Thumbtack’s 2024 Moving Trends Report
Aldo Ceja•Last updated Oct 16, 2024
Last updated Oct 16, 2024
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With peak moving season coming to a close, we took a look at both local and long-distance moving trends, examining which cities had the most local moves, aka neighborhood hoppers, and which cities people abandoned for greener pastures farther away.
While Atlanta residents were re-committing to their hometown, topping the list of cities with the most local moves, Austin residents were no longer feeling the Texas heat, leading the way with the most long-distance moves. Some cities, including Austin, San Francisco and Denver, made both lists — signaling that their residents are ready for a change, whether it’s moving within the building or leaving the state.
Whether you’re planning to pack up your home in the coming months or are waiting until next year to make a change, we’re diving into this year’s relocation trends and sharing insights from our moving experts on how to make getting to your new home as painless as possible.
Neighborhood Hoppers: Cities with the Most Local Moves
While moving often conjures images of long-distance drives across the country, a lot of relocations are local, with people wanting more space for their growing family or just a change of neighborhood. In fact, 44% of all local moves were less than 5 miles away from their original location. We took a peek at which cities had the most local-moving requests, with residents changing neighborhoods instead of states. Here are the top cities for neighborhood-hoppers:
Departing in Droves: Cities with the Most Long-Distance Moves
We also looked at which cities people were departing for a real change of scenery, with their next destination 1,000+ miles away. Interestingly, residents are waving goodbye to many of the COVID hot spots including Austin, Florida, Vegas and Colorado. Whether it’s being forced back into an office for a job or just getting an itch to try something new, residents of these cities are packing up for an adventure in a different environment. Here are the cities with the most long-distance moving requests, with their new home more than 1,000 miles from where they currently live.
How to Execute a Flawless Move
Whether you’re moving to another unit in your building (which accounted for 14% of all local moves) or packing up for a cross-country journey, it’s essential to prepare ahead of time to save yourself money and stress.
After you determine where you’re going to live, start researching moving companies by reviewing online ratings and testimonials to assess the experiences of previous customers and evaluate the reliability of the moving company before making your decision, said Chuva Davaatogtokh, Thumbtack Pro Advisor and owner of 24 Seven Moving. Ensure that the moving company holds the necessary licensing and insurance requirements to comply with state regulations.
According to Chuva, one of the biggest mistakes customers make is procrastinating the planning process. To avoid a last-minute scramble, give yourself more time than you think necessary, and be sure to review the moving company’s cancellation and rescheduling policies in advance. If you’re booking movers for a long-distance move, reach out as soon as you know you’re moving, as these moves take a bit more planning and coordination.
Navigating Moving Costs
Moving costs can vary depending on how far you’re moving and how much stuff you need transported. Moving can be a complex process, and it’s important to answer your moving advisor’s questions as honestly and thoroughly as possible, as Chuva sees many people end up with lower cost estimates than what their true situation reflects.
Local movers tend to charge by the hour, with an average cost of $100 — $120 per hour nationwide whereas long-distance movers typically charge flat rates, with the cost of a 1,000–2,000 mile move averaging around $4,000. You can estimate your moving costs by taking into account the distance of your move, home size and number of bedrooms, whether you have heavy items like pianos or pool tables, any stairs or other obstacles in your building, and whether you’ll need additional services like packing or furniture assembly/disassembly. To save money, book your mover well in advance and consider moving on a weekday or during non-peak season, as movers sometimes offer discounts.
Prepping Your New Home
Once you’ve planned and booked your move, it’s time to do some light preparation on your new house to get it ready for your arrival! It’s easier to clean, paint and do minor repairs before you move all your furniture in. Thumbtack offers a moving guide that includes projects to tackle in your new home before all your stuff arrives. Here are the top projects to check off your list before the trucks pull into your new home:
To navigate the cost and complexity of moving, check out the Thumbtack app to receive step-by-step guidance on what to do and who to hire to make relocating to your new neighborhood a breeze.
Methodology: City rankings and moving project insights are from consumer requests on Thumbtack from April 2024 through September 2024 for local moving and long-distance moving projects. City rankings are based on the relative frequency of such requests adjusted for the population of each metropolitan area, and only cities with 100+ requests are included. Insights on moving distance and home size are based on the information consumers fill out in their moving request forms. All pricing data is based on national average cost estimates using data provided by Thumbtack pros and additional research; real prices may vary based on city and supply.
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