Where Did Americans Move in 2022?

United Van Lines has released the movie company’s 46th Annual National Movers Study, which shows where Americans are moving within the United States.

The new study indicates Americans continue to move to lower-density areas, mainly because of lifestyle preferences such as a career change, retirement and wanting to be closer to family.

According to the study, Vermont saw the highest percentage of inbound migration (77%) for the second consecutive year. Also, for the fifth consecutive year, more residents moved out of New Jersey than any other state. In fact, only 67% of New Jersey moves were outbound, which is down from a five-year showing of 70%.

As for who is moving, Baby Boomers and Gen Xers moved more than any other age group last year. People aged 55 and older accounted for more than 55% of all inbound United Van Lines moves in 2022.

“Key factors like retirement, wanting to be closer to family and lifestyle changes influenced by the pandemic along with current housing prices drove moving patterns in 2022,” Michael A. Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a statement. “The United Van Lines study encompasses data that Americans are now moving from bigger to smaller cities, mostly in the South, some in the West, but even an increase of migration to the Northeast, which has not been typical. We’re also seeing younger Millennials migrating to vibrant, metropolitan economies, like Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon.”

View the top inbound and outbound states below.

The Top Inbound States of 2022:

Vermont
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Delaware
North Carolina
Washington, D.C.
South Dakota
New Mexico
Alabama

The Top Outbound States of 2022:

New Jersey
Illinois
New York
Michigan
Wyoming
Pennsylvania
Massachusetts
Nebraska
Louisiana
California