Why Americans don't want to move for jobs anymore (Encore)

Hey. It's Waylon Wong. We're almost at the end of 2025. It's been a tough year for NPR and local stations. But despite the loss of federal funding for public media, despite attacks on the free press, we're still here for you. With your support, NPR will keep reporting the news. And here at The Indicator, we'll keep explaining how the economy affects your life at home, at work, in your community, and around the world. And, of course, we'll do it in about ten minutes every weekday. If you're already an NPR plus supporter, thank you so much. We see you, and we're so grateful for you. If not, please join the community of public radio supporters right now before the end of the year at +.mpr.org. Signing up unlocks a bunch of perks like bonus episodes and more from across NPR's podcasts. Plus, you get to feel good about supporting public media while you listen. Visit +.mpr.org today. Thanks. Happy New Year from The Indicator. We have been running some of our favorite shows from the past year. Today's episode explores why Americans are moving less for work than they used to. We'll be back with a fresh episode of The Indicator this Friday. NPR. This is The Indicator from Planet Money. I'm Waylon Wong, and I'm here with friend of the show Steven Bassaha from the Gulf States newsroom. It is good to be with you, Waylon. And, you know, we're usually looking at the overall jobs picture on the show. But after the government shutdown for forty three days this fall, we've had a less than clear picture of where things stand. True. We've had to turn to the private sector, which has less comprehensive jobs data than the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but at least they've been releasing them on time. For example, we have Revelio Labs, which tracks workforce data. Yeah. And Revelio's report also looks at state employment, and there's some pretty big differences depending on where you live. Like California gained about 25,000 jobs in September, while Texas lost 10,000. So with some parts of the country being more boom and others being more bust, you might imagine Americans packing up the U Haul and chasing down those opportunities across state lines. But that's actually not happening, at least not as much as it used to. In fact, we're in the era of homebodies. Americans are moving at around half the rate they were thirty years ago. So on today's show, why are Americans moving at a record low and how that's related to women getting better pay? Plus, a trip to Huntsville, Alabama. We'll explain why after the break. This message comes from Somnee, the award winning smart sleep headband aimed at helping you fall asleep and stay asleep with neurotechnology developed by UC Berkeley scientists, including doctor Matt Walker. Try forty five days risk free at somnisleep.com. This message comes from Warpy Parker. Prescription eyewear that's expertly crafted and unexpectedly …