Americans Are Migrating: Who’s Moving and Where Are They Going?
According to recent Census data, approximately 800 people move to Florida each day! That coincides with the fact the Florida just became the 3rd largest state based on population, pushing New York to number 4. So where are these new residents coming from? New Jersey tops the list of outbound movers and has done so for the past 4 out of 5 years says Forbes writer Susan Adams in her 2014 article. In surveys conducted by United Van Lines over the past 38 years, New York and Illinois rank second and third respectively.
Michael Stoll, a professor of public policy at University of California, Los Angeles says that migrations “reflect the increasing numbers of retiring baby boomers” who are tired of the cold weather and costly living expenses in the Northeast and Midwest regions. Baby boomers are choosing to live in more affordable states such as Florida and Arizona where housing is considerably more cost effective and has established retirement communities. Slow recovery in some industries hit hard by the Great Recession has also caused many retirees to subsequently decide to move.
So where are people moving to these days? The number one destination is Oregon, showing 66.4% more folks heading into the state than leaving. Many of those are former Californians who are weary of the expensive and ever-crowding state. On the other hand, Stoll comments that, “Oregon is highly livable and low cost, with tremendous recreational opportunities and lots of green space.” This makes the state very attractive to both those approaching retirement and young people who appreciate the walkable neighborhoods, public transit and great places to eat.
Number two and three on the list of destinations are livable cities such as Charleston and golfing communities like Hilton Head. According to Stoll, get ready to see more baby boomers packing up and heading south and west in the coming year. Other top markets that the National Association of REALTORS said were destined to see lots of baby boomers: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Denver, Fort Myers, FL, Greenville, SC, Phoenix, Raleigh and Sarasota.
