Michigan In Top 10 For People Leaving The State, Study Says (via MLive.com)
Many people moved away from Michigan in 2021.
According to United Van Line’s 45th Annual National Movers Study, which was released on Monday, Michigan was No. 6 in states with the most outbound moves.
Michigan trailed only New Jersey, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, and California, according to the study which indicated that Americans were on the move to lower-density areas and less-populated states in 2021.
Massachusetts, Louisiana, Ohio and Nebraska rounded out the top 10 outbound states. Nine of the top 10 outbound states are considered densely populated, further illustrating America’s shift to less crowded states.
This year’s survey results indicated 31.8% of Americans who moved did so to be closer to family – a new trend coming out of the pandemic as priorities and lifestyle choices shifted.
Additionally, 32.5% of Americans moved for a new job or job transfer, a significant decrease from 2015, when more than 60% of Americans cited a job or transfer.
“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.”
In Michigan, 33.5% of people left the state because of their job. Additionally, 27.5% left for family, 26.9% left due to retirement, 16.4% left due to lifestyle, 5.7% due to health and 1.8% due to cost.
Vermont (74%), South Dakota (69%), South Carolina (63%), West Virginia (63%) and Florida (62%) were revealed as the top inbound states for 2021.
“For 45 years now, our annual United Van Lines study, with its data-driven insights, has allowed us to explore a deeper understanding of Americans’ overall migration patterns,” Eily Cummings, director of corporate communications at United Van Lines, said. “As the pandemic continues to impact our day-to-day, we’re seeing that lifestyle changes — including the increased ability to work from home — and wanting to be closer to family are key factors in why Americans are moving today.”