Reasons people leave their states for others

Editor's Note: The majority of states that are losing residents are run by Democrats; the majority of states that are gaining residents are run by Republicans. In addition to states, if you research which large cities are also experiencing low or negative growth, you'll find cities like Portland, Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, etc., are also run by Democrats. Make of these facts as you wish, but to me it's obvious that what the left touches, the left destroys.)

Massachusetts (Democratic Governor, Republican Legislature)

People pay a premium to reside in Massachusetts, ranking sixth out of 52 regions on MERIC’s cost of living index. About 54.8% of all cross-border moves are outbound.

UebuNogami on Reddit offered one explanation for why Boston in particular is so expensive.

“There’s not enough housing to satisfy the demand. Unions make construction extremely expensive, and a requirement for the developer to give away a certain number of units for next to nothing makes building anything but luxury housing unprofitable.”

Michigan  (Democratic Governor, Republican Legislature)

Unemployment remains higher in Michigan than other states, and life can be hard even for people who do find a job. About 56.9% of all cross-border moves are outbound.

In a 2019 study, the Michigan Association of United Ways found that the number of households that can’t afford basic services is on the rise. Low wages are the norm, with most jobs paying less than $20 per hour.

“And the winters, oh god, the winters. They go on and on and on, and they are so dreary.”

Kansas (Democratic Governor, Republican Legislature)

As Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home,” but sentiment isn’t keeping people in Kansas. About 58.5% of all cross-border moves are outbound.

More than half shipped out for work, while retirement and family were each factors for a quarter of those who left. Though it’s cheap to live in Kansas and it’s not especially hard to find work, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows people earn about $6,000 less per year than the national average.

Lindsey Bugbee on Quora finds Western Kansas an insular place.

“Life is very slow-paced. People don’t pay attention to the world outside because Kansas is a perfect bubble of safety. In effect, some towns feel no need to distinguish themselves from other places.”

Connecticut (Democratic Governor, Democratic Legislature)

Some may know it as the Nutmeg State over tales of peddlers selling fake nutmeg in centuries past. But today, people in Connecticut are losing their money to the state’s over-the-top cost of living.

MERIC data shows everything is more expensive here, especially housing and utilities, so residents with mortgages would be well-advised to look into refinancing now while rates are dirt cheap.

And despite its seaside appeal, Connecticut doesn’t seem like it’s retaining its retirees. Almost 35% of the people who left wanted to retire somewhere else, competing with jobs for the No. 1 reason to move.

Another compelling reason: taxes. As in many states in the Northeast, residents can expect to lose a hefty chunk of their wealth to high income and sales tax.

Sixty-three percent of all cross-border moves are outbound.

New York (Democratic Governor, Democratic Legislature)

Living in New York City is an infamous challenge, as the median home costs over $1.6 million and rent will run you around $5,000 per month.

And it’s not just the Big Apple that will take a huge bite out of your paycheck. On a cost-of-living index created by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), New York ranks fifth in the nation.

Taxes in particular are crippling. Between income, property and sales tax, you’ll lose more in New York than anywhere else.

About 63.1% of all cross-border moves are outbound.

Illinois (Democratic Governor, Democratic Legislature)

Still in the No. 2 spot following last year’s ranking, the Prairie State is known for Chicago, expansive farmland, the world’s largest bottle of catsup and high taxes.

A survey from NPR Illinois and University of Illinois Springfield saw 77% of respondents rate the economy as fair or poor. In the same survey, 3 out of 5 people said they’ve considered moving elsewhere, and taxes was the most common reason why.

Quora commenter Michael Kong suggested education is one reason taxes are so high.

“I can say it has something to do with supporting the local school system,” wrote Kong. “Every year I receive a letter explaining where my property tax goes into. From the letter, I can see about $8,000 goes to the public school system, and another $2,000 goes to the community college.”

About 66.5% of all cross-border moves are outbound.

New Jersey (Democratic Governor, Democratic Legislature)

The grass is always greener outside the Garden State, as New Jersey retains its No. 1 spot from last year’s list. A whopping 68.5% of all cross-border moves are outbound.

Jersey has been one of the top 10 move-out states for United Van Lines for more than a decade. Jobs and retirement are equally likely to send people packing.

Taxes could be a major culprit — New Jersey has some of the highest in the country — though Reddit’s bjorn2bwild says just about everything is incredibly expensive.

“We have high property taxes if you want to live in a decent area. School districts are very closely tied to municipalities, so if you want your kids to go to a good school, prepare to pay for it. Auto insurance, tolls, most goods and services are all very high.”

California (Democratic Governor, Democratic Legislature)

The Golden State was new to the top 10 in the latest United Van Lines survey. About 56.9% of all cross-border moves are outbound.

While work was the No. 1 reason to leave California, it was an even bigger reason to come. The land of Hollywood and Silicon Valley has an irresistible appeal.

However, the glamor comes with a price. California is the third most expensive place to live in the United States, beaten only by the District of Columbia and Hawaii on MERIC’s list.

Housing is particularly pricey, and depending on where you live, there’s always the chance your hard-earned property will be consumed by one of the state’s many wildfires.