Go West, Young Man (Or Woman)

ST. LOUIS, MO — The Conestoga wagons have been replaced by moving trucks, but St. Louis is still the gateway to the west. A new study by United Van Lines, which is based in the city, found that Americans are flocking west in large numbers, with states like Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Washington and Colorado seeing the largest influx of new residents. New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts saw the greatest numbers of citizens fleeing their respective states.

“For more than 40 years, United Van Lines has been tracking which states people are moving to and from. We also survey our customers to understand why they are moving from state-to-state,” said Melissa Sullivan, director of marketing communications at United Van Lines. “As the nation’s largest household goods mover, the data we collect is reflective of national migration trends.”

About 20 percent of respondents reported moving to be closer to family. About 60 percent moved to find new jobs, and many of the rest were retirees. The Midwest saw one of the largest influx of movers seeking better jobs, while the South saw the greatest number of people leaving to find jobs elsewhere.

The study found 49 percent of Missouri movers were headed to the state and 51 percent were headed out. Of those inbound, a quarter moved to be closer to family, while of those outbound, more than two-thirds moved out of state to find a better job.

Take a look at state by state data below:

Photo by Jamie Squire/News/Getty Images