Why Are MA Residents In The Midst Of An Exodus From The Bay State?

A popular moving truck company has some shocking information as residents are leaving Massachusetts in droves. According to United Van Lines, The Bay State once again ranked seventh on the list of the "Most Moved From States" as the latest information can be found in their 2023 National Movers Study. 57% of customer moves in the state were outbound. That's the same number as 2022. One simple question: "Why?" We have some answers:

Here are some of the grim statistics: 28% moved out because they found a job somewhere else. Just about 20% left for family reasons, 18% said they were retiring elsewhere, and 16% departed due to "lifestyle changes."

As you know, Massachusetts, and especially the Boston area, are also known for high costs of living, but if you can believe it, only 2% of those surveyed said they were moving due of high costs. This NEEDS to be remedied to keep people in our friendly confines as rents and mortgages are reaching astronomical peaks, even locally here in the beautiful Berkshires. Rural surroundings have also seen price increases when it comes to a cost of living. How unfortunate!

Here are some other states that saw a higher percentage of outbound moves:  California, Michigan, New York, North Dakota and Illinois.

The Garden State, New Jersey takes the coveted top spot at No. 1.

Now to the next topic at hand: What other states are people moving to?

Despite the data we just gave you regarding Massachusetts, a recent study found that other New England states are attracting new residents and reaping the benefits:

At number 1, our neighbor to the north, Vermont was the top "inbound" state for the third-straight year. Over 65% of all moves were by people coming into The Green Mountain State. The main reason why people are heading anywhere from Bennington to Burlington said they moved for family, lifestyle and job reasons. Plus, the picture perfect scenery helps out in making this obvious decision.

The Ocean State, Rhode Island ranked fifth on the inbound state list, with 45% surveyed saying a new job attracted them to the smallest state in the Union.

Other states seeing the most inbound moves for 2023 were Arkansas at number 4, South Carolina was in 3rd place and a shocking runner-up as Our Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C. came in second place.

United Van Lines spokeswoman Eily Cummins reiterated:

BOTTOM LINE: No doubt Americans want to live comfortably and if they find the perfect location to settle down, they will do so. As for yours truly, I'll just stay put as I'm approaching my 5th year as a Bay State resident. I consider this the BEST move I've made since leaving Connecticut. How I spent over two decades south of the border STILL remains a mystery to me, but on a positive note. At least my time in the state's Northwest corner was enjoyable back in the early to mid 90's. Going east is a different story. No need to go further on this one!

(Some information obtained in this article courtesy of https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/moved-from-states-massachusetts-united-van-lines-2023/