A fifth of U.S. adults moved due to Covid-19 or know someone who did

PanARMENIAN.Net - Millions of Americans relocated this year because of the COVID-19 outbreak, moving out of college dorms that abruptly closed, communities they perceive as unsafe or housing they can no longer afford. Overall, around one-in-five U.S. adults (22%) say they either changed their residence due to the pandemic or know someone who did, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Among those surveyed in early June, 3% say they themselves moved permanently or temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic, and 6% say someone moved into their household because of it. (Some had more than one of these things happen.) An additional 14% of those who did not personally experience relocation say they know someone else who moved.

Experiences with coronavirus-related relocations vary by demographic characteristics. The age group most likely to have had at least one of these things happen to them are the nation’s young adults: Overall, 37% of those ages 18 to 29 say they moved, someone moved into their home or they know someone who moved because of the outbreak. By race and ethnicity, 28% of Hispanics have had one of these experiences, compared with 20% of white adults, 19% of Black adults and 24% of Asian Americans.

Educational attainment and income also are linked to the likelihood that a person moved due to the outbreak or knows someone who did. For example, a higher share of adults with a bachelor’s degree (28%) than those without one (18%) say they moved because of the coronavirus or know someone else who did.

These are among the findings of the survey, conducted among 9,654 U.S. adults from June 4 to 10, 2020, using the Center’s American Trends Panel.