Who Knew: Fewer New Yorkers Are Packing Up and Moving

A new study from Point2Homes found that fewer Americans are on the move than ever before and New Yorkers are among the least likely to relocate. According to the study, which looked at U.S. Census data, only 11% of Americans changed addresses in 2024. In New York, that number was even smaller at just 8.5%, one of the lowest mobility rates in the entire country.

Statewide Stability, Local Movement

While New York’s overall moving rate is low, some cities are seeing a lot more action. Syracuse tops the list with over 20% of residents moving in 2024 that’s more than double the state average. Rochester (16.6%) and Schenectady (14.6%) also had higher than average movement.

New York City is close to the state average at 8.4%, showing that despite its size, most residents are staying put. On the flip side, Mount Vernon reported the lowest residential movement in the state, with just 6.1% of people changing addresses last year.

Where New Yorkers Are Coming and Going

Most moves across the state are happening locally with people changing neighborhoods, not states. But some cities are drawing more newcomers from outside New York. New York City alone had over 143,000 residents from other states, making up just over 20% of all its movers.

Smaller communities like Syracuse (29.4%), New Rochelle (22.3%), and Cheektowaga (21.1%) also saw a big share of out-of-state arrivals. That means these cities are becoming relocation hot spots.

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At the other end of the spectrum, Mount Vernon (2.8%) and Buffalo (12%) had the smallest shares of out-of-state newcomers, showing how rooted many residents are in those communities.

A Slower, More Settled New York

Apparently, people in New York are staying where they are. Maybe it's the housing market, job stability, or finding a place that feels like home. Yes, these findings surprise me too.