UNITED VAN LINES 2012 MIGRATION STUDY REVEALS NORTHEASTERN U.S. EXODUS

United Van Lines ^ | 01/05/2013

[SeekAndFind]

ST. LOUIS- The Northeast region leads the United States in outbound migration, according to the results of United Van Lines’ 36th annual “migration” study, which tracks which states the company’s customers move to and from during the course of the year. Washington, D.C., continues to lead the nation in inbound moves based on the study findings released today, which analyzed moves from the full year 2012.

“As the nation’s largest household goods mover, United’s data is an accurate reflection of the overall U.S. moving trends,” explained Carl Walter, vice president of United Van Lines. “Tracking the number of inbound and outbound domestic moves helps provide insight into overall migration trends.”

United has tracked migration patterns annually on a state-by-state basis since 1977. For 2012, the study is based on all household moves handled by United within the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. United classifies states as “high inbound” if 55 percent or more of the moves are going into a state and “high outbound” if 55 percent or more moves were coming out of a state or “balanced” if the difference of inbound and outbound is negligible.

MOVING IN

The top-five inbound states of 2012 were:

1. District of Columbia
2. Oregon
3. Nevada
4. North Carolina
5. South Carolina
   
   

This is the fifth consecutive year the District of Columbia (64 percent) was the top moving destination in the United States.

The Western United States is also represented on the high-inbound list with Oregon (61 percent) and Nevada (58 percent) both making the list. Oregon is number two for inbound migration for the third year in a row. Nevada returned to the high inbound traffic for the second consecutive year.

The Carolinas each made the top five with North Carolina at 56 percent and South Carolina at 55 percent inbound moves.

“The United Van Lines Annual Migration study shows the movement of people from frost belt to more sun belt states in the South and West,” said Michael Stoll, economist, professor and chair of the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles. “While big states such as California, Texas and Florida have more total moves than other states because of their sheer size, other high inbound states such as Washington, D.C., Oregon and the Carolinas may be attractive places to move because of their lower housing costs, more temperate climate, diversified and growing economies, as well as maturing manufacturing bases and high technology clusters.”

MOVING OUT

The top-five outbound states for 2012 were:

1. New Jersey
2. Illinois
3. West Virginia
4. New York
5. New Mexico
   
   

New Jersey (62 percent) displaced the outbound leader from last year, Illinois (60 percent) reclaiming the top spot for high-outbound migration that it held in 2010.

The Northeast is the most well-represented region on the high-outbound traffic list. In addition to New Jersey, New York (58 percent), Maine (56 percent) and Connecticut (56 percent) are also included.

Michigan (58 percent) and Wisconsin (55 percent) along with Illinois represented the Great Lakes region. Michigan fell to the No. 6 from the No. 4 spot it held in 2011. Previously, it had claimed the top outbound spot every year from 2006-2009.

Kentucky (55 percent) joined West Virginia (58 percent) as the only Southern states to appear on the high outbound list. New Mexico (58 percent) was the only Western state to appear on the list.

BALANCED

Several states gained approximately the same number of residents as those that left. Those states include Louisiana, Iowa, Indiana, North Dakota, New Hampshire and Maryland.

About United Van Lines
United Van Lines is America’s #1 Mover®. In cooperation with its sister company United Containers, United Van Lines is able to offer a full range of moving solutions from do-it-yourself to full-service. With headquarters in suburban St. Louis, United Van Lines maintains a network of 400 affiliated agencies. For more information about United Van Lines visit UnitedVanLines.com.

[SuziQ]

Mississippi or Alabama look like the states that will stay Red the longest.

That's what hubby and I are counting on! We hope to move back home to MS, from MA in the next year or two. We've been away since hubby graduated from college in 1976, and we moved for grad school, then jobs in several cities 'up North'. We've visited each year, but are looking forward to living in a sane place, heading into our retirement years.

[A Strict Constructionist]

“particularly from Ohio”

Hilton Head is Ohio south and many don’t seem to realize that they are part of the problem.

[nutmeg]

Hilton Head is Ohio south and many don’t seem to realize that they are part of the problem.

Yikes... the HH / Bluffton area is one that my husband and I have in mind to move to (within a couple of years hopefully). No firms plans yet, but it's high on our list.

PLEASE don't tell me this area is turning blue... :-(

[nutmeg]

IMO, South Carolina will be deep purple like North Carolina within eight years.

Very depressing... I hope you are wrong! ;-)

Thanks for your input. I trust your comments, as you are a resident of the State of South Carolina.

SC still sounds a LOT better than The People's Socialist Republik of Connecticut. Some of my favorite Congressmen are Rep. Trey Gowdy, new Senator Tim Scott and Rep. Joe Wilson. And of course I've always been a huge Sen. Jim DeMint fan. I like Gov. Nikki Haley, from what I've heard about her... although it made me a bit queasy to see her so chummy with Mitt Romney.

The Congress critters from CT are among the absolute worst - and most far left - in the country. They are truly disgusting, corrupt people. Plus CT is a gay state (per one judge's opinion, so he simply "updated" CT's Constitution), every major city in CT is an illegal alien sanctuary city, and CT is a huge pro-union and high-tax state. People are leaving in droves, except retired pension-rich 50+-year-olds who used to work for the State or had a Federal job. I could go on and on...

[buckalfa]

Compared to New England, South Carolina is still a conservative haven, and yes, despite Lindsey Graham and Clyburn, the state has a solid conservative team in DC. The majority in the state still solidly cling to their Bible and guns. Yet, like the rest of the country, the takers are gaining on the makers and progressive thought is being taught in schools and is being imported by many folks moving to the state. Demographic shifts, a corrupt GOP controlled state government, and an overall poor economy will tell the tale.The opportunity is there for Democrats to win elections in the future.

[A Strict Constructionist]

“PLEASE don’t tell me this area is turning blue... :-(”

Welllll, they already have to plant two trees to replace one cut. They want plants that the deer won’t eat, because you shouldn’t shoot Bambi and deer are standing beside the roads during rush hour traffic. This is just a start but there is some hope many seem to hate the greens and Obama. I sure you won’t like this but I would like to see a tax to enter and balance the housing cost discrepancy for over paid Yankees working for Unions, if you live above the MD line. Yankees are driving SC residents out because of the difference in housing cost and demand for services.