How often do people move house?

One in ten of us hasn’t moved for the last 30 years

(Alan Cleaver)

New research from mortgage and loan broker Ocean Finance suggests that around 60 per cent of adults have lived in the same house for more than 15 years, while one in ten say they have not moved for 31 years or more.

Almost a quarter of those questioned have lived in 10 or more homes in their lives with moving unsurprisingly more common among younger people – 54 per cent of people aged under 25 have already lived in three or more places. On average, people typically move three more times before they are 45.

Those in the south east and east of England are more likely to move house frequently, with 27 per cent of those in the east of the country and 30 per cent in the south east saying they have lived in 10 or more properties.

People in the East Midlands and Wales are the most likely to stay put, with 70 per cent of people from the East Midlands saying they have lived in the same place for more than 15 years and 67 per cent in Wales.

"While moving home is common amongst the young, what is remarkable is how people seem to stay put once they’ve found a place that they like," said Ian Williams from Ocean Finance. "There is also evidence of young people being forced to live at home or ‘boomeranging’ back home after studying away, with 16 per cent of people under 34 saying they have lived in just two places."