Americans have gone through a period of mass migration over the last year and a half. Among the reasons is mortgage rates at a multi decade old, although that is about to change. Many people also grew tired of living in huge metros particularly on the East and West coasts which are characterized by expensive real estate, and otherwise high costs of living. Many inland cities have not only lower real estate prices–they have better quality of life.
The other trigger for this migration is that people can work from home because companies have shuttered their offices because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some companies have chosen to make these arrangements permanent. People have become free to move around the country.
These migrations have a pattern. Some states have become more popular than others based on recent statistics. United Van Lines released it 45th Annual National Movers Study.
The research methodology is based on households that United Van Lines moved in 2021. It looked at how many of these moves were inbound and outbound by state. The states most people are moving to is where inbound moves outnumber outbound moves by the largest margin.
The study confirms the migration trends some other research has shown. Michael A. Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, remarked on the figure, “This new data from United Van Lines is indicative of COVID-19’s impact on domestic migration patterns, with 2021 bringing an acceleration of moves to smaller, midsized towns and cities.”
Notably, of the top 10 states with the most inbound versus outbound moves, six were among the least populated states. There were Vermont, South Dakota, West Virginia, Alabama, Oregon and Idaho.
These are the 10 states with the most people moving inbound in 2021:
Vermont
South Dakota
South Carolina
West Virginia
Florida
Alabama
Tennessee
Oregon
Idaho
Rhode Island
This Is The State The Most People Are Leaving
Take Charge of Your Retirement In Just A Few Minutes (Sponsor)
Retirement planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The key is finding expert guidance—and SmartAsset’s simple quiz makes it easier than ever for you to connect with a vetted financial advisor.
Here’s how it works:
- Answer a Few Simple Questions. Tell us a bit about your goals and preferences—it only takes a few minutes!
- Get Matched with Vetted Advisors Our smart tool matches you with up to three pre-screened, vetted advisors who serve your area and are held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. Click here to begin
- Choose Your Fit Review their profiles, schedule an introductory call (or meet in person), and select the advisor who feel is right for you.
Why wait? Start building the retirement you’ve always dreamed of. Click here to get started today!
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
Our expert who first called NVIDIA in 2009 is predicting 2025 will see a historic AI breakthrough.
You can follow him investing $500,000 of his own money on our top AI stocks for free.