Moving Out of The Rustbelt by the Truckload

Here's yet more confirmation of Americans migrating out of the Rustbelt and into the sunbelt. While these trends have been extensively written about here--especially as they relate to Latino migration, it's interesting information as the trends are based on actual moves conducted by United Van Lines.

In 227,254 interstate household moves in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the study classified each state as either "high inbound" (55 percent or more of the moves were into the state); "high outbound" (55 percent or more of moves out); or "balanced."
Most states were "balanced," but 12 states and the District of Columbia revealed definite inbound patterns while nine states revealed the opposite.

The South was a big draw as North Carolina came in as the top destination with a 64 percent inbound rate. Out West, Oregon was the second most popular inbound state at 62.5 percent.

Other states with high inbound rates were South Carolina, 60 percent; Nevada, 59.9 percent; Idaho, 59.3 percent; New Mexico and the District of Columbia, 57.9 percent; Alabama, 57.5 percent; Utah, 56 percent; Tennessee, 55.8 percent, and Montana, 55 percent.

On the outbound trail, Michigan tied with North Dakota for the top 66 percent outbound rate, followed by New Jersey, 60.9 percent; New York, 59.5 percent; Indiana, 58.2 percent; Pennsylvania, 57.0 percent; Louisiana, 56.4 percent and Ohio, 55.8 percent.

Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Northern Indiana, Michigan and New Jersey are losing on a net basis 100,000s of thousands of residents each and every year.

But the size of New York's outmigration is masked by the in-migration of immigrants. As reported earlier, New York State would have set the record for the single largest population outbound migration (with 1.2 million in just the last five years alone) if its New York City area hadn't received 800,000 new immigrants.