{"id":59712,"date":"2017-10-13T05:00:16","date_gmt":"2017-10-13T12:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redfindevelop.wpengine.com\/blog\/?p=59712"},"modified":"2020-10-03T11:32:38","modified_gmt":"2020-10-03T18:32:38","slug":"migration-patterns-show-more-people-leaving-politically-blue-counties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/migration-patterns-show-more-people-leaving-politically-blue-counties\/","title":{"rendered":"Migration Patterns Show More People Leaving Politically Blue Counties"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the first half of 2017, more people moved from blue (Democratic) counties to red (Republican) counties than from red to blue counties, according to data on Redfin.com user searches. Counties were classified as \u201cblue\u201d if the Democratic candidate for 2016 won by more than 20 percentage points and vice versa for \u201cred\u201d counties.<\/span>1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

Overall, 7.4 percent more people moved <\/span>out <\/span>of blue counties than to them. Compare that with red counties, which saw about 1 percent more people moving <\/span>in<\/span> than moving out. Purple counties, where there\u2019s a more balanced share of Democrats and Republicans, saw 3.9 percent more migrants moving in than out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just looking at swing states\u2014the most populous being Florida\u2014the trend is even more pronounced. In these states, counties with more Democratic voters lost 9.2 percent more people than they gained while Republican counties gained 2.3 percent more than they lost. Swing counties in swing states saw 1.8 percent more people move in than out. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs blue counties are becoming increasingly less affordable, we see a great number of residents moving to red counties where they can afford the lifestyle they want,\u201d said Redfin chief economist Nela Richardson. \u201cAt Redfin, we see this as a sign of hope for a less divided country, where people with differing views gain better understanding and tolerance of each other through sheer proximity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Purple_and_red_destinations_user_growth\"<\/figure>\n

Redfin\u2019s user data covers more than 72 percent of the voting age population and is concentrated in urban metropolises, which gives us a specific and recent look at where residents of blue counties are looking to move. While our analysis looked only at metro areas Redfin serves, its results are right in line with the latest <\/span>county-to-county migration data<\/span><\/a> published by the Census, which revealed that from 2011 to 2015, over 50 percent more migrants moved from blue to red counties than the other way around. <\/span><\/p>\n

The advantage is that Redfin\u2019s user data is forward looking and predictive of moves happening this year. Redfin\u2019s unique data shows that two years later\u2014as housing prices have appreciated by more than 14 percent<\/span>\u2014this trend has accelerated. <\/span><\/p>\n

The trend is most pronounced in Colorado<\/a>, Oregon<\/a> and Washington<\/a>, where respectively, blue counties saw more than 12.7 percent, 12.1 percent and 10.3 percent more people leave than come. Exceptions to the trend were in Louisiana<\/a>, New Mexico<\/a> and Indiana<\/a>\u2014each of which experienced growth in the bluest counties.<\/span><\/p>\n