More People Moved OUT of New Jersey in 2023 Than Any Other State

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the last few years have turned many people's professional and personal lives upside down.  For a state like New Jersey which has the third highest household expenses in the United States, many people are having to make decisions about their future based on the state of the economy.

United Van Lines conducted their annual National Movers Study which breaks down what states people are moving to and from the most along with the demographics breakdown of those movers. This is the 47th year that UVL has produced this study and the results from 2023 may surprise you.

United Van Lines research shows that New Jersey is the number one Outbound moving state with 65 percent of moving trucks leaving the state compared to only 35 percent moving into the Garden State.  This is the sixth consecutive year that New Jersey ranked at the top of the list of residents moving out of their state of residence.

According to their study results, 27 percent of people moving out of New Jersey are looking to spend their retirement years in another state while 21.4% of those a part of the New Jersey exodus say they want to live closer to their family members.  Meanwhile, 16.4% of those surveyed moving out of New Jersey say they are doing so for a new or better job and 13.6% are leaving New Jersey because they are looking for a better quality lifestyle.

The cost of living in New Jersey is among the highest in the United States and even though the Garden State is home to the highest average household income ($92,374 per year), many people who are leaving New Jersey are high-wage earners. United Van Lines found that 73.7% of people moving out of New Jersey earn over $100,000 in annual wages per year. So people who could easily afford to live in New Jersey are opting to move out of the state to states to get more "value" for their money in everyday life.

Here are the top ten inbound states that people moved to in 2023 according to United Van Lines research:
1. Vermont
2. Washington, D.C.
3. South Carolina
4. Arkansas
5. Rhode Island
6. North Carolina
7. South Dakota
8. Alabama
9. New Mexico
10. West Virginia