FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Americans generally associate red and blue states with politics.
North American Van Lines puts another spin on red and blue — denoting which states have the most outbound migration (red) and which have the most inbound migration (blue).
Top inbound designation went to Idaho where 69% of moves were inbound.
Second was Arizona at 68%, South Carolina at 62%, Tennessee at 61% and North Carolina at 60%. The top five states in 2019 were identical to 2018
If you live in Illinois, most of those moving vans you saw heading down the street were full of household goods heading elsewhere.
North American said 70% of moves there were outbound. It was the fifth time in the last six years that Illinois has held that distinction.
Second was second at 65%, New Jersey was third at 64%, Maryland and Pennsylvania were tied at 61%.
North American defines the top inbound and outbound state as those that have the highest proportion of moves where the absolute value difference of inbound and outbound moves is greater than or equal to 400. This weeds out states that had a small number of moves but would have a high ratio of inbound/outbound moves, the company said.
The northeastern states rank high for outbound moves and have not placed within the top eight states for inbound moves since the study began in 2015.
Connecticut ranked fifth in 2015, sixth in 2016, second in 2017, completely fell out of the Top 8 last year, until moving back in 2019 at eight.
Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey have consistently been in the Top 8 of outbound moves since the study began in 2015.
Data suggests that Americans move out of the Northeast for a couple of reasons:
- They are some of the least tax friendly states.
- The weather, to escape from the bone-chilling temperatures.
- Jobs. Many companies are moving to warmer clients where the costs are lower.
For instance, Connecticut ranks second among the least tax friendly states, New York is third, New Jersey is fifth.
The southern states rank within the top eight for inbound moves only. These states have not ranked for outbound moves since the study began.
- South Carolina consistently ranks high for inbound moves. It was third in 2015 before falling to fourth place in 2016 and 2017. South Carolina rose again to third place again in 2018 and 2019. Its percentage of inbound moves fell one point between 2018 and 2019.
- Tennessee has risen steadily in the rankings for inbound moves since 2015 when it came in seventh. Tennessee rose to sixth place for inbound moves in 2016, fifth in 2017, and fourth in both 2018 and 2019. Its percentage of inbound moves decreased one point between 2018 and 2019. Florida has stayed within the top eight states for inbound moves since 2015. It ranked fifth in 2015 and 2016, sixth in 2017, seventh in 2018, and sixth again in 2019.
- North Carolina fell from third place for inbound moves in 2016 and 2017 to fifth place in 2018 and 2019. Texas ranked eighth for inbound moves in both 2018 and 2019. Georgia, which ranked eighth for inbound moves in 2016 and 2017 has since fallen out of the rankings and was not in the top eight for 2019.
Why do the Southern states seem to have the influx of moves? For the same reasons that apply to the previously mentioned Northeastern states, except for the opposite:
- Very friendly tax states.
- Warmer climates.
- Job growth friendly states
States in the Midwest typically rank higher for outbound moves. However, Colorado ranked sixth for inbound moves in 2018 before falling to seventh place in 2019.
Minnesota was not in the top eight states for outbound moves in 2018, but came in sixth place for 2019. It ranked high in several previous years as well.
The western states are mixed, with rankings for both inbound and outbound moves.
Behind Idaho and Arizona for inbound moves, Colorado ranked sixth for inbound moves in 2018 and fell to seventh place in 2019. However, its percentage of inbound moves rose one percentage point between 2018 and 2019. Though Oregon ranked within the top eight states for inbound moves from 2015 to 2017, it fell out of the rankings in both 2018 and 2019.
Washington and California seem to always be among the states with the most outbound moves.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
