The growing cost of childcare is among the reasons younger people aren't moving too far away from their hometowns. Getty Images
More Americans are putting down roots close to home. A new study from researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau and Harvard University says nearly 60% of young adults – the study measured people at age 26 – live within 10 miles of where they grew up. Eighty percent live within 100 miles. A key reason people stay put? Money. There are some economic advantages of moving or staying home, but there are also ways it can also hold people back.
Spencer Gillis has never strayed too far from home. Right now, he’s living the farthest he ever has from where he grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“I think I probably live maybe 25 miles from my parents house,” he said.
Gillis is 28 and works in health insurance. He said he’s flirted with the idea of moving to Denver or New York, but the cost of living there is too high, especially now that he and his wife have a baby. Plus, they’re in good company.
“The majority of my friends that are married and starting to have kids all live local still, while the ones that moved out of state are still living the bachelor life,” he said.
Kids – and the rising cost of child care and housing –are a big reason why more young adults are settling down in or near their hometowns.Nathan Hendrenat Harvard co-authored the Census Bureau study on young adult migration.
“You know, anybody that has kids can probably attest that having family members around can be helpful for those situations and our results suggest there’s a lot of value to our proximity to people,” he said.
Proximity to an established network of friends and family also means connections to housing and jobs. That’s especially valuable for lower income Americans, who are more likely to live where they grew up because moving costs money.
And increasingly, people are taking this a step further by moving in with their parents. Nearly one in five adults nowlive in a multigenerational home.
“People actually save a lot of money, I mean it’s not surprising, when they move back home, on the order of about somewhere between three or four thousand dollars a year,” said Natasha Pilkauskas, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan.
That figure doesn’t include savings on shared electricity, gas and groceries.
But there can be disadvantages to settling down near home, too.
“I think if you are lucky enough to be in a place that has a kind of growing and expanding economy, then staying at home isn’t going to be as much of a financial burden than if you grew up in Appalachia,” said Harvard’s Nathan Hendren.
A person’s economic mobility often depends on their local economy. Which brings a new perspective to the phrase location, location, location.
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FAQs
Top Reasons Americans Stay in Their Hometown
Of the 29% still living in their hometown, 41% see themselves staying there for the rest of their life, while 52% are planning to move away in the next five years. More women (47%) than men (38%) didn't expect to be living in their hometowns at this stage of life.
How many people never move out of their hometown? ›
Forty-one percent see themselves living in their hometowns for the rest of their lives, and 52% plan to move away within the next five years. Reasons respondents gave for remaining in their hometowns include comfort and emotional attachment, finances, jobs and a fear of the unknown.
Why do people move back to their hometowns? ›
Many adults move back to their hometowns when they're ready to start their own families. They might want to be near grandparents or have the chance to give their children a childhood similar to what they experienced.
Why do young adults move back home? ›
What's happening: Younger generations may be staying home to save on expenses like rent or a future down payment, says Adina Dragos, research analyst at RentCafe, an apartment search website. More young adults could also be choosing to care for family members, Dragos tells Axios.
Do most people move back to their hometown? ›
Study finds that 8 in 10 young adults move back close to their hometowns – or never left - Marketplace.
What percentage of people never leave their home country? ›
It is difficult to estimate the exact percentage of people around the planet who never travel to another country in their lifetime. However, it is estimated that around 70–80% of people never travel outside of their home country.
Why most people never leave their hometown? ›
Most people with the desire to leave their hometown and pursue their dreams never do it. In most cases, it's because of family, fear, laziness, self-doubt, peer pressure, negativity, or financial excuses. In other cases, people are just happy where they are, which is entirely okay.
What city are most people moving out of? ›
Los Angeles tops the list of cities people are looking to leave. Between October and December 2023, 26,900 more people searched to leave Los Angeles than to move into the city. Of the Los Angeles residents looking to leave, most are looking in Las Vegas, San Diego, and Bakersfield, California.
Is it better to move away from your hometown? ›
Moving out of your hometown will help you develop all kinds of super helpful life skills. It will make you more adaptable and resilient. And, it will make you more independent and self-sustaining. All of which will give you a greater sense of confidence and help you learn to trust yourself.
What percentage of Americans leave their hometown? ›
Of the people living in their hometown currently, 41% see themselves living there for the rest of their lives, while 52% are planning to move out within the next five years. The median distance that Americans live from their hometowns is 30 miles.
Regardless of why you want to move back home, make sure you don't rush back into it without first deciding if it's the best decision for you. That includes all aspects of your life, including finances, social life, career, and mental health. Take the time to weigh some pros and cons.
Is Gen Z living at home? ›
A recent Credit Karma survey of 1,249 U.S. adults found that 31 percent of Gen Z live at home with a parent or other family member.
How do you deal with adult children moving back home? ›
7 Tips for When Your Young Adult Children Move Back Home
- Don't freak out. If your young adult child is moving back home, don't assume he will be a loser the rest of his life. ...
- Negotiate boundaries and expectations. ...
- Give them freedom. ...
- Have them contribute. ...
- Set up a timetable. ...
- Don't micromanage. ...
- Watch out for depression.
“Given the collapse in housing affordability, it's not surprising that young people would stay in their parents' homes longer to manage their expenses, to save on rent and save for a down payment so they could purchase a home,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.
What percentage of Americans relocate? ›
Top 5 States Most People Are Leaving
| State | Moving Percentage |
|---|
| California | 61% |
| Pennsylvania | 56% |
| Minnesota | 56% |
| Washington | 53% |
1 more rowMost of the moving that Americans do takes place during early adulthood. Between the ages of 18 and 45, the average American will move five or six times. Once you reach the age of 45, you're likely to only move two or three more times.
What percent of Americans change their residence every year? ›
The percentage of people in the United States who moved in the previous year declined from about 14% to roughly 13%, according to the 2019 and 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates. These data reference where people lived one year prior to 2019 and 2021.
What state has the highest move out rate? ›
New York and California were the top two states that had the highest number of people moving out as a share of their total number of movers. Many New Yorkers moved to cheaper states such as New Jersey where they still had the ease of commuting to work.
