Off The Charts

Many Americans who moved last year relocated to areas where homes were, on average, bigger and less expensive.

On average, people who moved to a different city in 2020 ended up in a ZIP code where average home values were nearly $27,000 lower than in their previous ZIP code, according to Zillow.

People who relocated last year also moved to ZIP codes where the average home sold was 33 square feet bigger than their previous home, the real estate information company said.

Zillow based its findings on an analysis of data from tens of thousands of moves nationwide handled by relocation company North American Van Lines.

While the data doesn’t show how many people who moved ended up buying a home, it suggests many Americans used the pandemic, and the broader acceptance of working remotely, as an opportunity to flee higher-cost metropolitan areas.