Redfin: Migration Patterns Show More People Leaving Politically Blue Counties
October 13 2017 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
People are moving to purple and red counties,
where homes are more affordable
(NASDAQ: RDFN) — In the first half of 2017, 7.4 percent more
people moved out of politically blue counties than to them,
according to a new analysis from Redfin (www.redfin.com), the
next-generation real estate brokerage. Red counties saw about 1
percent more people moving in than moving out. Purple counties,
where there’s a more balanced share of Democrats and Republicans,
saw 3.9 percent more migrants moving in than out.
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Redfin data showing migration of users by
political makeup. (Graphic: Business Wire)
The trend is even more pronounced in swing states, which saw
blue counties lose 9.2 percent more people than they gained, while
Republican counties gained 2.3 percent more than they lost.
Redfin analyzed Redfin.com user search data, comparing where
prospective homebuyers currently live to where they are searching
for a home to buy. Redfin’s user data covers more than 72 percent
of the voting age population and is concentrated in urban
metropolises, which gives the company a specific and recent look at
where residents of blue counties are looking to move. Counties were
classified as “blue” if the Democratic candidate for 2016 won by
more than 20 percentage points and vice versa for “red”
counties.
High housing costs in blue counties are driving this trend.
Nationwide, the average home in a blue county costs around
$360,000—more than 62 percent more than that of homes in red
counties ($223,000).
“As blue counties are becoming increasingly less affordable, we
see a great number of residents moving to red counties where they
can afford the lifestyle they want,” said Redfin chief economist
Nela Richardson. “At Redfin, we see this as a sign of hope for a
less divided country, where people with differing views gain better
understanding and tolerance of each other through sheer
proximity.”
However, politics can be a key factor for people in deciding
where to move. A Redfin survey found that 41 percent of recent
homebuyers reported hesitations about moving to a place where most
people have political views different from their own. In contrast,
fewer than one in 10 respondents was enthusiastic about moving to a
different political climate, with the remaining half neutral.
While the evidence that people will continue to self-sort by
political beliefs is strong, Redfin contends that the housing
affordability crisis in the bluest counties is unprecedented. With
no sign of a drastic drop in prices anytime soon, there’s an
argument that many more people, regardless of politics, will move
to where they can buy a comfortable home.
To read the report, complete with data, interactive visuals and
methodology, visit
https://www.redfin.com/blog/2017/10/migration-patterns-show-more-people-leaving-politically-blue-counties.html.
About Redfin
Redfin (www.redfin.com) is the next-generation real estate
brokerage, combining its own full-service agents with modern
technology to redefine real estate in the consumer's favor. Founded
by software engineers, Redfin has the country's #1 brokerage
website and offers a host of online tools to consumers, including
the Redfin Estimate, the automated home-value estimate with the
industry's lowest published error rate for listed homes. Homebuyers
and sellers enjoy a full-service, technology-powered experience
from Redfin real estate agents, while saving thousands in
commissions. Redfin serves more than 80 major metro areas across
the U.S. The company has closed more than $50 billion in home
sales.
For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate
agent, visit www.redfin.com. To learn about housing market trends
and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to
Redfin's press release distribution list, subscribe here. To view
Redfin's press center, click here.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171013005083/en/
RedfinRedfin Journalist Services:Alina Ptaszynski,
206-588-6863press@redfin.com
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