Millions of Americans relocated this year because of the COVID-19 outbreak,  moving out of college dorms that abruptly closed, communities they perceive as unsafe or housing they can no longer afford.  Overall, around one-in-five U.S. adults (22 percent) say they either changed their residence due to the pandemic or know someone who did, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. 

Among those surveyed in early June, 3 percent said they themselves moved permanently or temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic, and 6 percent said someone moved into their household because of it. (Some had more than one of these things happen.) An additional 14 percent of those who did not personally experience relocation say they know someone else who moved.

Experiences with coronavirus-related relocations vary by demographic characteristics. The age group most likely to have had at least one of these things happen to them are the nation’s young adults: Overall, 37 percent of those ages 18 to 29 say they moved, someone moved into their home or they know someone who moved because of the outbreak. By race and ethnicity, 28 percent of Hispanics have had one of these experiences, compared with 20 percent of white adults, 19 percent of Black adults and 24 percent of Asian Americans.