65% of Survey Respondents Say They’ll Need to Move by 2030

As the cost of living rises, 65% of Americans believe they’ll need to move within the next five years, according to a survey of over 1,000 by Howdy. 

Of all respondents, 57% said they could currently afford the cost of living with difficulty, 27% said they could easily afford it and 16% said they could not afford it. On average, they estimated a required $105,000 salary to live comfortably, with Gen Z naming the highest salary of $133,516. 

The most impactful cost increases reported were food (38%), housing (29%), healthcare (17%) and energy (11%). Further, 86% expressed concerns about tariffs, and 1 in 4 said they expected to be forced to move within the next year due to related cost increases (including a third of Gen Z). 

Some believe moving abroad could be their answer, with 15% of all respondents seriously considering it. By generation, the breakdown is as follows: 

1. Gen Z (18%) 
2. Millennials (15%) 
3. Gen X (15%) 
4. Boomers (13%) 

Their top destination choices include Canada, Italy, Portugal and Thailand. 

While 82% of all respondents said they enjoy living in the U.S., 56% said they believed other countries offer a better quality of life, and 48% said they see more economic opportunity abroad. 

Other ways they’re prepared to counteract rising costs include: 

• Taking a second job (30%)
• Looking for a new job (18%)
• Pivoting to a more lucrative career (10%)