Where and Why People Moved In 2017
United Van Lines, a surburban St. Louis-based moving company has released its 41st annual National Movers Study, which tracks customers’ state-to-state migration patterns. United Van Lines classifies states as “high inbound” if 55 percent or more moved into a state, “high outbound” if 55 percent or more moved coming out of a state.
Where People Moved In 2017
The top inbound states of 2017 were:
1) Vermont
2) Oregon
3) Idaho
4) Nevada
5) South Dakota
6) Washington
7) South Carolina
8) North Carolina
9) Colorado
10) Alabama
New to the 2017 top inbound list are Colorado at No. 9 and Alabama at No. 10 with 56 and 55 percent inbound moves, respectively. The top outbound states for 2017 were:
1) Illinois
2) New Jersey
3) New York
4) Connecticut
5) Kansas
6) Massachusetts
7) Ohio
8) Kentucky
9) Utah
10) Wisconsin
Illinois (63 percent) moved up one spot on the outbound list to No. 1, ranking in the top five for the past nine years. New Jersey previously held the top spot for 5 consecutive years. New additions to the 2017 top outbound list include Massachusetts (56 percent) and Wisconsin (55 percent).
Why People Moved In 2017
The Mountain West was the most popular destination for retirees, with 1 in 4 movers saying they were heading there for retirement. The Midwest and Pacific West were top areas for those taking new jobs. Across all regions, nearly one in five of those who moved in 2017 moved to be closer to family.
Economist and UCLA professor Michael Stoll says the data reflects longer-term trends of movement to the western and southern states, where housing costs are relatively lower, climates are more temperate and job growth has been at or above the national average.
24/7 Wall Street, in creating its survey of the 50 Best American cities to live, employs a methodology that spans the gamut of motivations for moving being crime, demography, economy, education, environment, health, housing, infrastructure, and leisure.
Moving, like any other important life decision, should be done for the right reasons; namely, because you want to and not because you have to. Either way, good luck in 2018.
