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2024 Migration Patterns Study
2024 Migration Patterns Study: Where and Why are People Moving?
Conducted annually since 1993, the Migration Patterns Study measures Atlas customers’ interstate, interprovince, and international moves. This year’s study measures relocations from Nov. 1, 2023, to Oct. 31, 2024, to gauge where people moved from and where they moved to.
The Migration Patterns Study aligns with Census Bureau data indicating interstate moves are holding steady. This year shows the highest number of “balanced” states in the last five years, meaning a relatively even number of people are moving in as moving out. Combined with the lowest number of outbound states in over five years indicates many people may not be moving at all, likely an impact of the “lock-in effect” that disincentivizes homeowners to move and drives housing prices up.
Arkansas was a sought-after destination this year, with 65% of the shipments being inbound.
What States Are Most Americans Moving To?
The 10 U.S. states with the highest percentage of inbound moves in 2023 were:
| 2024 Top 10 Inbound |
|---|
| 1. Arkansas |
| 2. Rhode Island |
| 3. North Carolina |
| 4. Washington, D.C. |
| 5. Idaho |
| 6. Tennessee |
| 7. Maine |
| 8. Connecticut |
| 9. Washington |
| 10. Alaska |
What States Are Most Americans Moving Away From?
The U.S. states with the highest percentage of outbound moves in 2024 were:
| 2024 Top Outbound |
|---|
| 1. Louisiana |
| 2. California |
| 3. Illinois |
| 4. South Dakota |
| 5. New York |
Louisiana’s rate of outbound moves increased in 2024, bringing the state's rank on the outbound list up to first from third in 2023. Meanwhile, the large number of balanced states made for fewer total outbound states.
Are Americans Moving Internationally?
In 2024, Atlas® World Group International reported the following trends in overseas relocation:
| 2024 Top 10 Inbound | 2024 Top 10 Outbound |
|---|---|
| 1. United Kingdom | 1. Panama |
| 2. Bahrain | 2. India |
| 3. China | 3. Dominican Republic |
| 4. Colombia | 4. Ecuador |
| 5. Canada | 5. Turkey |
| 6. Cyprus | 6. Indonesia |
| 7. Bangladesh | 7. Morocco |
| 8. Fiji | 8. Netherlands |
| 9. Spain | 9. Puerto Rico |
| 10. Austria | 10. Singapore |
Canadian Provinces
Per Atlas® Van Lines Canada data, outbound provinces are centrally located, while inbound provinces are located in the north and east. The top three inbound regions were Northwest Territories, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, whereas the top three outbound provinces were Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec.
How Status Is Determined
Each state’s, province’s, and country’s inbound/outbound status is determined by its threshold value, which is the total number of shipments multiplied by 0.55 (i.e., in a state with 100 moves, at least 55 must be outgoing to be considered outbound). All other states or provinces in which outbound or inbound numbers do not exceed the threshold are classified as balanced. Canadian interprovincial and cross-border (from the U.S. to Canada) shipments are both referenced in the study.
To view the full results of the 2024 Migration Patterns Study, along with a nationwide map, regional trends, and historical data, download our media kit.