Many Americans Planning to Move, Thanks to Telework Options

Working from home has exposed Americans to opportunities that would not otherwise be possible.

And that includes moving. With so many employees working from home for the foreseeable future, and with businesses possibly making remote work the new normal, according to a new survey from Upwork, anywhere between 14 to 23 million Americans, or 6.9% to 11.5% of the population, said they plan to relocate. Not surprisingly, the majority said they are moving due to the ability to telework or someone in their household’s ability to work from home. Urban areas are expected to see the biggest loss of population, as 20% of survey respondents said they plan to move to out of their city. A little over 12% of participants who live in the suburbs near a city plan to move, while those who reside in rural areas and small cities are least likely to leave.

For those people itching to move, most aren’t planning to go to a neighboring community. More than 40% said they plan to move more than four hours away, while another 13.2% said they plan to move between two and four hours away.

Besides having flexibility with work, what is driving people to leave? Most respondents said cost. More than 20% of people are planning to move to homes that are at least 50% less expensive, while 52.5% are planning to move to a home that is at least 10% cheaper. However, 25% are planning to purchase a pricier home. The majority of respondents said they plan to move somewhere that is less populated and with lower housing costs.