About one-third of American adults felt pressured to change residences in the last six months, a Census Bureau survey of households found.
Rent increases, unsafe neighborhoods and landlords who failed to make repairs were the primary reasons, according to the latest Household Pulse Survey, conducted July 26 to Aug. 7.
The bureau didn’t ask the question in prior surveys. The study helps inform federal and state agencies and provides near real-time data on the social and economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and other emergent issues on American households.
Divergences in the results were widespread by race and ethnicity. Close to half of Black adults and about 45% of Hispanics of any race reported feeling pressure to move compared with 27% of Whites.
By large metro area, a large number of adults say a main reason is because of living in an unsafe neighborhood. Of the nearly 2.5 million survey respondents in the San Francisco area, 8.2% cited safety concerns. Los Angeles also had a high share.
Overall in California, 4.9% of respondents said their neighborhood makes them feel unsafe enough that they are inclined to move.
The number of people that actually moved was smaller. The survey found that under 22% of adults that say they felt the pressure to move and eventually did.
