From 1947 to 1969, nearly 20 percent of the American population moved every year, as they relocated to new areas offering economic growth and opportunity.  Since then, mobility has steadily declined, to 15 percent in 2000, and to 11.9 percent in 2007 — a forty percent decline versus the average year between 1947 and 1969.  What has changed that has led to this decline?
First, the population of the country is getting older – and older people are less likely to move.  Second, the growing incidence of two worker couples impedes …

People in the U.S. move for a wide range of reasons, but typically they seek out places that provide them with opportunities—economic opportunities most often. But, mobility is on the decline, and not just because of the ongoing economic downturn. Moving rates have been dropping for the past several decades, driven by long-term demographic trends.

Unemployment is rising in the U.S., hitting sectors of the population typically immune. Growth rates are highest among men, consumers in the upper age ranges, those with college degrees and non-Hispanic whites. Precise targeting of both message and in-store conditions will be necessary for marketers seeking to minimize losses.

A new Pew Research Center survey suggests that most Americans value diversity and favor living in communities with a variety of income levels, political views and ethnic groups. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau and The Nielsen Company, however, paints a somewhat different picture, which shows that neighborhoods are still largely divided by race—and increasingly—by economics and politics.

From now until 2050, nearly all population growth worldwide will take place in less-developed countries. Overall, growth in the more-developed world has nearly halted and is expected to stay at very low levels for decades to come. Opportunities for growth, however, will be substantial for marketers able to reconfigure their product lines to meet the needs of struggling young families with many children.

CI SUMMARY: Asians in the U.S. are often overlooked by marketers due to the tremendous growth of the Hispanic population. However, marketers will need to dig deep in order to reach this rapidly growing segment, who speak many different languages and have diverse cultural backgrounds as compared with the Hispanic consumer. While most Hispanics in the U.S. come from either Mexico or Latin America and share at least some parts of their culture, Asians do not. The strong cultural differences between persons from Japan, China, and India impact their tastes and how they approach their lives in the U.S.