More Americans Are Leaving Cities, But Don’t Call it an Urban Exodus
Housing MobilitySummary
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about many changes including the widespread of remote work and people shifting from city centres to the peripheries in neighbouring towns. Although an increase of 3% of people in the United States moved between March 2020 and February 2021, the national migration rates are still historically low. However, looking at the micro-level in some of America’s most dense and expensive urban regions, migration rates are more dramatic, reaching double digit figures. CityLab contributor, Richard Florida, pointed out that the pandemic brought such migration rates from major urban cores in a shorter period, that may have occurred over a few years. According to a February Pew Research Center survey, the most common reason that people moved away from urban cores was related to financial issues including job loss. Understanding migration trends are important as they can affect housing prices, tax revenue, job opportunities and cultural vibrancy. Such trends are now making their appearance in satellite towns and cities, where municipalities are marketing and providing incentives for people to migrate and live in their city or state.