Demographic Trends, Part Two: Geographic Distribution

Customers that move create problems and opportunities. One the one hand, movement of credit customers requires tracing them to their new address. On the other hand, consumers moving into your territory offer opportunities for new business and new employees. Between March 1997 and March 1998, 42.5 million Americans moved—16 percent of the total population and the lowest rate since the series began. As shown in the accompanying chart, 63.7 percent moved within the same county, while another 18.5 percent moved from a different county in the same state. (See accompanying chart)

As might be expected, young people were the most mobile, with 34.2 percent of those aged 20-24 and 31.0 percent of those aged 25-29 moving. The old adage “Go West young man” no longer applies. More residents moved out of the west than moved in, leaving a deficit of 146,000. However, immigration from abroad of 370,000 led to a net immigration of 224,000. There was a net migration of 230,000 out of the Northeast that was barely offset by net immigration of 247,000 from abroad.