Americans fleeing NY, California, Illinois for Arizona, Idaho and Sun Belt states
Cost of living was one of the main reasons researchers said people were leaving the Northeast
Dottie Herman discusses why millennials are seeking out these cities.
Movers in 2020 largely left the northeast in search of warmer weather in the south, southwest and southeast, according to data from moving company North American Moving Services.
The company’s 2020 migration report found that the top five inbound states for movers were Idaho, Arizona, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
The five states with the highest number of outbound moves last year were Illinois, New York, California New Jersey and Maryland, according to the data. In Illinois nearly 70% of all moves consisted of people leaving the state.
Four of the top seven outbound states were located in the Northeast.
HOMEBUYERS SOUGHT OUT AFFORDABLE MARKETS IN 2020, LEAVING MAJOR CITIES BEHIND
On a metro level, the top inbound cities last year were Phoenix, Houston and Dallas, while the top three outbound were New York City, Anaheim, Calif., and San Diego.
And despite the pandemic, which brought on economic hardship for many, North American Moving Services found that moving rates were comparable to years prior.
Researchers said that among the reasons people were picking up and heading to the Sun Belt states were to escape harsh winters, job availability and cost of living.
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As previously reported by FOX Business, Zillow researchers found that movers last year tended to move to areas where houses were $27,000 more affordable on average, and also 33-square feet larger.
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In order to get a larger home at a better value, Zillow researchers noted that many people moved to the suburbs. That trend was exacerbated by the pandemic, which allowed more individuals to permanently telework, and therefore, proximity to an office location was no longer a motivating factor in location choice.