Covid 19 has affected so much of our lives already – when and where we can go out, where we work from, and even where we live. Despite all of the restrictions that have been in place for much of 2021, moving during Covid has been a common occurrence for many people. Whether it’s because they sold their home, a tenancy ended, they had to move for work, many Aussies ended up completing a contactless move last year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has recently released the 2021 census data, which is where much of the following information is taken from. Keep reading to find out some of the trends for moving during Covid in 2021.
Australians Moving During Covid
Of the people surveyed, around 20% of people moved home in 2021. That’s a huge number considering that the country was shut down for much of the year.
The percentage of people who moved varied across states, with moving during covid being particularly popular in Victoria at 22.6%. Meanwhile, in Southern Australia, just 13.2% of people moved to a new home.
Additionally, younger folk were much more likely to move, with 37.9% of those between 18 and 24 doing so. The least likely age group to move were those 65 and over, with only 5.6% of them moving.
Most of the questions in the survey could also be viewed by gender, and it is interesting to note that the differences in responses between different genders were negligible.
Moving During Covid to a New State
Of those who moved last year, 33% moved to a new state, while 67% moved within their own state. Those over 55 were much less likely to move interstate than their younger counterparts. The state with the most significant percentage of people moving to another region was South Australia, while those in Queensland were far more likely to move to a new home in the same state.
Moving Due to the Pandemic
In the survey this data was taken from, respondents were asked whether they moved because of Covid-19. Overall, 35.5% said yes, indicating that many of those moving during Covid would not have done so otherwise.
People in metropolitan areas were more likely to say that they moved because of Covid – 40.3%, compared with just 23.7% of those in regional areas.
When it comes to which state has residents more likely to move because of Covid-19, the results aren’t too surprising. Nearly half of the survey respondents who were Victorian residents that moved last year said that it was due to the pandemic.
Difference from 2016 – 2021
One of the most telling things about the data is that a similar survey was conducted in 2016. Comparing the information from 2016 to 2021 offers us unique insight into people moving during Covid.
Overall, 33% more people moved in 2021 than they did in 2016. This shows that Covid has likely triggered a lot of peoples’ wish to move home. Many factors likely play into this, including different restrictions in states, people spending more time at home and wanting a nicer place to live, and needing to move so there’s more room to work from home.
The Stress of Moving House
Overall, in the 2021 survey, 79% of people said that moving was a stressful experience for them. There are a few things you can do to minimize the stress of moving during Covid:
Reduce Your Belongings
It makes sense that if you own fewer belongings, you will have less stuff to move when you shift to a new home. A whopping 74% of survey respondents said that they felt they had too much stuff when they moved.
Before moving day is a great time to go through and declutter your home, getting rid of anything that you no longer use. After all, if you don’t use these items, why would you pay or put in the effort to have them moved?
Arrange a Contactless Move
If you are also part of the majority of Australians who find moving an incredibly stressful time, hiring contactless movers can help. Sit back and relax while the team at EasyMove takes care of all of the hard work and coordination of moving for you. No need to hire a van, enlist friends to help, or even do your own packing if you don’t have the time or energy. EasyMove can do all of that for you and more!
With our contactless move option, you can rest assured that we’ll get you moved as safely as possible. We take all the necessary precautions to keep you safe, including sanitizing, wearing gloves, wearing masks, and doing everything we can to create a contactless move for you.
Whether you’re moving to or from Melbourne, we would love to help. Get in touch with us today to find out more!
