U.S. history has long included the movement of people to new areas: north, south, west, southwest, and northwest from the Eastern Seaboard. Over the years, that changed from exploration and colonization of new areas to searches for individual opportunities, whether lifestyle or economic.

However, things are changing. In the late 1940s, about 20% of the population moved annually. Part of that was young people and renters moved around more than older Americans or homeowners. A greater predominance of single-earner households also made it easier to move a family if that one person found another job elsewhere.

According to a Brookings Institution study by metro senior fellow William Frey, the share of U.S. residents who are moving is down to historical lows. Between 2021 and 2022, 8.7% of the population moving. The population is aging, and far fewer households rely on a single member's income, making any move more complicated as a result.