Many Americans are choosing not to move. The change has made 'staying put' the new norm.

Choosing not to move has become more popular.
(Adobe Stock photo)

In a dramatic shift, many Americans have decided that relocating isn't as doable or desirable. "The share of Americans moving has reached its lowest point in history — and doesn't look like it's climbing back up anytime soon," reports Erica Pandey of Axios. "Moving — across town, across the state and across the country — for new jobs and better lives was once a common part of American life. Now, staying put longer is the norm."

Several trends are driving the move not to move. Among those key factors are younger people who are opting to live at home longer. Also, the increasing age of Americans makes a dent in would-be movers since older people are less likely to leave a place where they may have a support system, family and medical care.

In the 1960s, "around 1 in 5 Americans moved each year, according to the Brookings Institution," Pandey writes. "As of 2022, that’s fallen to 8.7% — even accounting for the pandemic-era moves out of big coastal cities and into places like the Sun Belt and sky-high housing prices are keeping people from moving into new homes or buying their first homes."

Those who are still on the move "are disproportionately college-educated. As the N.Y. Times notes, less-educated workers don't benefit as much from moving to a city as they once did in terms of higher wages," Pandey adds. "And while the recent increase in migration between states is notable, it follows a long-term decline over the past several decades."