Reliable internet, more space top priorities when moving, new study reveals

74% of people who have relocated say the pandemic made reliable and fast internet more important in their home search according to recent survey.

Highlights:

• National study reveals more than half of recent movers wanted to live in an area with better infrastructure for fast home internet (52%) and reliable cellular service (54%)
• Those who’ve moved are more likely to own and live in a single-family home
• Those working in remote or hybrid positions were more likely to move states than those working in person
• People get more choices for home internet in more places with Verizon’s 5G Home Internet, Fios, and LTE Home Internet

Verizon released findings of a new survey of people who moved homes during the pandemic. The Verizon Movers Study, based on a Morning Consult survey of US residents who have recently moved, shows more than half those relocating wanted to live in an area with better infrastructure for fast home and cellular internet.

With the rise in adoption of the distributed workforce and the ability for individuals to relocate to new areas, the study shows a continued and sustained move between urban, metro, and rural markets, giving rise to the need for accessible, reliable, fast home Internet. Verizon recently expanded offerings for 5G Home internet - now available in more than 900 cities across the U.S. Over the past 2 years over 9.9 million Verizon customers have requested address changes, with more than 3 million moving between states.

“With more people on the move actively selecting their next home based on home internet capabilities, our 5G Home Internet is ideal for those looking for something ultra simple, ultra fast and at an amazing value,” said Frank Boulben, Chief Revenue Officer, Verizon Consumer Group. “With 5G Home Internet, LTE Home Internet and our award-winning Fios, we’ll quickly become THE home Internet provider across the US.”

Who’s moving in the US and why

The survey of recent movers in the US reveals:

• Seven in 10 recent movers say access to broadband internet was an important factor in their home search after they decided to move and more than half say access to a 5G network was an important factor.
• Those who’ve moved are more likely now compared to prior to their move to own and live in a single-family home.
• Among US adults who’ve moved in the past 18 months, 44% report living in a home, condo, or apartment they own, representing an 8-point increase from 36% who owned their home prior to their most recent move.
• A slight majority of recent movers (51%) say they currently live in a single-family home, representing a 5-point increase from 46% who lived in a single-family home prior to their most recent move.
• Three in 4 movers remained within their state but those working in a hybrid or remote format were more likely to have moved states compared to those working in person (31% vs. 18%).
• More than half of recent movers wanted to live in an area with better infrastructure for fast home internet (52%) and reliable cellular service (54%).
• 34% of study respondents said that installation of new broadband connectivity took over 2 hours.