More People Left New Jersey Than Any Other State In 2021: Study

NEW JERSEY— Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, the virus continues to influence the decisions of families across the country. Many choose to pack up their homes and move to different states to be closer to family, find a new job or trim living expenses.

According to a new study conducted by United Van Lines, more people moved out of New Jersey in 2021 than moved in -- and more people moved out of the Garden State than any other state in the country.

That is nothing new, as New Jersey has topped the list in this study for the past four years.

The study, released annually in January, tracks state-to-state migration patterns using available company data. This year’s study found more Americans moved to less densely populated areas and to be closer to their families.

“This new data … 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 Stoll, economist and professor at the University of California - Los Angeles, said in a statement. “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.”

The 2021 study found more people moved to Vermont than any other state, while New Jersey topped the list for outbound movement. New Jersey has held the non-enviable spot for the last four years.

In New Jersey, 70.5 percent of those moving were leaving the state, while 29.5 were coming into it, according to the study.

Of people leaving, 32.6 percent said they were moving for retirement. About 25.5 percent said they were moving for lifestyle reasons, and 27.4 percent said they were moving because of family.

About two-thirds of people leaving were 55 or older, according to study data. More than half of those moving out of New Jersey reported an income of $150,000 or more.

South Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia and Florida were also revealed as the top inbound states for 2021. Meanwhile, states including Illinois, New York, Connecticut and California again appeared on the list of top outbound states.

What motivated these moves? According to the study, 32 percent did so in order to be closer to family. Additionally, 32.5 percent of Americans moved for a new job or job transfer.

Amid the pandemic, many Generation Xers are joining baby boomers in retirement. While some are retiring to states such as Florida, the study reveals they’re not necessarily heading to heavily populated cities such as Orlando and Miami — they’re venturing to less-dense places such as Punta Gorda, Sarasota and Fort Myers-Cape Coral.

The top 10 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 outbound states were:

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

See the full United Van Lines study.