At Livability Media, we recently released research about relocating for work, evaluating the relationship between work and where people live post-pandemic. 

“We work with chambers of commerce and economic development groups – organizations focused on having the right workforce in place for their community’s employers,” says Amanda Ellis, Livability.com Editor in Chief. “Talent attraction has become a big focus for these groups, and we wanted to expand our research on American relocation habits to find out more about relocating for work and the role of work in where people end up living.”

In addition to upskilling and other local talent efforts, many communities and employers look to entice in-demand workers to relocate to their areas. This study examined the extent to which location and livelihood are still related for people in a time of increased remote work, shifting attitudes about work and a tight labor market. 

To conduct their survey, Livability contracted with a leading research firm, IPSOS, to survey a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults employed full-time about relocating for work. 

Some of the findings included:

• Work is only part of what drives individuals when it comes to where they call home – 20% of respondents said they ended up in their current city because of relocating for work.
• Respondents were pretty evenly split in terms of whether they’re more or less likely to relocate for work than they would have been 5 years ago.
• Workers who are already fully remote tend to be less likely to relocate for career-related reasons. 
• Hybrid work flexibility can positively influence people when it comes to relocating for work. 

Find the full whitepaper on the relationship between work and where people live now, here. 

About Livability Media: 

Livability Media is a full-service media and content marketing company focused on bringing talented individuals to our nation’s best small to mid-sized cities. We work with chambers of commerce, economic development groups and city governments to tell the unique stories of cities, regions and states through tailored content and compelling design — across all forms of media. 

About Livability.com:

Livability.com highlights the best small to mid-sized cities and what makes them great places to live, work and visit. Through exclusive research and original content, we examine affordability, cultural amenities, talent attraction and more, celebrating the accomplishments of cities through various rankings, our annual Top 100 Best Places to Live and articles exploring the who, what, why and how behind the “where.”