Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

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If home is where you have to work, go to school, recreate and relax, why not live where you want?

That’s the question being considered by millions of Americans, especially those who live in expensive, urban areas. The

, which isn’t expected to disappear when the pandemic ends, makes it feasible to live closer to nature, or in less densely populated parts of the country.

. For others, it’s an opportunity to find a

And for many more, it’s not a choice at all: Unemployment and a less-than-stellar economy has made it a necessity. In fact, thanks to the pandemic, 52 percent of young people ages 18-29 are now

 — the most since the Great Depression.

Where are people moving, and why? Wednesday, MPR News host Kerri Miller spoke with an economist who is both studying the trend and living it herself. She also got perspective from a representative of a small town in northern Wisconsin, which has seen an influx of new residents because of pandemic-induced migration.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

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Suddenly free to leave the big city — or pushed out — many Americans are moving because of the pandemic.

Americans are migrating because of the pandemic

A woman works in a spacious home with a laptop.

Americans are migrating because of the pandemic

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