use housewarming gift certificate.

Read full press release here: As U.S. Reopens, Coronavirus Concerns Could Lead to Mass Exodus

All statistics drawn from the full survey commissioned by Our Town America, which can be found here: Survey Says: Are People Moving During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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