Moving distances reveal North/South divide as Northerners stay closer to home

The median distance people move home is 11 miles, with 36% of moves taking place within five miles according to research conducted by home moving comparison website reallymoving.com. Home movers in the North of England are more likely to remain closer to home than their Eastern and Southern counterparts. Research shows home movers in the North East and North West of England move a median distance of just 8 miles, with over 40% of moves in both regions taking place within a 5-mile radius of their existing address.

reallymoving looked at 170,000 home moves over the last 12 months and found home movers in the North moved less distance from their current address. Similarly in the Midlands movers typically relocate within just ten miles of their home. In the East of England this increases to a median distance of 17 miles from their previous home with three in 10 moves travelling more than 50 miles. Those in the South East and South West are also likely to move larger distances, with the median distance moved 14 miles and 15 miles respectively.

19% of movers relocate 100 miles or more with the largest proportion of moves over 100 miles in the South West as movers are forced to cover larger distances to find a suitable property because of its lower population density.

A significant factor prompting movers in the north to stay local is lower property prices, meaning people are less likely to need to move far to find an affordable home or take the next step up the ladder say reallymoving. They may also find it more difficult to move further afield, where higher house prices are out of reach. Meanwhile, high property costs in the south, combined with a shortage of homes, are forcing people to relocate greater distances in search of affordable housing options.

In London just one in five home moves are upgrading from a 3-bed property or larger. The high cost of moving, accounting for SDLT, estate agent fees, conveyancing, survey, removals, is a deterrent when up-sizing, with the vast majority (78.5%) of moves taking place from a 1 or 2-bedroom home – far higher than any other UK region.

Commenting on the research, Rob Houghton, co-founder and CEO of reallymoving, said:

“It’s clear that financial constraints and the pull of existing support networks play a major role in shaping how far people move home. While many of us dream of pastures new, in reality most people stay close to their existing community, anchored by jobs, schools, friends and family networks. Local ties appear to be stronger in the North, and with house prices also more affordable, movers are more likely to find a new home that suits them in their local area. For those located in more expensive regions of the country, such as the South and East, higher house prices and greater competition for homes are forcing people to move further afield to find the right home at the right price.”