Moving industry statistics: Our 2024 report

Key findings

• In 2022, 28.2 million people moved, an increase from the 27.1 million who moved in 2021.

• Moving in the winter or the middle of the month — times of low demand and high availability — can save you on moving costs.

• Net migration in 2022 was highest in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Arizona and Georgia and lowest in California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Maryland.

Moving your belongings to begin a new chapter in your life can feel intimidating, yet an entire industry thrives on the prospect of new horizons.

Use this guide as your reference for top moving statistics: why and where people move, types of moves, moving costs. You’ll also find tips to help you find peace of mind on moving day.

The research team at USA TODAY Homefront analyzed moving industry statistics using recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau to better understand national migration trends. We also gathered insight into what sets the best moving companies apart from the competition so you can better prepare for your next big move.

Although cheap moving companies can help you stick to your moving budget, paying extra to get a full-service move can alleviate headaches and stress.

Moving industry trends in the U.S.

Take a break from packing your dishes and take a peek at what moving looks like to movers and moving companies.

Moving in the U.S. 

More than 28 million people moved in 2022. We extracted insight into additional moving trends within the last few years from U.S. Census data:

• National migration slowed to 12.6% in 2022, down from 12.8% in 2021.
• Interstate movers comprised nearly a fifth of all moving populations in 2022.
• A total of 300,000 more people moved between states in 2022 than in 2021.

In 2022, the influx of those moving to the United States from abroad has more than doubled year-over-year to 4.9%, the highest rate since 2018.

Moving company outlook

If moving is on your radar, contact at least three moving companies for quotes. Nearly 17,000 moving companies operated nationwide in 2023, employing over 108,000 workers, according to the October 2023 NAICS report. The moving services industry is expected to grow by 1.1% between 2023 and 2028, with profits totaling 7.2% of the $22.6 billion in future revenue.

More than 10% of moving company profiles on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) review site have an “F” rating, and it’s estimated that nearly 9% of the reviews are deemed fake or suspicious, according to the latest BBB industry report. Common complaints reference poor customer service, lack of communication, time delays and mishandling of personal belongings.

Spending time vetting a moving company can pay off in spades come moving day. For example, Allied Van Lines excels as one of the best interstate moving companies, work crews at American Van Lines have an average of 10 years of experience, and JK Moving Services simplifies the process with a class-leading mobile app.

States people are moving to

In 2022, Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and New York were the most popular places to move to. Over 738,000 people moved to Florida and more than 668,000 immigrated to Texas. The number of people who moved to New York in 2022 was less than half of those who now call the Lone Star State home.

So where are people moving? Net outmigration, or the number of people moving out of a particular state, was highest in California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Maryland, according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data analysis.

In California, outmigration outpaced immigration by 341,866 people. Of the top five states with the highest net outmigration, Maryland’s outmigration surpassed immigration rates the least, by 65,622 people.

Net immigration was highest in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Arizona and Georgia. In Florida, the state gained 249,064 people even as 489,905 people moved out. Texas saw a net increase in the population of 174,261 new residents; North Carolina’s population increased by a net of 82,160 people, and Arizona’s net immigration totaled 77,995. Georgia’s net immigration increased its population by 74,520 people.

Reasons people move

Numerous factors can propel us to change addresses, from lucrative career opportunities to the promise of a safer or more affordable neighborhood. Using U.S. Census Bureau data, we investigated why movers seek to change their address:

• In 2022, 41.6% of movers relocated for the following reasons: housing upgrades (newer, larger, better), the desire to own and not rent, cheaper housing or a safer neighborhood.
• Family is the second most common reason people move — at 26.5%, the data shows a 2 percentage point increase from 2021 to 2022.
• At 16.1% and 15.9%, the percentage of employment-related moves and moves for other reasons also increased from 2021 to 2022.

Among the 20 reasons why people moved in 2022, the top five included these:

1. Wanting a newer, better or larger house or apartment (14.4%)
2. The desire to establish their own household (11.2%)
3. Other family-related reasons (9.2%) or a new job or job transfer (9.2%)
4. Wanting to own versus rent (8.5%)
5. Cheaper housing (7.7%)

Change of climate, retirement, foreclosure or eviction, other job-related reasons and natural disasters ranked low as reasons to move in 2022.

Best time to move

You may not always get to choose when you move, especially if you rent. However, flexibility in coordinating your transition from one home to another can potentially save you time and money.

Pinpointing the best time to move involves factoring in the time of year (particularly the season), the calendar date and scheduling conflicts. Spring and summer are the most popular times to move, according to the USA TODAY Homefront November 2023 moving survey. This trend is tied to nicer weather and families wanting to relocate before school starts.

Weekdays typically offer more flexibility when it comes to booking a moving company. However, you may have to coordinate with your work and school schedules to take time off.

Scheduling your move first thing in the morning may also contribute to a smoother relocation as you’ll have more time to handle unexpected delays or last-minute changes.

Moving costs

Moving logistics are overwhelming, especially when considering a moving budget. In the November 2023 USA TODAY Homefront survey, the average hourly moving rate was $150 and the average total cost of a move was $4,500 (across all move sizes and types).

You can reduce moving costs with these steps:

• Minimize your belongings to create a small moving footprint
• Rent a truck in lieu of hiring a professional moving company
• Pack your own boxes instead of paying for the add-on packing service
• Source free supplies such as boxes and packaging materials, including Bubble Wrap
• Ask friends and family to help with the moving process
• Schedule your move during off-peak times and seasons, if possible
• Plan for other expenses such as security deposits (typically one month’s rent)
• Consider in-transit expenses such as meals and lodging

Moving tips

Planning your move can help reduce mishaps that complicate relocating. In the event of moving-day snafus, establish a support system you can call in the time of need.

Before you stockpile cardboard boxes and packing tape, streamline your next move with the following moving tips:

• Book a moving company at least 6 weeks in advance to avoid last-minute rush fees.
• Create a moving day checklist that includes important phone and account numbers.
• Establish a moving folder that contains the moving estimate, order for service, bill of lading and inventory list. Store it in a safe, accessible place.
• Update your personal information — change of address, financial accounts and subscriptions.
• Pack a moving day suitcase with two or three days’ necessities.

Reference policy

We encourage journalists to share our findings on moving industry statistics. If you choose to do so, please link back to our original story and credit USA TODAY Homefront for the research.