If you came on down here for a read, we hope we aren't diappointing. Presented here are statistics about moving, not stats that will move you to tears! And now, for the numbers (some of which really suprised us):
- About 1 in 6 Americans move each year.
- The average American moves 11.7 times in a lifetime. (Wow! This is much higher than we expected.)
- ...But by age 44, only 3.1 more moves will be made in the average lifetime.
- One in three people living in renter-occupied housing units in March 1993 had moved in the previous year (32.9 percent). In contrast, fewer than 1 in 10 persons in owner-occupied housing units had moved in the same period (9.1 percent).
Now, this info is from way back in the early 1990's (and perhaps the most surprising thing of all is for us to realize that that's almost twenty-year-old data). But we surmise things haven't changed too much since then - do you think? Read more at the U.S. Census Bureau.
Where do you fit in? Tell us your stats in the comments below!
(Image: Flickr member drstarbuck, licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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That is a really sweet fireplace. I can't take my eyes off of it.
I was actually expecting that number to be a bit higher, but I count every time I moved during college (at least once a year) to be "move". I also had a different apartment every year of law school. I'm over the average already and I'm barely 30.
I'm about to move into my 8th apartment (in my lifetime) and I'm only 27. I will definitely beat the average number of moves in a lifetime by a lot.
I'm well over that average and I'm 29! Even though I own my current home, I anticipate a few more moves in my lifetime too.
Yeah this sounds low. I'm 32 and I moved every year for 10 years once I left for college (ugh, and then you also had to move out of the dorms and back into them, remember that?).
I'm 28 and have lived in about 12 places over the last 10 years. Most of that was in college and shortly after. I plan to stay in my current (rented) place until I have to leave the city or want to buy something.
I think that especially now that the housing market has tanked, I'd bet more people are renting, and thus moving, more.
My low average of permanent residences (two in my 28 years of life) brings your high averages down. I don't think they count moving from home to school as a move if you don't change your permanent address on your state ID/driver's license - I know I didn't change mine until I moved in with my now husband.
Given the current recession & mortgage/housing debacle following on the dot.bom correction in the early 00's, as well as several natural disasters (Katrina, Mississippi, etc), I'd bet you my house that these numbers have changed significantly since the early 90s. Don't you bloggers *think* before you post???
Was college housing taken into count in this survey? If so I've already covered my 11 plus 2 more.
I would kill to move. However, with my home in foreclosure central and me not having $100k to bring to the closing table, I'm very stuck.
And I'm betting I'm not the only one in this situation. Yes....times have changed.
I'm only 29 years old, and I just counted 23 moves in my life! Wow! And we're gearing up for another move in just a few weeks!
We've decided to sign a 2 year lease so we can at least count on staying put for 2 years! I'm getting a little tired of moving.
I'm 29 and preparing for my second real move later this month. (My parents have lived in the same house all my life and I don't count college because I just moved a few things into the dorms every fall and then back home for the summers.)
When someone in our family dies, we place something sentimental (photos) or playful (like a golf club) in the casket. (gallows humor, I know)
Our three daughters told their father that they would send him off with a roll of packing tape and a bottle of Advil because of all the times he broke his back helping them move.
I've moved 16 times and I'm 30 years old.
I've also lived in homes for over 10 years.
I am tired of moving, and this last move was to buy a home that MORE than fits our needs currently so hopefully we can stay put and put our roots down. 2 years, and so far so good.
I am 28, on my 12th place, and I still plan on moving around quite a bit. I love exploring new neighborhoods and the thought of not being able to pick up and move to a new place really frightens me. Perhaps I am not "adult" enough to buy a place, but I probably couldn't afford to buy a place in the city (Chicago) anyway.
Well, I'm 38 and have moved a grand total of 28 times, 10 of them in the last 5 years (though I just moved after being in the same apartment for 2 years). I'm looking forward to being in the same apartment I'm in now until I'm ready to buy something (which is what I said about my last place before it started raining from the ceiling....).
I always knew that I moved a lot, but I don't think I've actually sat down and counted until just now. Wow, 16 times in only 26 years. This is completely different from my SO who hasn't moved very much at all.
If 1/6 ppl move each year, and average is about 12 moves per lifetime, then average lifespan would be about 72 years. Which is not too far off, really. So at least the data is consistent.
Back in the 90s, the economy was pretty good, so I assume more ppl went to college, got started at reasonably good jobs with prospects of upward mobility, and stayed in place for a while. Agree that this is probably not the case now.
I have moved... 8 times so far. 4 times as a dependent (once when I was maybe a year old, one time into a relative's home for only a year), 4 times after college (though once was a summer sublet). I wouldn't count living in college housing as proper moves, though if you rented your own place rather than living on on-campus housing, maybe.
How nice - I'm above average! : )
I've had 14 different addresses but I have moved 18 times and will be moving again in less than a year to yet another temporary space. I guess I'm way above the average...
I've lived in 15 different places, and I'm 39. I bought my first home 10 years ago and still live here. So, I guess I was at 14 when I was 29. Since I've owned my home, I rarely think of moving again. I love it just as much, if not more, than I did when I first bought it.
Wooohoo I think I win this contest (if it were a contest). I am 24 and I have lived in over 40 houses/apartments in my life already. Yep, that's not a typo!
I counted recently (before moving another time), and I've moved 23 times -- mostly between the ages of 17 and 36 -- but fergmelk and kittyk definitely have me beat!