Remote Work and Geographic Mobility: How Housing Costs and Industry Teleworkability Shaped Post-COVID Migration in America

Abstract

This thesis examines how rising urban housing costs and the rise of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped migration patterns in the United States, with a focus on how these changes varied by income and industry. Using American Community Survey microdata, Zillow housing price data, and work-from-home exposure rates by industry, the study explores whether individuals in remote-eligible jobs were more likely to migrate in response to local housing cost increases. Contrary to expectations, the results show that housing prices are not highly correlated with migration for individuals working in more amenable to WFH industries, suggesting that financial constraints, job security, or early-pandemic moves may be more influential when determining migration decisions. Demographic variables like age and education are consistently stronger predictors of migration with younger and more educated individuals showing greater mobility. Furthermore, my findings suggest that while remote work offers greater flexibility for some, it does not overcome the underlying structural barriers that limit mobility for many. As a result, addressing the geographic and economic divides deepened by the pandemic will require policy efforts focused on housing affordability and general support for vulnerable populations.