- A similar share—about 1 in 8—would only live somewhere abortion is fully legal.
- The lion’s share of respondents prefer to live in a place with strong voter protections, anti-discrimination laws related to gender, and legal marijuana.
About 1 in 7 people (15%) who recently moved say they would not live in a place where abortion is fully legal, a new Redfin survey found. That’s slightly higher than the share of respondents (12%) who said they would only live in a place where abortion is fully legal. Other respondents felt less strongly: 17% said they “prefer not to” live somewhere abortion is fully legal and 28% said they “prefer to” live in such a place.
Combined, 40% of respondents had a positive view on living in a place where abortion is fully legal, while 32% had a negative view.
This is according to an August 2021 Redfin survey of 1,023 U.S. residents who moved to a new home during the 18 months prior to the survey.
Interest in relocating has soared during the pandemic as remote work has allowed many Americans to prioritize affordability and living near family over proximity to the office. In July and August, 30.1% of Redfin.com users were looking to move to a different metro area. That’s down slightly from a peak of 31.5% at the start of the 2021, but still up from roughly 26% before the coronavirus pandemic. Texas, where most abortions were recently banned, has been a popular landing spot—especially for people coming from California. Austin, San Antonio and Dallas have all ranked among the top 10 migration destinations in recent months.
“People take the politics of a place into consideration when deciding where to move, but the truth of the matter is that other factors including housing affordability and access to jobs and schools take priority,” said Redfin Deputy Chief Economist Taylor Marr. “Oftentimes this means someone will move from a blue state to a red state (or vice versa), but choose a home in a neighborhood where most people hold the same political views as they do. Austin—a liberal Texas enclave that’s attracting scores of left-leaning folks from pricier coastal cities—is just one example.”
Almost Half of Respondents Favor Living in a Place Where It’s Illegal to Discriminate Based on Sexual Orientation
Nearly half (49%) of respondents had a positive view on living somewhere with broad anti-discrimination laws related to gender/sexual orientation. By comparison, 23% had a negative view.
In the first quarter of 2021, leaders in at least 25 states introduced more anti-trans bills than the total number introduced during all of last year. Mississippi’s governor recently signed a bill banning trans athletes from school sports, and Texas is weighing a similar law. There have also been more than 20 bills introduced this year seeking to criminalize gender-affirming care for trans children. President Biden last week urged state lawmakers to defeat anti-LGBTQ bills and Congress to pass the Equality Act, which would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Most Respondents Want to Live Somewhere With Voter Protections
A majority of respondents (55%) had a positive view on living in a place with strong protections of voting rights and/or easy vote-by-mail. Meanwhile, 16% had a negative view.
As of June, 17 states had passed 28 new laws making it harder to vote in 2021, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that limits the ability to vote by mail and puts restrictions on ballot drop boxes. Florida is one of the most popular migration destinations for people looking to relocate, with Miami, Tampa and Cape Coral regularly attracting scores of out-of-towners. While some states have curbed voter access, others have expanded it. Illinois, for example, made absentee voting easier, and Washington expanded rights for felons.
Almost Half of Respondents Want to Live Somewhere With Legal Marijuana
Nearly half (46%) of respondents had a positive view on living in a place where marijuana is legal, while 22% had a negative view.
As of September, 18 states and Washington, D.C. had legalized recreational marijuana use for adults over 21.
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