Workers Are Moving to These Smaller Metros

The increase of telecommuting, though a result of the pandemic, may be the work model of the future. One of the main reasons people move tends to be because of a new job, so where are people moving if commute times no longer matter? According to LinkedIn’s Workforce Report, more workers are headed toward smaller metro areas. New York City saw the steepest decline in net arrivals, with a 23.4% drop while Jacksonville had the biggest gain of 10.7%. The National Association of Realtors points out that affordability may be another reason why Jacksonville reigns king for net gains.

Specifically, 1 of 2 renters can afford to buy the typical home in the area. In addition, Salt Lake City, UT, and Sacramento, CA are two areas where many people relocate from pricier areas in northern California. After taking a closer look at the outflows for the San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento was one of the top 5 destinations during the pandemic. In the meantime, among all metro areas, Salt Lake City ranked as the 15th metro area with the lowest unemployment rate (5.3%).  As for Milwaukee and Kansas City, both areas are located in states with fewer COVID restrictions. Based on Google COVID-19 Mobility reports, more people visit grocery and pharmacy stores, parks, and transit stations in these areas than they did pre-pandemic. Consequently, people relocate to these areas since these local economies are recovering faster, let alone have better affordability and job markets than nationwide.

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