A new report from Porch looking at the best U.S. locations for DIYers is in. The analysis found that there are 4.88 hardware, furniture, and appliance stores per 10,000 residents in the Salem metro area, compared to 4.54 nationally. Why does this matter?
Being a DIYer is more likely in some areas of the country than others, with 80% to 90% of DIYers reporting they buy their DIY products in brick-and-mortar stores (rather than online). To determine the best locations for DIYers, researchers calculated the concentration of hardware, furniture, and appliance stores and ranked metropolitan areas accordingly.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic more than two years ago, living space has taken on new importance for many Americans. From early COVID lockdowns to lasting remote or hybrid work arrangements, people have been spending more time at home and collectively investing billions in the spaces where they live.
While the economic effects of the pandemic—including high savings rates, low interest rates, and government stimulus—boosted spending on home improvements, investment in these types of projects had already increased in recent years, alongside more than a decade of rising home prices. Many homeowners reported doing the work themselves due to lack of time, health or safety reasons, or because contractors were unavailable. And, more recently, the rising cost of labor and materials may further incentivize homeowners to take on projects themselves to save money.
In 2011, after the Great Recession, inflation-adjusted spending on major residential improvements per household fell to $1,452, but that figure grew steadily to $2,398 by 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
While households have historically been more likely to invest in their homes during periods of rising property values, several factors specific to the COVID-19 pandemic have encouraged more homeowners to undertake the work themselves as do-it-yourself projects. Data from the Farnsworth Group and Home Improvement Research Institute collected between March 2020 and June 2021 show that upwards of 90% of DIYers reported doing the work because they had more time at home, more than 50% for health or safety reasons, and more than 20% because contractors were unavailable. More recently, the rising cost of labor and materials may have further incentivized homeowners to take on necessary projects themselves to save money.
Being a DIYer is more conducive in some parts of the country than in others, given that between 80.90% of DIYers report purchasing their home improvement products in-store (as opposed to online). Based on the concentration of hardware, furniture, and appliance stores relative to the population, states in the Mountain West, Plains, and New England regions are the most DIY-friendly, led by Montana at 8.54 stores per 10,000 residents. At the opposite end of the spectrum are Nevada, Hawaii, Arizona, and California with fewer than half the number of stores per capita when compared to leading states.
Bend, OR finished second for the small metro areas with a concentration of 8.45, while Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA finished twelfth. The last census has it as follows, Concentration of hardware, furniture & appliance stores (per 10k): 4.61, Total number of hardware, furniture & appliance stores: 1,139, Median home price: $581,400, Cost of living (compared to average): +5.7%
For more information, detailed methodology, and full results, you can find the original report on Porch’s website: https://porch.com/advice/the-best-cities-for-diyers
By Mike LaFirenza founder, CEO, and Journalist at Lattice Publish. Lattice Publishing works with brands to turn proprietary & publicly available data into research-driven stories for publishers, helping to engage readers by covering unique topics and story angles.