The States Americans Can’t Stand and Can’t Wait To Leave

Americans seeking a better way of life are voting with their feet and moving to new locations in record numbers. As people relocate, some states come out winners, while others are big losers. According to a new Gallup poll, one-in-three Americans wish they could pull up their roots and move to another state. Are you a part of that group?

Well Then, You’re Not Alone…

The population of America is growing by a couple of million every year. Yet, that growth isn’t spread evenly. While some states are seeing a population boom, others are going bust.

Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles are the largest cities in the country. Still, their respective states are actually seeing the most people packing up and leaving.

These Are The States That Americans Are Leaving In Droves

While the reasons each state is dealing with an outbound migration crisis are different, there are several common themes. Including high taxes, real estate prices, and the cost of living.

More people are looking for greener pastures from states with dense populations – specifically Illinois (home of Chicago) and the Northeast Region between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

Residents said they’re hoping to find better jobs, be closer to family, have a higher quality of life, and pay lower taxes elsewhere.

So, what are the reasons residents from each state want to flee?

California

High taxes, high cost of living, and high housing costs are all reasons people are leaving California. However, the dream of owning a home seems to be what’s driving most people out of California. Edelman Intelligence released a survey showing that 53% of Californians were considering leaving.

Sixty percent of the respondents cited housing as their main reason for wanting to leave. Of course, sitting in traffic for hours on end was another reason for the state’s migration.

Illinois

People have been leaving Illinois in dramatic numbers for several years now.  A number of data show working-age adults are leaving the state and blames the lack of job opportunities and high taxes for the exodus. 

New Jersey

Even though New Jersey has a lot going for it, people are moving out faster than from any other state, according to an annual study by United Van Lines. In fact, New Jersey has been one of the top 10 move-out states in each of the last 10 years.

More than a third flee the state because of job opportunities elsewhere. An equal share leaves to find greener pastures for retirement.

Connecticut

As taxes rise and roads and bridges crumble, People from Connecticut (known as Nutmegger’s) are packing up and saying goodbye. And hoping they won’t be encountering too many potholes on the drive out.

New York

Lousy weather, one of the country’s highest tax rates, and lack of job opportunities in the rural areas were among the reasons people chose to leave The Empire State. On top of that, the state has high costs of living and high tax rates. Although there is plenty to see and do in New York, many people feel that the costs outweigh the benefits. In fact, a study done by Bloomberg Magazine has found that around 300 people choose to move out of New York City every day.

Michigan

Despite this state’s glorious parks and nearly 3,300 miles of coastline to explore, nature lovers and others choose to pitch their tents someplace other than Michigan. While the state offers a lot of job opportunities in computers, math, and management, it’s got vastly more lower-paying work – like food preparation, often paying under $20,000 per year, as reported by Michigan-based Bridge Magazine.

Louisiana 

Although Louisiana is full of culture and history, many people are leaving the state. Most people cite the reasons for being the job market and low-paying wages. Former residents say that jobs are hard to come by, and the available jobs pay lower than other states.

Did your state make the list of places people are leaving? 

Well if it did, then these are some of the places you may want to consider moving to…

Northeastern states saw an ever-increasing number of moves away.  According to United Van Lines, the data shows a growing number of moves to western and southern regions.

The data collected by United Van Lines aligns with longer-term migration patterns to southern and western states, trends driven by factors like job growth, lower costs of living, state budgetary challenges, and temperate climates. 

Here are the top states where people are moving to:

• Idaho
• Washington
• Oregon
• North Carolina
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Tennessee
• Arizona, 
• Colorado
• Texas

Dreaming of Living In A New Place?

If you start to dream of greener – or cheaper pastures when times get hard, you’re not alone. During uncertain times, Americans seeking a better way of life. As people relocate, some states and cities come out winners, while others are even bigger losers. But we know, wherever you go, you’ll always be a winner. No matter where you make your home.