NJ top state to move out of during pandemic

NEW JERSEY - People fled high-tax states during the pandemic according to a new survey.

The National Movers Study found that the top state that people moved out of versus moving into during 2021 was New Jersey.  It is the fourth year that the Garden State has been in the top spot.

United Van Lines looked at data for inbound vs. outbound moves for its annual list.

The top five states with a higher percentage of outbound moves included Illinois, New York, Connecticut, and California.

Long Island was the area that saw the highest outbound move percentage.  79% of all moves in Nassau and Suffolk counties were outbound moves in 2021.

The state that saw the highest percentage of inbound moves was Vermont.  The study found 74% of all moves in Vermont were people moving there and 26% were people moving out.

South Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Florida rounded out the top inbound migration list.

United said that this year’s survey results indicated 31.8% of Americans who moved did so in order to be closer to family.  That was a new trend during the pandemic.

"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," Michael A. Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, said. "We’re seeing this not only occur because of Americans’ desire to leave high density areas due to risk of infection, but also due to the transformation of how we’re able to work, with more flexibility to work remote."

The survey also found that members of Generation X are retiring at a younger age than past generations and are moving to less dense areas.

National Movers Study (United Van Lines)