West and southeast gain in appeal

The last year saw many people packing up and heading west and southeast, while Northern states, including New York and the Great Lakes area, experienced an increase in residents leaving, as measured by the business trends of United Van Lines, St. Louis, Mo. The statistics are among the findings of United's 28th annual migration study that tracks where its customers, over the last 12 months, moved from and the most popular destinations.

The accounting is based on the 222,040 interstate household moves handled by United among the 48 contiguous states, as well as Washington, D.C. In its study, the company classifies each state in one of three categories: high inbound (55% or more of moves going into a particular state); high outbound (55% or more of moves coming out of a particular state); or balanced. Although the majority of states were in the balanced category, several showed more substantial population shifts.

Movements into the Western portion of the U.S. increased, with Oregon continuing its 26-year inbound trend. It also had the highest inbound migration (63.7%) of all states in the study. Nevada (62.6%), Idaho (60.5%), and Arizona (60%) are the Western states that were classified as high inbound. Idaho has earned that distinction 17 years running.

In addition to the West welcoming more residents, the Southeast was a top destination. North Carolina (61.8%) and Alabama (61%) saw their highest-ever inbound percentages. South Carolina (60.2%) continued its decade-long inbound tradition, while Florida (59.9%) saw its highest inbound percentage since 1988.

With almost a six percent increase in inbound migration as compared to last year, Iowa (56.7%) was the only top migration spot in the Midwest. Delaware (57.9%, inbound for the past decade) and Washington, D.C. (59.8%, inbound since 1977) were on the high-inbound list as well.

Some other noteworthy migration statistics include:

* Arkansas (54.4%), Maine (51.8%), and Vermont (51.5%), after being classified as outbound states last year, saw an influx of people moving in.

* Georgia (53.4%) has been an inbound state since 1982, while New Mexico (53.3%) and Montana (52.3%) continued their four-year pattern of inbound migration.

* After five years of outbound migration, Washington (50.7%) went inbound.

* Almost three percent more people left Indiana (64.1%), making it the highest outbound state in the study.

* Minnesota (58.6%), which has been outbound for 24 years, had a nearly six percent increase of people moving from the state.

* Michigan (60.9%) reached its highest outbound level since 1982.

In the Northeast, meanwhile, New Jersey (60.2%, highest outbound since 1997), New York (59.5%, a continual increase in outbound for the past three years), Pennsylvania (57.5%, its first high outbound status in three years), and Massachusetts (55.5%, outbound since 1988) were high outbound states.

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