Are You Planning on Leaving New Jersey? [POLL]

A recent survey by United Van Lines finds that folks are leaving the Garden State in droves.

Where are they going? Possibly to places where the weather is more manageable and the cost of living is favorable – fewer taxes and intrusive government.

This is a trend that’s been going on for some time so it comes as no shock. However this past year those numbers have peaked somewhat.

These are folks who know something we already know ourselves but wonder how much longer we’ll be able to avoid that trek.

If you’re resisting the move, what is it that keeps you here? Family – change of seasons – perhaps proximity to places like New York and Philly – the mix of cultures?

According to this:

United Van Lines had a busy year moving people out of New Jersey in 2013.

For the third year in the past four, New Jersey led the list as the state with the greatest percentage of people leaving.

According to United, 4,045 of its New Jersey customers moved out of state last year, while 2,326 moved in, resulting in a 63.5 to 36.5 ratio.

The study is based on household moves handled by United.

Allied Van Lines released a similar report last week that put New Jersey in its top five outbound states.

The U.S. Census paints an equally grim picture.
Migration data for 2011, the last year available, showed 216,000 people left the Garden State, while about 146,000 moved in. According to that year’s information, the vast majority moved to New York (41,450), Pennsylvania (36,133) and Florida (25,206).

United Van Lines’ tracking showed the Northeast is the most prominent region on the high-outbound traffic list.

In addition to New Jersey, New York (61 percent), Connecticut (59 percent) and Massachusetts (56 percent) are also included.

Where are people moving, according to United? Oregon (61 percent inbound), South Carolina (60 percent) and North Carolina (58 percent).

I love it here – and while dreading the possibility of having to be forced out because of high taxes – can’t see living anywhere else. I left the city behind 26 years ago. It’s now a pleasant memory – but that’s all.

I’d also lived down south – and while I grew to love it, it’s still not to my liking. Summers are brutal, and the pace is unbelievably slow.

Same goes for Florida – too much humidity, no change of seasons, and too many bugs and lizards.

So, unless things change radically for the worse (which is always possible) , Jersey’s where I live, and Jersey’s where I’ll die.

But if you’re leaving us…where are you going, and why?