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More New Jerseyans Get Outta Here Than Any Other State

The grass apparently is greener elsewhere for New Jerseyans -- who move outbound at a higher rate than residents of any other state, according to a study by United Van Lines.

67% of New Jerseyans' moves were to another state, United Van Lines reported in its 39th annual survey.

67% of New Jerseyans' moves were to another state, United Van Lines reported in its 39th annual survey.

 Photo Credit: COURTESY: United Van Lines
Jerry DeMarco

Why?

It's expensive to live here, for one thing -- and we have the highest rate of retirees moving out of state.

While Oregon had 69% of all state moves in 2015 coming in, 67% of New Jerseyans' moves were to another state, United Van Lines reported. 

Both New Jersey and New York (65%) made the top outbound list in the 39th annual United National Movers Study for the fourth year in a row.

“The aging boomer population is driving relocation from the Northeast and Midwest to the West and South, as more and more people retire to warmer regions,” said Michael Stoll, economist, professor and chair of the Department of Public Policy at UCLA..

New Jersey's economy has been "sluggish since the Great Recession" and its housing more expensive than in the South, Stoll said. Southern states also have more open space for recreation -- not to mention full-scare retired living developments, he said.

While retirees nationwide moved out of their states at a 15% rate, a whopping 32% of those New Jerseyans who used United Van Lines to move elsewhere did so because of retirement.

United has tracked household moves annually in 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. since 1977. It classifies states as high inbound or outbound when either is 55% percent or more. It dub those as "balanced" when the difference is negigible.

Washington State entered the Top 10 last year with 56% inbound moves. Southern states also had a high number -- 53% collectively.

In a separate survey of its customers, United Van Lines said the top reasons given for moves South and to the Pacific Northwest were a company transfer/new job, retirement and proximity to family.

Top inbound states of 2015:

Oregon

South Carolina

Vermont

Idaho

North Carolina

Florida

Nevada

District of Columbia

Texas

Washington

Top outbound states for 2015:

New Jersey

New York

Illinois

Connecticut

Ohio

Kansas

Massachusetts

West Virginia

Mississippi

Maryland

The list of “balanced” states includes Alabama, North Dakota, Delaware and Louisiana.

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