A software engineer in San Francisco gets a call from her VP on a Tuesday morning. The company is opening a new hub in Nashville. They want her to lead it. She has 72 hours to decide if she will uproot her family, sell a home she bought at a 2.9% mortgage rate, pull her kid out of school, and start over 2,100 miles away. Behind that decision sit hard corporate relocation statistics that shape budgets, housing demand, and workforce strategy across the country.
That single phone call triggers a chain reaction that touches real estate agents on both coasts, a moving company, a temporary housing provider, a tax advisor, immigration lawyers if international, and, depending on the package, somewhere between $21,000 and $97,000 in corporate spending.
Now multiply that by three million.
That is roughly how many Americans crossed state lines last year. Behind every one of those moves is a story like hers and a real estate transaction waiting to happen.
It is the data behind that story. Seventy-two verified statistics that reveal the true scale, cost, direction, and human reality of corporate relocation in America. Real estate professionals looking to break into the relocation market, HR leaders benchmarking mobility programs, and investors tracking migration-driven housing demand will find this a clear reference point.
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The Magnitude of Modern Workforce Mobility
Most people have no idea how much money moves through the relocation industry. It’s a full-blown economic engine that rivals the GDP of small countries.
1. U.S. employers spend over $18 billion annually on corporate employee relocation, and that’s just the domestic side. (Source: LLCBuddy)
2. Globally, the corporate relocation service market hit $20.22 billion in 2025 and is on track to reach $32.47 billion by 2032, a 7% annual growth rate that shows no signs of slowing. (Source: Coherent Market Insights)
3. The managed relocation services segment alone was valued at $431 million in 2024, projected to nearly double to $685 million by 2032. (Source: Intel Market Research)
4. North America dominates with 41% of the global market share. If relocation has a Wall Street, it’s here. (Source: Coherent Market Insights)
5. Europe holds second place at 25.2%, driven by pharma, energy, and IT sectors shipping talent across borders. (Source: Coherent Market Insights)
6. Total U.S. relocation management industry revenue? North of $25 billion a year. That’s bigger than the entire U.S. music industry. (Source: LLCBuddy)
7. Nearly 15 million U.S. adults moved in 2025, that’s more than the entire population of Illinois packing up in a single year. (Source: HireAHelper 2026 Migration Report)
8. Of those, 78.49% stayed within their state. But over 3 million crossed state lines, and that’s where the real estate money is. (Source: HireAHelper 2026 Migration Report)
Three million interstate moves. Each one is at least one housing transaction. There are two, a sale in the old market and a purchase in the new one. If you’re a real estate agent not paying attention to relocation, you’re leaving a six-million-transaction pipeline on the table.
Related – Trends Shaping Employee Relocation in 2026
Where Corporate Relocation Statistics Show the Money Flowing
Here’s what might surprise you: companies aren’t cutting relocation budgets. They’re actually spending more. In a year where “cost reduction” is every CFO’s mantra, relocation keeps getting funded. Why? Because the alternative, losing your best people to competitors who will move them, is more expensive.
9. 40% of organizations expect to relocate more employees this year than last. (Source: LLCBuddy)
10. Most companies reported increases in both relocation volume and budgets in 2024, a trend that continued into 2025. (Source: Atlas Van Lines 58th Annual Corporate Relocation Survey, 558 respondents)
11. Domestic relocations grew. International volumes held steady. Nobody’s pulling back. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
12. That said, 68% of programs are laser-focused on cost reduction, getting estimates for every move, tracking budget vs. actual spend, squeezing out waste. (Source: LLCBuddy)
13. 46% of companies are investing more in technology to manage mobility, up from a laughable 4% in 2018. Within two years, that number is expected to hit 63%. (Source: Vialto Partners)
14. The biggest external pressure? The economy. It’s impacting relocation decisions at half of all companies surveyed, up from the prior year. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
15. But here’s the counterweight: the talent shortage. Companies can’t find qualified people locally, which makes relocation less of a perk and more of a survival strategy. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
16. The verdict from the C-suite? Most companies still view relocation as a valuable investment in hiring and retention, even with the price tag going up. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
The translation for real estate professionals: the money is flowing, but it’s getting smarter. Companies want agents who understand the relocation process inside out, not someone who treats a transferee like any other buyer walking through an open house.
Breaking Down the Cost of a Corporate Transfer
Let’s talk numbers because the gap between relocating a 25-year-old renter and a senior VP with a $900K home, two kids, and a spouse who needs a job is the difference between a Honda Civic and a private jet.
17. Average U.S. domestic relocation package: anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000. The range is enormous because the variables are enormous. (Source: LLCBuddy)
18. Relocating a homeowner? Budget up to $97,000 or more. That includes home sale assistance, closing costs, home-finding trips, and temporary housing. (Source: LLCBuddy)
19. Relocating a renter? Typically under $24,000. Still significant, but a different universe. (Source: LLCBuddy)
20. Across the board, companies spend an average of $16.2 million per year just on moving their people around. (Source: Jobera)
21. The most common approach? A lump sum. Average payout: $7,200. But that number is deceptive; it can be as low as $1,500 for an entry-level hire or $100,000 for a C-suite executive. (Source: LLCBuddy)
22. 51% of employers still default to lump sums, even though the drawbacks are well documented: no cost controls, no guidance for the employee, and some genuinely disastrous moves as a result. (Source: LLCBuddy)
23. 56% of all relocations are domestic. 29% cross international borders. The rest are short-term assignments or rotational moves. (Source: LLCBuddy)
24. And here’s the detail most employees don’t see coming: almost every employer-paid relocation expense is now taxable income under current U.S. tax law. That $60,000 package? A chunk of it goes straight to the IRS. (Source: LLCBuddy)
For real estate agents, the $97,000 homeowner number is the one to remember. That’s your world: home sale programs, buyer-value options, guaranteed buyouts, home-finding trips.
Also read – Global Talent Relocation Is “Skyrocketing,” Trends Show 4x Returns
The Psychology of Saying Yes (or No)
Every relocation starts with a decision, and it’s rarely just about the job. It’s about a spouse’s career, a kid’s school, a parent’s health, and a mortgage rate that feels impossible to give up. The data on who says yes, who says no, and why reveals a lot about where the industry is headed.
25. Good news first: employees are saying yes more often. Only 58% of companies reported declines in 2024, down from 68% in 2021. That’s a meaningful four-year trend in the right direction. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
26. When they say no, the reason isn’t money, it’s family. Family responsibilities are the #1 reason employees decline a move. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
27. Right behind family: the dual-income problem. When your partner also has a career, uprooting becomes a two-career negotiation, not a one-person decision. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
28. Then there’s the mortgage lock-in effect. If you bought a home at 3% in 2021, the idea of selling and taking on a 6.7% mortgage feels like a financial downgrade, even if the new job pays more. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
29. The fix is working, though: companies that improved their financial packages saw fewer declines. Money doesn’t solve everything, but it solves a lot. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
Why Employees Move According to Corporate Relocation Statistics
Career growth and higher compensation remain the primary drivers of relocation decisions. Family proximity, office transfers, and long-term opportunity shape secondary motivations.
Corporate relocation statistics show a workforce that is willing to move, yet increasingly weighing remote work against physical relocation.
30. The #1 reason employees accept? Career advancement and higher pay, cited by 37% of relocating workers. (Source: Allied Van Lines)
31. 17.88% moved to be closer to family. 15.48% were transferred to a new office. The motivations are more personal than most HR departments realize. (Source: Allied Van Lines)
32. Nearly half of all employees (48%) say they’d relocate for the right opportunity. The willingness is there; the offer just has to be good enough. (Source: LLCBuddy)
33. Millennials? Even more mobile. 85% say they’d move, domestically or internationally, to advance their careers. (Source: LLCBuddy)
34. But there’s a counter-current. Nearly half (49.05%) of people who’ve relocated before say they’d now look for remote work instead of moving again. Once burned, twice remote. (Source: Allied Van Lines)
35. The total addressable pool? An estimated 20 million Americans are actively considering a cross-state move for work. (Source: Jobera / Upwork)
Here is what this means on the ground: according to corporate relocation statistics, the relocating client of 2026 is anxious, informed, and juggling more trade-offs than any buyer you will ever work with. They are not browsing Zillow for fun on a Saturday afternoon.
They have a start date, a temporary housing deadline, and a family that needs convincing. The agent who can make the destination feel like home, before they even get there, wins the deal.
Where Corporate Relocation Statistics Shape Real Estate Markets
This is the section where the corporate world and your commission check collide. Every stat here represents a direct line between an employer’s relocation budget and a real estate professional’s pipeline.
36. Three out of four corporate packages include home-finding trips (75%). That’s a funded, pre-qualified buyer showing up in your market ready to tour. (Source: LLCBuddy)
37. Other common benefits: final move assistance (72%) and miscellaneous expense allowances (69%). The full-service relocation buyer is not a myth. (Source: LLCBuddy)
38. For international moves, 100% of companies surveyed provide immigration support. When someone’s moving from London to Dallas, the paperwork alone is a full-time job. (Source: LLCBuddy)
39. But not everyone gets a golden ticket. 35.86% of relocated workers received zero corporate support and covered the full cost themselves. (Source: Allied Van Lines)
40. 81% of relocated employees receive a cost-of-living adjustment in their salary. This directly affects their purchasing power and your buyer’s budget in the destination market. (Source: LLCBuddy)
41. And yet, only 23% of employees say relocation benefits are a “crucial factor” in evaluating a job offer. The other 77%? They’re weighing the role, the company, the city. The relo package is the closer, not the opener. (Source: LLCBuddy)
42. Mortgage rates stuck near 6.76% make relocation math harder for everyone. Without employer support, many homeowners simply can’t afford to trade their current rate for a new one. (Source: Freddie Mac)
43. This is the “lock-in effect” in action: homeowners sitting on low-rate mortgages are choosing to stay, even when career opportunities call from elsewhere. (Source: North American Van Lines)
The play for real estate agents is clear: use corporate relocation statistics to get on the relocation referral lists. The buyers coming through these programs are pre qualified, motivated, and on a deadline.
Who Is Actually Moving Corporate Relocation Statistics Demographic Snapshot
If you’re going to serve relocation clients, you need to know who they are.
44. The average relocating employee is 36 years old. Right in the sweet spot of career growth, family formation, and first or second home purchases. (Source: LLCBuddy)
45. 70% report being satisfied with their job within the first year of relocating. The move worked out for most of them. (Source: LLCBuddy)
46. The 25-34 age bracket is the most mobile: 37% changed residences in the past year, compared to just 24% of those aged 35-44. (Source: Allied Van Lines)
47. Here’s a surprise: it’s not Fortune 500 companies driving the most moves. The biggest chunk of relocating workers (23.18%) comes from companies with 100-499 employees, followed by firms with 50-99 employees (18.18%). Mid-market companies punch above their weight. (Source: Allied Van Lines)
48. Gender gap alert: 69% of men say they’re willing to relocate, compared to 51% of women. That’s an 18-point difference that has implications for how relocation packages are structured and marketed. (Source: Moneypenny via Jobera)
49. The overall vibe? Positive. 56.64% of relocated workers feel good about their move. 29.07% are neutral. Only 14.29% regret it. (Source: Allied Van Lines)
50. But here’s the cautionary stat: up to 40% of relocations end poorly, culture shock, homesickness, and inadequate support turn what should’ve been a career upgrade into a personal crisis. (Source: Jobera / Forbes)
51. The financial upside can be staggering when it works: someone earning $650,000 in New York City could save over $250,000 per year by moving to Austin, a 40%+ income boost from geography alone. (Source: Jobera)
That 40% failure rate is where agents can make or break a client relationship.
The Great American Migration – Where Everyone’s Going (and Leaving)
This is the section every real estate agent should screenshot, print out, and tape to their bathroom mirror. Migration data is market intelligence. It tells you where buyer demand is building, where inventory pressure is coming, and which markets are about to get very competitive, or very quiet.
52. South Carolina led the nation in 2025. Not just in vibes. In actual people moving there, 79.7 new residents per 10,000 population. Total growth: 79,958 people, a 1.5% increase. (Source: HireAHelper / U.S. Census Bureau)
53. Idaho came in second at 63.2 per 10,000, continuing a multi-year streak as America’s quiet migration magnet. (Source: HireAHelper)
54. Delaware, yes, Delaware, ranked third at 54.5 per 10,000. No sales tax, proximity to East Coast jobs, and the kind of affordability that Delaware residents hope you don’t find out about. (Source: HireAHelper)
55. Tennessee and Alabama rounded out the top five, adding 43.6 and 36.6 per 10,000, respectively. The Southeast is vacuuming up Americans. (Source: HireAHelper)
Migration momentum is concentrating in tax-friendly and affordability-driven states. Buyer demand is building fastest where inbound ratios are strongest. Agents who track corporate relocation statistics early will position themselves ahead of the next inventory wave.
The Sun Belt Surge in Corporate Relocation Statistics
Net domestic migration continues to favor lower tax, lower cost Sun Belt states. Texas, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Florida are absorbing the largest share of inbound moves. Charlotte, Nashville, Dallas, and Myrtle Beach rank among the most sought-after destinations.
Inbound-to-outbound ratios in some cities now exceed three to one. Corporate relocation statistics confirm a sustained shift toward Southern growth markets.
56. By raw volume, Texas still wins: 68,318 net new residents via domestic migration. South Carolina added 41,548, and North Carolina isn’t far behind. (Source: HireAHelper)
57. The overall top inbound states for 2025: Idaho, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida. (Source: North American Van Lines)
58. Two-thirds of all U.S. moves went to the Sun Belt. North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina dominated. (Source: PODS Fifth Annual Moving Trends Report, May 2025)
59. The hottest cities? Charlotte, Nashville, Dallas, Myrtle Beach, and Raleigh. If you’re an agent in any of these markets, you’re either very busy or not paying attention. (Source: North American Van Lines / PODS)
60. Myrtle Beach was the single most desirable city in America: 3.28 in-moves for every exit. Three people moving in for every one leaving. That’s not migration, that’s a stampede. (Source: moveBuddha)
61. For the third straight year, South Carolina was the #1 state for the inbound-to-outbound ratio. Nearly two newcomers for every person who left. (Source: moveBuddha)
Now, the flip side, where people are leaving.
Corporate Relocation Statistics and the New Domestic Migration Map
Corporate relocation statistics show clear regional winners and sustained outbound pressure from high-tax coastal states. At the same time, Midwest markets are stabilizing and beginning to post measurable gains after years of decline.
Housing demand, investor focus, and relocation strategy are adjusting to a new domestic migration map.
62. California lost approximately 229,000 residents to other states in 2025 via domestic migration. International immigration offset some of the damage, but the internal bleeding is real. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
63. New York holds the dubious record for the largest cumulative domestic migration loss from 2020-2024: 446,814 residents. That’s like the entire city of Miami packing up and leaving. (Source: Census Analysis)
64. The pattern is unmistakable: states with higher income taxes see higher emigration. People vote with their feet and their U-Haul rentals. (Source: North American Van Lines)
65. But here’s the plot twist nobody saw coming: the Midwest posted positive net domestic migration for the first time this decade. After losing 175,000+ people annually in 2021-2022, the region has stabilized and started gaining. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Marc Perry, Senior Demographer)
The next advantage will belong to those who read corporate relocation statistics early and position themselves ahead of the shift.
The Midwest Reversal and Alaska Surprise in Corporate Relocation Statistics
Ohio and Michigan have shifted from sustained population losses to measurable net gains, marking a clear regional reversal. At the same time, Alaska recorded a sharp rise in migration interest as remote work expanded geographic flexibility. Corporate relocation statistics show momentum building in overlooked markets while national growth slows.
International migration has fallen sharply, tightening overall population expansion. The next phase of the relocation strategy will depend on tracking these emerging regional pivots.
66. Ohio went from losing 32,482 residents in 2021 to gaining 11,926 in 2025. Michigan flipped from -28,290 to +1,796. These aren’t flukes. They’re trend reversals. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
67. The wildcard? Alaska. Its migration interest surged 32% in a single year, jumping from #13 to #4 among destination states. Remote work has turned America’s final frontier into a legitimate lifestyle destination. (Source: moveBuddha)
68. Meanwhile, the nation’s overall population growth slowed to 0.5%, the weakest since early COVID, driven almost entirely by a 53.8% collapse in net international migration. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
69. That international migration decline is projected to accelerate: net immigration may fall to just 321,000 by mid-2026, down from 2.7 million just two years earlier. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)
If you’re an agent in the Southeast or Mountain West, the wind is at your back. But the smart money is watching Ohio, Michigan, and the Midwest comeback story. Those markets are cheaper, gaining momentum, and haven’t been picked over by every investor with a podcast yet.
And if you’re in a high-outbound market like California or New York? Don’t panic. Specialize in the sell side. Every departing employee needs to sell their home fast and well.
Recommended read – Why Use a Relocation Management Company for Scalable Growth
The AI Wildcard Shaping Corporate Relocation Statistics
We’d be irresponsible not to mention what’s happening with technology. AI isn’t coming to the relocation industry. It’s already there.
70. Nearly every company surveyed now uses AI in daily operations, with a third relying on it most of the time. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
71. But the frontier is still wide open: only 12% use predictive analytics to plan their mobility programs. The companies that figure this out first will have a massive advantage. (Source: Vialto Partners)
72. Mid-sized companies are investing the most aggressively in AI for relocation, betting that technology can close the gap between their budgets and the Fortune 500’s. (Source: Atlas Van Lines)
The implication for real estate: the relocation process is getting faster, more data-driven, and more demanding.
Agents who still operate on gut feel and handshake referrals will find themselves replaced by those who can deliver virtual area tours, data-backed neighborhood comparisons, and seamless digital experiences. The bar is going up.
So What Do You Do With All These Corporate Relocation Statistics
Seventy-two statistics. Billions of dollars. Millions of moves. Here’s how to actually use this data depending on who you are.
If you are a real estate agent or broker, the relocation market is one of the most reliable, highest-value pipelines in real estate, and most agents completely ignore it. To begin with, start with certification CRP or GMS. Then, get on RMC referral lists, Cartus, SIRVA, and Graebel. Ultimately, build a value proposition tailored to relocation.
Importantly, the buyers coming through these programs are funded, motivated, and on a clock. As a result, they are often the strongest clients you will work with.
If you are in HR or global mobility, meanwhile, your peers are spending more, relocating more, and increasingly betting on technology to manage it all. If so, a program still running on spreadsheets and lump sum checks risks falling behind.
In fact, the data clearly shows that better-structured packages lead to fewer declines, faster transitions, and higher retention.
If you are a real estate investor, accordingly, follow the migration data like a treasure map. Demand is building in South Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho, and North Carolina.
At the same time, the Midwest is the emerging story. Furthermore, the international migration cliff means gateway markets such as NYC, SF, and Miami may lose a demand driver that supported prices for years.
If you are an employee weighing a relocation offer, finally, know your leverage. Willingness to relocate is increasing but still not universal; your yes carries real value.
First, negotiate. Then, understand the tax implications. Finally, do not accept a lump sum without doing the math on what a managed package would actually be worth.
Bottom Line
These corporate relocation statistics reflect rising costs, shifting migration corridors, and a clear impact on housing. Each move influences payroll budgets, real estate demand, and employee retention. For real estate professionals, the numbers point to emerging markets. HR leaders define financial exposure and mobility risk. For investors, corporate expansion is linked to regional growth.
Corporate relocation statistics now guide workforce strategy and capital planning.
The data will keep evolving, and so will the decisions shaped by it.
A Strategic Approach to Corporate Relocation Execution
Relo.AI approaches corporate relocation with data and execution discipline. First, we model total move costs before approval. Then, we coordinate home search, temporary housing, freight, compliance, and settling support under one framework. In addition, we identify financial optimization opportunities, including reward conversions and cost offsets that reduce net relocation spend.
Our process begins with assessment. First, we evaluate role-level factors, destination-market conditions, cost-of-living variance, tax considerations, and timeline sensitivity. Then, planning follows. Housing strategy, vendor sequencing, and financial controls are defined early. Finally, execution takes place. Every milestone is tracked from departure to day one productivity in the new location.
Relocation affects more than logistics. It affects performance, morale, and retention. Structured relocation protects all three.
Book a FREE strategy session with us.
We assess your objectives and outline a focused execution plan.
Sources cited in this article –
- Atlas Van Lines 58th Annual Corporate Relocation Survey (558 respondents, Dec 2024–Jan 2025)
- U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 Population Estimates (January 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau — Net International Migration Analysis
- U.S. Census Bureau — State Population Change Components
- Brookings Institution — Immigration & State Population Growth
- HireAHelper 2026 Migration Report
- North American Van Lines 2025 Migration Report
- Allied Van Lines Job Relocation Survey (1,000 respondents)
- moveBuddha 2025-2026 Migration Report
- Vialto Partners Mobility (R) Evolution Report
- Coherent Market Insights Corporate Relocation Market Report
- Intel Market Research — Employee Relocation Service Market
- LLCBuddy — Relocation Management Software Statistics
- Jobera — Job Relocation Statistics
- Freddie Mac Mortgage Rate Data
- PODS Fifth Annual Moving Trends Report (May 2025)
Last updated – February 2026
Have a statistic we should include? Contact us at info@relo.ai.
