The Boomer Mover Affect

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

It's no secret that Americans move. While a few of us stay put, most Americans take the plunge into new waters or set out for greener pastures at some point in their lives. Typically, we move because of an opportunity. That opportunity could come in the form of attending college, the chance to advance our career, or sometimes even for a crazy little thing called love.

Regardless of the reason, people move because an opportunity presents itself that offers a chance to enhance one's life. So that's why it should come as no surprise that while most of the nation is in the midst of this economic downturn, Texas continues to buck the trend in virtually every conceivable way. That's not to say everything is perfect in Texas, but the facts clearly show that compared to the rest of the country, the unemployment rate in Texas is much lower.

According to Google Public Data, in August of 2009, the national unemployment rate was 9.6%, while the unemployment rate in Texas was a full point-and-a-half lower at 8.1%. While clearly that 8.1 number is high, the fact that it's so far below the national average explains why so many people are still moving for Texas. And it also explains why the housing market in the Lone Star State hasn't crashed like it has in many areas across the country.

The bottom line is that people are still moving here, which means people are still buying houses. Not only that, not many people are moving away. Why go somewhere that there is less opportunity and higher housing costs?

Tags: baby boomers, National Unemployment Rate, Texas Housing, Texas Opportunity, Texas Real Estate Market, Texas Unemployment Rate