Homeowners are moving from areas facing high risk from poor quality at a faster rate than in recent years, according to Redfin. Conversely, the rate homeowners are moving to areas with low risk from air quality is increasing.
While the decision to move is likely influenced in part by climate and air quality, Redfin found high-risk areas are also more expensive than low-risk air quality metros on average. High-risk metros are concentrated in the West, which have higher risk from wildfire smoke and median sales prices in excess of $550,000. Conversely, the median sale price in low-risk metros is approximately $341,483.
In 2021 to 2022, 1.2 million more people moved out of metros facing high risk from poor air quality than moved into the same metros. The rate is more than double the net outflow in the prior two years, according to Redfin. Low-risk metros saw 1 million more people move in than move out, nearly double the rate of net inflow in the prior two years.
“Deciding where to live is all about prioritization. With housing costs hovering near their record high, the top priority for many home buyers is getting a good deal,” Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather says. “Even when home buyers do consider climate change, poor air quality often isn’t top of mind because it’s not as visibly destructive as hazards like flooding and fires. But as the dangers of climate change intensify, we will likely see more people factor air quality and other disaster risks into their decisions about where to settle down.”
Redfin conducted the analysis using air quality risk scores from First Street, which tracks two common pollutants: particulate matter and ozone. Particulate matter often comes from wildfire smoke, while ozone air quality issues occur when pollutants react with the heat or sunlight. A metro was defined as “high risk” if at least 10% of properties fell into First Street’s major, severe, or extreme air quality risk rating.
The number of poor air quality days in the West increased by as much as 477% in the past two decades. Additionally, Redfin estimates there are roughly 14 million properties estimated to have at least a week of poor air quality per year due to particulate matter, while 6 million properties face two weeks of poor air quality per year.
There are 13 major metros where over 85% of homes face high risk from poor air quality and all are located in the West. Nine are metros in California, and the rest are located in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho,. Over two-thirds of the 13 metros saw more people move out during 2021-2022. Of the 57 major metros with no homes facing high risk from poor air quality, almost all (93%) are located outside the West, and a majority (54%) saw more people move in than move out in 2021-2022.
“Dense American cities have some of the worst air quality, but not everyone can actually afford to leave—even if the city they live in is expensive,” Fairweather says. “If you work remotely, it’s often easy to chase greener pastures, but if you’re in a line of work that requires you to clock in in person every day—and those jobs often pay less—you may not have the means or flexibility to relocate.”
Keep the conversation going—sign up to our newsletter for exclusive content and updates. Sign up for free.
