Where People Are Moving During COVID-19: Each State, Ranked

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping through the United States in February and March of 2020, some people have moved away from their city or state, perhaps driven by a desire to seek the safest states to live.

Using data from the moving company platform HireAHelper, GOBankingRates found out where people are moving. Each slide presents the percentage of change in the number of total moves from 2019 in a given state. Additionally, the percentage of change in the number of total moves from a major city is detailed in almost every state. Several states were not ranked, including Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Montana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming, due to a lack of data. While people are definitely moving, the numbers tell a story of more people staying put than taking off.

Last updated: March 8, 2021

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -66%
• Highlighted Major City: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

See: 

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -55%
• Highlighted major city: Boston
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -40%

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• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -54%
• Highlighted major city: Portland
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -52%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -52%
• Highlighted major city: Minneapolis
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -42%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -48%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -47%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -46%
• Highlighted major city: Pittsburgh
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -57%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -44%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -43%
• Highlighted major city: Baltimore
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -46%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -43%
• Highlighted major city: Chicago
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -30%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -43%
• Highlighted major city: Milwaukee
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -48%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -42%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -39%
• Highlighted major city: Denver
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -30%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -39%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -38%
• Highlighted major city: Ann Arbor
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -51%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -38%
• Highlighted major city: New York City
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -5%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -37%
• Highlighted major city: Seattle
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -16%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -36%
• Highlighted major city: New Orleans
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -40%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -35%
• Highlighted major city: Atlanta
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -31%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -35%
• Highlighted major city: Cleveland
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): 6%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -35%
• Highlighted major city: Los Angeles
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -5%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -34%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -32%
• Highlighted major city: Alexandria
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -32%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -32%
• Highlighted major city: Lexington
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -45%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -30%
• Highlighted major city: Greenville
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -21%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -30%
• Highlighted major city: Indianapolis
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -3%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -29%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -29%
• Highlighted major city: St. Louis
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -45%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -28%
• Highlighted major city: Miami
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): 8%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -27%
• Highlighted major city: Huntsville
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): 38%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -26%
• Highlighted major city: Durham
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -8%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -25%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -25%
• Highlighted major city: Katy
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): 48%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -24%
• Highlighted major city: Albuquerque
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -18%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -22%
• Highlighted major city: N/A
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): N/A

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -20%
• Highlighted major city: Henderson
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -10%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -11%
• Highlighted major city: Nashville
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -4%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -9%
• Highlighted major city: Oklahoma City
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): 28%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -5%
• Highlighted major city: Salt Lake City
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): 22%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: -1%
• Highlighted major city: Phoenix
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): 35%

• % change in number of total moves
  from 2019: 2%
• Highlighted major city: Omaha
• % change in total moves from 2019 (city): -6%

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Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates looked at HireAHelper’s “Report: Where Americans Are Moving During The COVID-19 Pandemic” to find the following factors for each state (1) percent change in total moves from that same time in 2019; (2) a highlighted city within each state; and (3) the percent change in total moves from that same time in 2019. HireAHelper data was collected during peak of early COVID-19 months of March through June 2020. All data was collected by GOBankingRates on Dec. 3, 2020.

Several states were not ranked, including Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Montana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.