2020 was pretty much a wash for Michigan in terms of population growth, according to one study. The 2020 United Van Lines National Movers Study found that Michigan was a balanced state with about the same percentage of people moving out (50.2%) as moving in (49.8%). Retirement was the top reason for pulling up stakes in the Great Lakes State. Find out what it costs to retire comfortably in every state.
Nevertheless, Michigan, which took the 20th spot on United Van Lines list of most moved-out states in 2020, improved from the previous survey. It’s outbound relocations plunged 6.6 percentage points, dropping it 13 spots from 2019.
However, North American Moving Services’s 2020 U.S. Migration Report estimated that the percentage of the state’s outbound residents (60%) exceeded the incoming (40%). The ups and downs of the state’s auto industry likely haven’t helped the state retain its workforce. Find out where Michigan ranks on this list: the states with the best and worst economies.
The outflow migration from Michigan mirrors a pattern seen in other Midwestern and Northeastern states — that is, a search for the sun. Residents wishing for a more hospitable climate are fleeing to Sunbelt states. In the case of Michiganders, they’re flocking to Florida and Texas — No. 1 and 3 on the list, respectively.
Interestingly, No. 2 on the list is neighboring Ohio, a state similar to Michigan in weather and industrial base. Rounding out the top five are two more closeby Midwestern states — Illinois and Indiana. Apparently, people moving out of Michigan prefer not to move too far from their home state.
Click here to see where people from Michigan are moving to the most
To identify where people from Michigan are moving to most, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state-to-state migration flows from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Migration flow figures show the estimated number of people living in other states (or Washington D.C.) in 2019 who had lived in Michigan the previous year. State population and population change figures are based on one-year estimates from the ACS (five-year estimates for Washington D.C.)
“Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. The value shown here is the 90 percent margin of error. The margin of error can be interpreted roughly as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value. In addition to sampling variability, the ACS estimates are subject to nonsampling error … The effect of nonsampling error is not represented in these tables.”
50. Delaware
> People from Michigan who moved to Delaware in 2019: None reported
> 1-year net change in population: 6,593 (0.68% – 14th highest)
> Total population: 973,764 (7th lowest)
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49. Rhode Island
> People from Michigan who moved to Rhode Island in 2019: 49 (0.03% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 2,046 (0.19% – 24th lowest)
> Total population: 1,059,361 (8th lowest)
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48. Hawaii
> People from Michigan who moved to Hawaii in 2019: 90 (0.06% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -4,619 (-0.33% – 7th lowest)
> Total population: 1,415,872 (12th lowest)
47. Wyoming
> People from Michigan who moved to Wyoming in 2019: 93 (0.06% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 1,022 (0.18% – 22nd lowest)
> Total population: 578,759 (the lowest)
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46. Vermont
> People from Michigan who moved to Vermont in 2019: 103 (0.07% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -2,310 (-0.37% – 5th lowest)
> Total population: 623,989 (2nd lowest)
45. South Dakota
> People from Michigan who moved to South Dakota in 2019: 128 (0.08% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 2,424 (0.27% – 22nd highest)
> Total population: 884,659 (6th lowest)
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44. New Mexico
> People from Michigan who moved to New Mexico in 2019: 216 (0.14% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 1,401 (0.07% – 19th lowest)
> Total population: 2,096,829 (16th lowest)
43. Mississippi
> People from Michigan who moved to Mississippi in 2019: 309 (0.20% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -10,381 (-0.35% – 6th lowest)
> Total population: 2,976,149 (18th lowest)
42. Alaska
> People from Michigan who moved to Alaska in 2019: 310 (0.20% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -5,893 (-0.81% – the lowest)
> Total population: 731,545 (4th lowest)
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41. West Virginia
> People from Michigan who moved to West Virginia in 2019: 316 (0.21% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -13,685 (-0.76% – 2nd lowest)
> Total population: 1,792,147 (14th lowest)
40. Montana
> People from Michigan who moved to Montana in 2019: 346 (0.23% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 6,473 (0.61% – 16th highest)
> Total population: 1,068,778 (9th lowest)
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39. Iowa
> People from Michigan who moved to Iowa in 2019: 350 (0.23% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -1,075 (-0.03% – 14th lowest)
> Total population: 3,155,070 (21st lowest)
38. Maine
> People from Michigan who moved to Maine in 2019: 494 (0.32% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 5,808 (0.43% – 19th highest)
> Total population: 1,344,212 (10th lowest)
37. Nebraska
> People from Michigan who moved to Nebraska in 2019: 510 (0.33% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 5,140 (0.27% – 23rd highest)
> Total population: 1,934,408 (15th lowest)
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36. Kansas
> People from Michigan who moved to Kansas in 2019: 537 (0.35% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 1,804 (0.06% – 18th lowest)
> Total population: 2,913,314 (17th lowest)
35. Louisiana
> People from Michigan who moved to Louisiana in 2019: 554 (0.36% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -11,184 (-0.24% – 9th lowest)
> Total population: 4,648,794 (24th highest)
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34. New Hampshire
> People from Michigan who moved to New Hampshire in 2019: 581 (0.38% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 3,253 (0.24% – 25th highest)
> Total population: 1,359,711 (11th lowest)
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33. Idaho
> People from Michigan who moved to Idaho in 2019: 607 (0.40% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 32,857 (1.84% – the highest)
> Total population: 1,787,065 (13th lowest)
32. Utah
> People from Michigan who moved to Utah in 2019: 748 (0.49% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 44,853 (1.40% – 4th highest)
> Total population: 3,205,958 (22nd lowest)
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31. District of Columbia
> People from Michigan who moved to District of Columbia in 2019: 758 (0.50% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 8,185 (1.18% – 6th highest)
> Total population: 692,683 (3rd lowest)
30. Oklahoma
> People from Michigan who moved to Oklahoma in 2019: 794 (0.52% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 13,892 (0.35% – 20th highest)
> Total population: 3,956,971 (24th lowest)
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29. Arkansas
> People from Michigan who moved to Arkansas in 2019: 820 (0.54% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 3,979 (0.13% – 20th lowest)
> Total population: 3,017,804 (19th lowest)
28. North Dakota
> People from Michigan who moved to North Dakota in 2019: 1,015 (0.67% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 1,985 (0.26% – 24th highest)
> Total population: 762,062 (5th lowest)
27. Maryland
> People from Michigan who moved to Maryland in 2019: 1,017 (0.67% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 2,962 (0.05% – 17th lowest)
> Total population: 6,045,680 (18th highest)
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26. Connecticut
> People from Michigan who moved to Connecticut in 2019: 1,091 (0.72% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -7,378 (-0.21% – 10th lowest)
> Total population: 3,565,287 (23rd lowest)
25. Nevada
> People from Michigan who moved to Nevada in 2019: 1,229 (0.81% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 45,764 (1.49% – 2nd highest)
> Total population: 3,080,156 (20th lowest)
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24. Oregon
> People from Michigan who moved to Oregon in 2019: 1,250 (0.82% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 27,024 (0.64% – 15th highest)
> Total population: 4,217,737 (25th lowest)
23. Massachusetts
> People from Michigan who moved to Massachusetts in 2019: 1,260 (0.83% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -9,646 (-0.14% – 11th lowest)
> Total population: 6,892,503 (14th highest)
22. Missouri
> People from Michigan who moved to Missouri in 2019: 1,328 (0.87% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 10,976 (0.18% – 23rd lowest)
> Total population: 6,137,428 (17th highest)
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21. New Jersey
> People from Michigan who moved to New Jersey in 2019: 1,657 (1.09% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -26,330 (-0.30% – 8th lowest)
> Total population: 8,882,190 (10th highest)
20. Alabama
> People from Michigan who moved to Alabama in 2019: 1,893 (1.24% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 15,314 (0.31% – 21st highest)
> Total population: 4,903,185 (23rd highest)
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19. Pennsylvania
> People from Michigan who moved to Pennsylvania in 2019: 1,969 (1.29% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -5,071 (-0.04% – 13th lowest)
> Total population: 12,801,989 (5th highest)
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18. South Carolina
> People from Michigan who moved to South Carolina in 2019: 2,251 (1.48% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 64,587 (1.25% – 5th highest)
> Total population: 5,148,714 (22nd highest)
17. Colorado
> People from Michigan who moved to Colorado in 2019: 3,101 (2.04% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 63,172 (1.10% – 7th highest)
> Total population: 5,758,736 (20th highest)
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16. Minnesota
> People from Michigan who moved to Minnesota in 2019: 3,106 (2.04% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 28,453 (0.50% – 18th highest)
> Total population: 5,639,632 (21st highest)
15. Washington
> People from Michigan who moved to Washington in 2019: 3,703 (2.43% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 79,302 (1.04% – 8th highest)
> Total population: 7,614,893 (12th highest)
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14. Kentucky
> People from Michigan who moved to Kentucky in 2019: 3,825 (2.51% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -729 (-0.02% – 15th lowest)
> Total population: 4,467,673 (25th highest)
13. Georgia
> People from Michigan who moved to Georgia in 2019: 4,281 (2.81% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 97,948 (0.92% – 11th highest)
> Total population: 10,617,423 (8th highest)
12. Wisconsin
> People from Michigan who moved to Wisconsin in 2019: 5,307 (3.48% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 8,866 (0.15% – 21st lowest)
> Total population: 5,822,434 (19th highest)
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11. New York
> People from Michigan who moved to New York in 2019: 5,504 (3.61% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -88,648 (-0.46% – 4th lowest)
> Total population: 19,453,561 (4th highest)
10. Virginia
> People from Michigan who moved to Virginia in 2019: 6,012 (3.95% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 17,834 (0.21% – 25th lowest)
> Total population: 8,535,519 (11th highest)
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9. North Carolina
> People from Michigan who moved to North Carolina in 2019: 6,302 (4.14% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 104,464 (1.00% – 10th highest)
> Total population: 10,488,084 (9th highest)
8. California
> People from Michigan who moved to California in 2019: 6,406 (4.20% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -44,822 (-0.11% – 12th lowest)
> Total population: 39,512,223 (the highest)
7. Tennessee
> People from Michigan who moved to Tennessee in 2019: 6,548 (4.30% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 59,164 (0.87% – 12th highest)
> Total population: 6,829,174 (15th highest)
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6. Arizona
> People from Michigan who moved to Arizona in 2019: 7,914 (5.19% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 107,071 (1.47% – 3rd highest)
> Total population: 7,278,717 (13th highest)
5. Indiana
> People from Michigan who moved to Indiana in 2019: 8,509 (5.58% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 40,341 (0.60% – 17th highest)
> Total population: 6,732,219 (16th highest)
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4. Illinois
> People from Michigan who moved to Illinois in 2019: 10,396 (6.82% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -69,259 (-0.55% – 3rd lowest)
> Total population: 12,671,821 (6th highest)
3. Texas
> People from Michigan who moved to Texas in 2019: 11,061 (7.26% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 294,036 (1.01% – 9th highest)
> Total population: 28,995,881 (2nd highest)
2. Ohio
> People from Michigan who moved to Ohio in 2019: 14,049 (9.22% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: -342 (0.00% – 16th lowest)
> Total population: 11,689,100 (7th highest)
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1. Florida
> People from Michigan who moved to Florida in 2019: 21,668 (14.22% of all outbound Michiganians)
> 1-year net change in population: 178,412 (0.83% – 13th highest)
> Total population: 21,477,737 (3rd highest)
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