CT Among Top States Residents Are Fleeing From: Study

CONNECTICUT – A new report from a major moving company paints a picture of a growing exodus of Connecticut residents out of the state.

United Van Lines released the company's 45th Annual National Movers Study, which indicates Americans were on the move to lower-density areas and to be closer to their families throughout last year.

The annual study, which tracks the company's data for customers' state-to-state migration patterns, determined neighboring Vermont as the state with the highest percentage of inbound migration (74 percent) with United Van Lines, and Rhode Island was No. 10 (59.1 percent). Topping the list of outbound locations was New Jersey (71 percent), which has held the spot for the past four years. Illinois (67 percent), New York (63 percent), Connecticut (60 percent) and California (59 percent), which have regularly appeared on the top outbound list in recent years, again ranked among states with the largest exoduses.

South Dakota (69 percent), South Carolina (63 percent), West Virginia (63 percent) and Florida (62 percent) were also revealed as the top inbound states for 2021.

In addition to the state-by-state data, each year United Van Lines also conducts an accompanying survey to examine the motivations and influences for Americans’ interstate moves. This year's survey results indicated 31.8 percent of Americans who moved did so in order to be closer to family – a new trend coming out of the pandemic as priorities and lifestyle choices shift. Additionally, just 32.5 percent of Americans moved for a new job or job transfer, a significant decrease from 2015, when more than 60 percent of Americans cited a job or transfer.

At the top of the pandemic, Gov. Ned Lamont touted his state's growing reputation as a "COVID refuge" for virus-weary workers in New York and other nearby states. But as Americans have adjusted their lives, COVID-19 has become less of a reason to get out of Dodge, according to the United Van Lines survey data:

"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."

What's more, amid the pandemic, many Gen Xers are retiring (often at a younger age than past generations), joining the Baby Boomer generation. While many are retiring to states like Florida, United Van Lines' data reveals they’re not necessarily heading to heavily populated cities like Orlando and Miami — they're venturing to less dense places like Punta Gorda (81 percent inbound), Sarasota (79 percent inbound) and Fort Myers-Cape Coral (77 percent inbound). Similarly, in Oregon, cities including Medford-Ashland (83 percent) and Eugene- Springfield (79 percent) saw high inbound migration in 2021.

Since 1977, United Van Lines annually tracks migration patterns on a state-by-state basis. The 2021 study is based on household moves handled by United within the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. and ranks states based off the inbound and outbound percentages of total moves in each state. United classifies states as "high inbound" if 55 percent or more of the moves are going into a state, "high outbound" if 55 percent or more moves were coming out of a state or “balanced” if the difference between inbound and outbound is negligible.

Moving In
The top inbound states of 2021 were:

1. Vermont
2. South Dakota
3. South Carolina
4. West Virginia
5. Florida
6. Alabama
7. Tennessee
8. Oregon
9. Idaho
10. Rhode Island

The top ten inbound states, six — Vermont, South Dakota, West Virginia, Alabama, Oregon and Idaho — are among the 20 least densely populated states in America, with less than 100 people per square mile. Tennessee and South Carolina are among the top 25.

Moving Out
The top outbound states for 2021 were:

1. New Jersey
2. Illinois
3. New York
4. Connecticut
5. California
6. Michigan
7. Massachusetts
8. Louisiana
9. Ohio
10. Nebraska

Nine of the top 10 outbound states are considered densely populated, further illustrating America's shift to less crowded states.

Balanced
Several states saw nearly the same number of residents moving inbound as outbound. Kentucky and Wyoming are among these “balanced states.”