Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Americans are moving less than at almost any point in modern history. According to the report, only about 8 percent of us change homes in a given year, less than half the rate of the mid-20th century.

Job mobility has slowed, too: In some industries, one in 10 new hires once moved for a role; now that’s down to just 2 or 3 percent. For younger workers, big moves after graduation are less common, with many citing the high cost of housing, economic uncertainty, and the risk of being last in and first out at a new job. Add it all up, and we’re becoming a society that’s literally stuck in place.

Economists, predictably, see this as a drag on growth. Less movement can mean fewer opportunities, slower wage gains, and less innovation. But there’s another side to this story, one that’s not about GDP, but about civic life: What happens to it when Americans stop moving?

On the surface, staying put can be a civic strength. When people remain in a place for years, they tend to know their neighbors better, understand local issues more deeply, and invest more in community life. Stability builds trust, and trust is the currency of democracy. It’s what sustains volunteer networks, fuels local problem-solving, and keeps participation in school boards, city councils, and civic organizations steady. In that sense, low mobility can strengthen the very social fabric that keeps a community functioning.

But there’s a flip side. Movement spreads workers and wages, yes, but it also spreads ideas. Movement introduces new perspectives and challenges our assumptions, and it makes our local conversations richer and full of different perspectives. When fewer people bring outside experiences into our communities, we risk becoming insular. And when staying put is driven by necessity rather than choice, it can breed frustration and detachment. Feeling stuck often translates to disengagement, which can hollow out civic life over time.

This brings us to a bigger question: Can enhancing civic health in a community help make its economy more resilient? We think so, because years of research bear it out. Communities with strong civic health – where people trust each other, communicate across differences, and work together toward shared goals – are often better positioned to weather economic shocks. A high level of civic engagement can mean faster recovery from downturns, more creative local solutions to job losses or industry changes, and stronger networks to support residents through transitions. We saw this in 2021 and 2022 as the world emerged from the pandemic – compared with the rest of the world, the U.S. economy surged back strongest.

Think of it this way: In a place where neighbors know and look out for each other, where residents participate in local decision-making, and where institutions are trusted and responsive, people are more likely to band together when challenges arise. That can make it easier to adapt to economic disruptions, and sometimes even to turn them into opportunities. Strong civic ties don’t replace economic mobility, of course – but they can soften the blows and keep the community intact and active while solutions take root.

That’s why this moment matters. Suppose we truly are at the start of an era of lower geographic mobility. In that case, we should double down on civic mobility: the exchange of ideas, collaboration across communities, and engagement that doesn’t require a moving truck. That could mean:

›› Supporting public spaces and institutions that bring people together, from libraries and parks to local media.

›› Creating opportunities for residents to connect with other communities in Nebraska, whether virtually or through statewide initiatives.

›› Making sure young people, even if they stay close to home, have pathways to leadership, service, and connection that expand their perspectives.

Mobility will ebb and flow over time. But democracy can thrive whether people are moving or staying if we invest in the civic infrastructure that keeps communities engaged, adaptable, and united.

Staying put doesn’t have to mean standing still. If we do it right, it can mean building a deeper foundation for a stronger civic life – and a more resilient economy.