EVANSVILLE, IND. (January 1, 2020) – According to one of the nation’s leading movers, the 2020
Atlas® Van Lines Migration Patterns Study found that 23 U.S. states registered as balanced—meaning that moves in and out of the states were roughly equal—12 as outbound, and 15 as inbound, in addition to Washington, D.C. The data also showed a decrease in moves from 2019 to 2020. The company has conducted the study since 1993 to track the nation’s interstate (between states), cross-border (U.S. to Canada only), and international (between countries) moving patterns annually as reflected in moves handled by Atlas®.
Millions of Americans relocated in 2020 because of COVID-19, moving out of college dorms that abruptly closed, moving back to home states to work remotely, moving out of housing that no longer suited their lifestyle and more. Alternatively, companies relocated employees at much lower rates for work assignments in the U.S. and abroad. It’s clear COVID-19 was a deciding factor in moving patterns in 2020, having a unique impact on moving trends.
The 10 U.S. states with the highest percentage of inbound moves and outbound moves in 2020 are included in order below, with Idaho ranking as the study’s inbound leader for the fourth time since 2016. New York was the country’s outbound move leader in 2020, a designation it has now held two years in a row. The state also experienced its highest percentage of outbound moves since the study’s inception. Former balanced state Kentucky achieved an inbound status for the first time since 2010 while California earned an outbound status for the first time since 1995. Additionally, Minnesota and New Jersey saw the highest percentage of outbound moves since 2014 and 2009.
Top 10 Inbound
Idaho (66.4%)
North Carolina (64.6%)
Maine (62.4%)
New Hampshire (61.6%)
Alabama (60.8%)
District of Columbia (60.2%)
New Mexico (60.0%)
Nevada (59.8%)
Alaska (58.6%)
Kentucky (57.7%)
Top 10 Outbound
New York (66.4%)
Illinois (62.5%)
New Jersey (60.6%)
Louisiana (60.1%)
West Virginia (59.8%)
Nebraska (58.3%)
Minnesota (57.9%)
Indiana (57.8%)
California (57.1%)
Iowa (56.1%)
According to data reflecting the total number of international household moves completed by Atlas® World Group International, the top international destinations and origins outside of the U.S. for 2020 included the following: