Voting ballots and COVID-19 shots may be influencing the real estate market.
Renters and homebuyers are less likely to move to a neighborhood that does not match their political beliefs, according to a survey from home rental platform Zumper. And Republicans appear to be more liberal when it comes to living among Democrats—except in areas where vaccines are required by employers and restaurants.
To come up with its findings, Zumper asked 1,500 people from across the country if they would move to an area that did not match their political values. More people answered no (35.8%) than yes (34.6%). Democrats were also less likely to move to a right-leaning neighborhood, the survey shows.
“Things are getting more polarized, if that’s possible,” says Jeff Andrews, a data journalist with Zumper. Some folks may consider seeking out homes only in like-minded communities as a result.
“I imagine if you’re a hard-core Trump person and you’re in a neighborhood of Democrats, you might see some movement there,” he adds.
Indeed, 40% of those who identified as Democrats were more likely than Republicans (36%) to say they wouldn’t move to an area that wasn’t in line with their political beliefs. More Republicans, meanwhile, seem to be open to living in a blue neighborhood, with 43% saying they would move to a neighborhood that was left-leaning.
