Mobility Rate Hits New Low in 2015–16

The geographic mobility rate fell to a new all-time low in 2015–16, according to the Census Bureau. Only 11.2 percent of U.S. residents aged 1 or older as of March 2016 had moved in the previous 12 months. This rate is is well below the previous low of 11.5 percent recorded in 2013–14. Behind the decline is a fairly large drop in the percentage of renters who moved.

Among people living in owned homes, 5.1 percent moved from one house to another between 2015 and 2016, higher than the all-time low of 4.7 percent in 2010–11. Among people living in rented homes, the mobility rate fell to an all-time low of 22.9 percent in 2015–16.

Mobility rate of total U.S. residents
2015–16: 11.2% (all-time low)
2010–11: 11.6%
2000–01: 14.2%

Mobility rate of people in owner-occupied homes
2015–16: 5.1%
2010–11: 4.7% (all-time low)
2000–01: 7.4%

Mobility rate of people in renter-occupied homes
2015–16: 22.9% (all-time low)
2010–11: 26.1%
2000–01: 30.3%

Source: Census Bureau, CPS Historical Migration/Geographic Mobility Tables