Friday, April 24, 2009
(photo:oldcarnadtruckpictures.com)
Because of the current recession, more Americans are staying put than ever before, or at least since the government began keeping track of such figures. The U.S. Census Bureau announced on Wednesday that the national mover rate declined from 13.2% in 2007 to 11.9% in 2008, which is lowest level since reporting began in 1948. The bureau also found that 35.2 million people changed residences in 2008. The last time so few people moved was 1962, when the nation had 120 million fewer people. The drop in moving has been occurring for the past four years, according to the American Moving and Storage Association, which says the first quarter of 2009 is likely to be even worse.
The lack of relocation by Americans suggests many were unable or unwilling to follow job opportunities that may have existed around the country. The situation could impact the already slumping economy because a lack of mobility means less income for moving companies and less spending on renovation and on durable goods like appliances. Also, if the trend continues, it could have ramifications for the job market if certain positions go unfilled, leaving a shortage of skilled labor in some areas.
Michael J. Hicks, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University in Indiana, told the New York Times it won’t be until sometime in 2010 “before we see any growth in migration, and that still may be optimistic.”
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Residential Mover Rate in U.S. is Lowest Since Census Bureau Began Tracking in 1948 (U.S. Census Bureau press release)
Slump Creates Lack of Mobility for Americans (by Sam Roberts, New York Times)
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