Proximity to Family Was Top Reason for Relocation in 2025
St. Louis, MO, January 5, 2026-"Being closer to family proved to be the biggest motivation for moving in 2025, although job-related relocation still plays a significant role,” reports Furniture Today.
“The 49th Annual National Movers Study from United Van Lines found nearly one-third (29%) of those tracked for the study cited family as the reason for relocating, while 26% moved because of a job transfer or to take a new job. Retirement was the impetus for about 14% and a lifestyle change was behind about 10% of moves.
“The role of lifestyle changes continues to diminish, falling from around 17% in 2021 and 2022. Cost of living also plays a smaller part in the relocation decision-down to just 3% from 8% in 2022.
“Southern states continue to be a draw, although Oregon was the top inbound state in 2025. According to the study, Oregon led among job-seeking migrants (36%) who are looking for opportunities in tech and healthcare fields. Eugene-Springfield was the top inbound metro statistical area (MSA), while the Salem, Ore., MSA ranked seventh.
“Other top inbound states were West Virginia, South Carolina, Delaware, Minnesota, Idaho, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama and Nevada.
“‘The data reveals Americans are seeking a different pace of life, and destinations like Oregon, the Carolinas and the South are delivering it,’ said Eily Cummings, vice president-corporate communications at United Van Lines. ‘While our total number of residential moves is similar to 2024, we’re seeing much greater complexity in why people move and increasingly divergent migration patterns across age groups.’
“New Jersey topped the list of outbound states, with the migration shift showing a loss of retirees and those seeking more affordable areas despite the attraction of younger professionals and families who view New Jersey as a ‘launch’ state. Joining New Jersey among states people moved away from were New York, California, North Dakota, Colorado, Mississippi and Massachusetts.
“‘For most Americans, interstate relocation is no longer a linear calculation, it’s a complex decision balancing multiple factors,’ said Michael Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at UCLA. ‘It is interesting to see that in general, population movement continues from North/Midwest regions to Southern states-and again, top inbound locations are dominated by smaller to medium-size metro areas. This reflects a legacy of Covid-era preferences for low-density living, combined with the reality that housing costs continue to drive people toward more affordable regions.’
“The 2025 study is based on household moves within the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., handled by the UniGroup Network, which is the parent company of United Van Lines. The study ranks states by inbound and outbound percentages of total moves. High inbound states are those with 55% or more of the moves going into the states, while high outbound states have 55% of more moves out of the state. A state is considered balanced if the inbound and outbound differences are negligible.”