Mass. was one of the most ‘moved out of’ states in 2023, study says

Massachusetts continues to see more people departing the state than settling in it, according to a recent study by a moving company. 

For the second year in a row, Massachusetts ranked seventh on the list of states most moved out of in the annual National Movers Study by United Van Lines. Using data gathered from its customers across 2023, the moving company found that 56.6% of customers moved out of the Bay State during the year, compared to 43.4% coming into the state. 

Massachusetts had the same breakdown in 2022.

According to the 2023 study, most (28.4%) of the moving company’s customers identified a job as the reason for moving out of Massachusetts, followed by family (19.2%), retirement (18%), lifestyle (16%), health (2.8%), and cost (2.4%).

Massachusetts followed behind California (sixth), Michigan (fifth), New York (fourth), North Dakota (third), Illinois (second), and New Jersey (first) in the category of “top outbound states for 2023.”

Massachusetts may be losing more residents than it is gaining, but another New England state is seeing the opposite trend, according to the study. 

For the third consecutive year, more residents moved to Vermont than any other state, according to United Van Lines.

According to the study, 65% of moves to Vermont in 2023 were inbound, compared to just 34.5% of outbound moves. Most said that they were moving to the state for family (28.6%), job (20%), or lifestyle (20%) reasons. 

Rhode Island also fared well with attracting new residents in 2023, ranking fifth nationally behind Arkansas (fourth), South Carolina (third), Washington D.C. (second), Vermont (first). Most people (45.2%) moving to Rhode Island said a job brought them to Ocean State, followed by family (26.2%), and lifestyle (7.10%).

“We are continuing to see the trend that Americans are moving to more affordable, lower-density areas across the country, with many heading to Southern states,” Eily Cummings, vice president of corporation communications for United Van Lines, said in a statement. “Movers are also becoming more strategic with their planning, as relocation continues to be driven by factors such as the price of housing, regional climates, urban planning and job growth.”