Michigan is one of the states that has seen the most outbound moves in the past year, according to a report by a moving company.

Report findings

The report, released by United Van Lines, ranked Michigan as the fifth state with the highest percentage of outbound moves in 2023, with 62% of the moves being out of the state. The report analyzed more than two million household moves across the country and categorized them as inbound or outbound based on the origin and destination of the move.

The report also revealed the main reasons why people moved in or out of Michigan. The top reason for outbound moves was job-related (46%), followed by family (25%) and retirement (19%). The top reason for inbound moves was also job-related (50%), followed by family (24%) and lifestyle (13%).

State trends

Michigan has been consistently among the top 10 states with the most outbound moves since 2010, according to the report. The state’s population has declined by more than 200,000 people since 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Some of the factors that may have contributed to the exodus of people from Michigan include the high unemployment rate, the decline of the auto industry, the cold weather, and the lack of opportunities for young professionals .

National trends

The report also showed the national trends of migration in 2023. The top 10 states with the most inbound moves were Idaho, South Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas. The top 10 states with the most outbound moves were New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Michigan, California, Kansas, North Dakota, Massachusetts, and Ohio.

The report found that the main reasons for people moving across the country were job-related (40%), family (27%), retirement (19%), lifestyle (13%), and health (2%). The report also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the moving patterns, as more people sought to relocate to less populated areas, lower-cost states, or closer to their families.

Conclusion

The report by United Van Lines showed that Michigan was one of the states that experienced the most outbound moves in 2023, mainly due to job-related reasons. The report also highlighted the national trends of migration, which were influenced by factors such as the economy, the pandemic, and the quality of life. The report suggested that these trends may continue in the future, as people seek to find the best places to live, work, and retire.