(ConservativeInsider.org) – The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of American life and shifted the priorities for millions of citizens. With remote work now the norm for many, some workers have the freedom to live almost anywhere they want. Studies show they’re taking advantage of this benefit.
The job marketplace Upwork reports that somewhere between 14 and 23 million households are relocating to a new city or state because of the current work-from-home trend. That’s an estimated 11.5% of American households that could shift around in the coming months.
We ran the survey three ways, to vary the possible answers to make sure the results were robust. And what we found was between 6.9% and 11.5% of people are planning to move because of remote work. That’s massive. pic.twitter.com/wunKitjAFC
— Adam Ozimek (@ModeledBehavior) October 29, 2020
Over 50% of the households reported one of the reasons was to find more affordable housing, although the average rent is quickly plummeting in major cities:
While this survey shows intention to move, it doesn’t actually measure what people are doing. For that, we also looked at rental data from https://t.co/e4H2sGQBYn. The pattern is very consistent: the most expensive places are seeing big declines. pic.twitter.com/uqM7PeetNv
— Adam Ozimek (@ModeledBehavior) October 29, 2020
Many hope to move to “Zoom towns,” referring to more affordable spots in towns with stunning outdoors that are a few hours drive from the major cities. These vacation spots are now potential year-round residences for fleeing city-dwellers because of the availability of remote work.
As some Americans pursue lifestyles that are more financially viable, fit their dreams, and represent greater safety, others find themselves in lifeless cities. Moreover, previously quiet, small towns find themselves bursting at the seams with new residents, often driving up prices. If remote work is here to stay, huge changes may be afoot for America.
Copyright 2020, ConservativeInsider.org
