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The 2020 drama-filled calendar year has seen unprecedented shifts in the way people live and work. The coronavirus outbreak, the social unrest, and the economic downturn have contributed to a mass exodus from urban cities in search of greener pastures in the suburbs and rural areas. 

Millennials are the largest demographic group involved in the shift. Historically, this age group has, until now, worked and lived in cities. Now, though,many are seeing the suburbs and rural areas as an attractive alternative to life in the big city.

The Telecommute Revolution
The COVID-19 pandemic forced employers and their teams to fully reimagine work-life, with many jobs now performed from the employee’s living room. Many experts predict these changes may be permanent features of a new economy, where any work that can be accomplished remotely will be. This has provided workers with the flexibility to live wherever they like while still having access to jobs at top companies in their fields.

Social Unrest
The killing of George Floyd by police in May prompted a nation-wide reaction in nearly every major US city. This has been followed by a period of social unrest that forced cities and municipal governments to the limit of their capacities to handle the crises.

With no economic recovery in sight and a failure to correct the systemic issues that plague large cities from coast to coast, the social unrest in these areas is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

The Economic Shutdown
The economic shutdown has forced scores of young city-dwellers back into the suburbs to live with their families as nearly half of all Americans, according to one poll, are unable to pay their rent.

In New York City alone, the population is expected to hemorrhage nearly a quarter of a million residents going upstate out of economic necessity and fear.

Rural states such as Montana have seen 10% or greater upticks in real estate sales, with many new residents pouring in from California’s urban centers such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The migration of city-dwellers to the suburbs is just one of the many fascinating consequences of the collision of social and economic crises in 2020 that will reshape American life for the foreseeable future.

Uptick in Construction and Home Renovation
With the increase in migration to suburban and rural areas, there’s also been an increase in the demand for new home construction to meet the demand. Those looking to relocate are often looking for specific features in the homes they are considering. Sellers in suburban and rural areas may have significant opportunities to increase the curb appeal of their homes by renovating to include features in high demand. Regardless of your construction needs, Structure NYC can help.

Here at Structure NYC, we can help you design and build, or upgrade your new suburban oasis. Structure NYC is a full-service general contracting and custom millwork design and fabrication company that works out of Manhattan. While Structure does a fair amount of work within the city, we also contract for residential building projects outside of the city. We do everything from pre-construction site work to building additions and decks. We install pools and even build from the ground up. Consider us for all your construction needs.