New Study Says SC Among Most Popular Moving Destinations
Americans are moving in search of cheaper places to live, more jobs, warmer climates and green space and more are still finding a new home in South Carolina.
South Carolina was the seventh most popular moving destination in the U.S in 2017, slipping over the past two year from 2nd in 2015 and 5th most popular last year, according to United Van Lines’ 41st Annual National Movers Study, which tracks customers’ state-to-state migration patterns over the past year.
The study found that more people are moving westward, flocking to the Mountain and Pacific West, while the Northeast and Midwest parts of the country continue to lose residents.
Vermont now has the top spot. Oregon was the top moving destination for two of the previous three years in a row but slipped to 2nd this year.
The Southern states as a whole saw a high number of people moving in with a large percentage of total moves being inbound. In a separate survey of its customers, United Van Lines found the top reasons for moving South included company transfer/new job, retirement and proximity to family. The Mountain West was the most popular destination for retirees overall.
“The aging Boomer population is driving relocation from the Northeast and Midwest to the West and South, as more and more people retire to warmer and less-expensive regions,” said Michael Stoll, economist, professor and chair of the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“We are seeing people drawn for lifestyle issues: more green space and looking for a lower cost of living,” said Melissa Sullivan, director, marketing communications at UniGroup, which operates United Van Lines.
The Northeast continues to experience a moving deficit with New Jersey, New York and Connecticut making the list of top outbound states for the third year in a row.
Also, sadly, the region with the largest exodus of residents due to finding jobs elsewhere was the South. 61 percent of folks moving from the south said they were looking for work or had found work elsewhere.
The top inbound states of 2017 were:
1. Vermont
2. Oregon
3. Idaho
4. Nevada
5. South Dakota
6. Washington
7. South Carolina
8. North Carolina
9. Colorado
10. Alabama
The top outbound states for 2017 were:
1. Illinois
2. New Jersey
3. New York
4. Connecticut
5. Kansas
6. Massachusetts
7. Ohio
8. Kentucky
9. Utah
10. Wisconsin
We know that lots of folks are moving to Beaufort, too. Who wouldn’t want to? If you’re moving to the area or are thinking if making it your new home, visit our Beaufort Relocation Guide for real estate info, helpful tips and information on getting settled in your new hometown.
See the full study from United Van Lines here.