Americans are moving less than ever, but Bellevue continues to stand out with higher-than-average mobility and a steady flow of newcomers from around the country.
A new Point2Homes analysis shows that only 11% of Americans changed residences in 2024, the lowest mobility rate recorded since the Census Bureau began tracking this data in 1948. By comparison, 15% of Bellevue residents moved last year, well above the national average and higher than many cities of its size.
Bellevue also continues to draw people from around the U.S. Of all the residents who moved, 32.1% came from other states, totaling 7,397 new arrivals. Renters make up the majority of movers in Bellevue, whether relocating from within the city, from elsewhere in Washington, or from out of state.
Washington’s overall mobility remains higher than much of the country. 12.7% of residents statewide moved in 2024, one of the highest rates in the U.S. Roughly 222,000 of those movers came from out of state. Seattle also ranks among major cities with significant inflow, with 26.6% of its movers arriving from other states.
Nationally, the decline in mobility reflects several long-term trends, according to Point2Homes. Rising home prices, economic uncertainty, and higher borrowing costs make people less likely to give up their current housing, especially homeowners who locked in low mortgage rates during the pandemic.
Remote work has also reduced the need for job-related moves. As a result, mobility has steadily fallen for decades: in the early 1900s nearly one in three Americans moved annually; in 2024, it’s about one in nine.
Renters remain the most mobile group. They accounted for 61% of all movers nationwide last year, compared to 39% who were homeowners.
While states like New Jersey and New York recorded the lowest mobility rates, others, such as Alaska, Oklahoma, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada, continue to see far more movement.
Large states like Florida, Texas, and California still attract hundreds of thousands of newcomers, even as overall mobility declines.
According to the study, Bellevue’s above-average mobility rate and notable amount of out-of-state arrivals indicate that the city continues to attract newcomers, even as fewer Americans move nationwide.
