Regional markets leading the way for interstate migration
Outer-city markets are surging in popularity among relocators, with families across the nation eyeing areas such as regional Queensland and Western Australia that combine affordability and lifestyle appeal.
Recent findings from online removalist booking platform Muval have shown that Australian families are increasingly relocating to regional areas nationwide, searching for lifestyle and greater affordability.
The company analysed over six years of data on where more than 41,000 families had relocated, showing that regional Queensland was the relocators’ area of choice since 2018, with 2.48 families moving in for every one family that left over the period.
Muval said that regional Queensland’s top ranking position reflected the strong shift towards coastal and regional living.
According to the removalist company, the market’s mix of lifestyle-friendly towns, warmer weather, and low property prices saw more families flock to the area.
Within the regional Queensland market, data showed that the Sunshine Coast registered the highest amount of inbound moves across the nation, with 3.28 families moving in for every one family leaving over the last six years.
Additionally, Muval co-founder and CEO, James Morrell, said that the prevalence of remote working arrangements has bolstered the popularity of regional markets nationwide.
“Remote work flexibility has been a major driver of this trend, allowing more families to move away from city centres while still maintaining work/life balance without the burden of long commutes,” Morell said.
Regional Western Australia registered the next highest number of relocators, with 2.15 inbound families for every outbound departure.
Moval said regional Western Australia registered strongly for inbound arrivals due to the state’s relatively affordable housing market, which combines strong lifestyle appeal with employment opportunities across the board.
On the other end of the spectrum, data showed that Greater Sydney recorded the highest loss of families over the last six years, with more than three families moving out for every family that entered the area’s market over the period.
Muval said that Greater Sydney’s cost of living pressures, rising property prices, and growing buyer preferences for wider space and less congestion had led many families to shift their focus to areas in Sydney’s inner west, or across the state line to markets such as regional Queensland and Western Australia.
While affordability plays a role in relocation, Morell said that families have been now more than ever picking locations with properties that offer the features that they most desire.
“Families are seeking homes that better align with their needs – whether that’s more bedrooms, a backyard, or proximity to nature – which is influencing where they choose to relocate,” he said.
Additionally, Muval’s data showed that over the last six years, one in 10 families relocated into smaller homes with fewer bedrooms, while one in four had been selling their previous properties for a higher price than the one they had moved into.
“We’re seeing more and more families downsize, move out of expensive inner-city areas, or relocate to more affordable parts of the country,” Morell concluded.