Why are so many people leaving New Jersey?

© Deb Cram/Seacoastonline / USA TODAY NETWORK

(Trenton, NJ) — New Jersey is the number one state people moved out of in 2024,  New York is not far behind. The annual United Van Lines national movers study finds 67 percent of moves involving New Jersey were outbound. The top reason for moves out of New Jersey was people looking to retire. It’s the seventh consecutive year that New Jersey tops the list with the highest percentage of outbound moves.

New York was third in the nation for outbound moves.  West Virginia was the state with the highest percentage of inbound migration at 66 percent.

The top inbound states of 2024 according to United were:

1. West Virginia
2. Delaware
3. South Carolina
4. District of Columbia
5. North Carolina
6. Alabama
7. Rhode Island
8. Oregon
9. Arkansas
10. Arizona

The top outbound states for 2024 were:

1. New Jersey
2. Illinois
3. New York
4. California
5. Massachusetts
6. North Dakota
7. Wyoming
8. Mississippi