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United Van Lines releases 2006 migration study

Mar 24, 2014

United Van Lines releases 2006 migration studyMortgagePress.comU.S. migration patterns

A strong mobility pattern continued in 2006 as many Americans packed up their belongings and headed to the West and Southeast parts of the country, while the central Northeast region of the country experienced an increase in residents departing. The statistics are among the findings of United Van Lines' 30th annual migration study, which tracks over 12 months where its customers moved from and their most popular destinations. The accounting is based on the 227,254 interstate household moves handled by United among the 48 contiguous states, as well as Washington, D.C. The findings were announced by Carl Walter, vice president of United.

In its study, United classifies each state in one of three categories: "high inbound" (55 percent or more of moves going into a state); "high outbound" (55 percent or more of moves coming out of a state) or "balanced." Although the majority of states were in the "balanced" category in 2005, several showed more substantial population shifts.

Moving in
Known for hospitality and gracious style, the Southeast states welcomed many new residents in 2006, with North Carolina coming in as the top destination (64 percent inbound). South Carolina (60.6 percent) continued its 13-year inbound tradition, while Alabama (57.5 percent) experienced its fourth year as a high-inbound location. Although Tennessee saw less people move in last year (55.8 percent as opposed to 58 percent in 2005), it still captured a spot on the high-inbound list. Although not considered "high inbound," other Southeastern states also greeted new residents: Kentucky (52.9 percent) continued its five-year inbound trend; Georgia (53.9 percent) continued its 25-year trend as an inbound state and Mississippi (50.1 percent) boasted a 3.2 percent increase in moves to its state as compared to 2005.

Supporting the idea that Americans still believe there is fortune to be found in the West, the Western portion of the country emerged as a top migration spot. Capturing the number two inbound ranking, Oregon (62.5 percent) sustained its 19-year, high-inbound trend. While still a high-inbound state, Arizona (55.4 percent) saw roughly five percent less people move in than in 2005; however, Nevada (59.9 percent) continued its lucky streak of being high inbound since 1986. Both New Mexico (57.9 percent inbound; a 3.7 percent increase) and Utah (56 percent inbound; a nearly six percent increase) saw a rise of incoming residents as compared to 2005's data. Idaho's (59.3 percent inbound) high-inbound ranking has held steady for the past 19 years, and Montana (55 percent inbound) retained its five-year inbound status. Although not considered "high inbound," other Western states witnessed increases of incoming moves as compared to 2005: Colorado (54.7 percent inbound) continued its four-year inbound trend and had a 1.2 percent increase, and Wyoming (54.4 percent inbound) boasted a 4.3 percent increase.

Rounding out the high-inbound list are Washington, D.C. (57.9 percent), which has remained inbound since the first year of the study, and South Dakota (55.9 percent), which enjoyed its first high-inbound year since 1994. Some other noteworthy inbound-migration states in 2006: Texas (54.6 percent) continued inbound movement since 1989 and saw slightly (0.7 percent) more people move in as compared to 2005. After being outbound in 2005, Nebraska (52.5 percent inbound) turned over a new leaf and has 3.2 percent more moves in as compared to 2005. Although it is considered a balanced state, Oklahoma (50.0 percent) saw a three percent increase over 2005's numbers. Last year marked the first time in 25 years that Minnesota (51.3 percent) saw more people entering than leaving.

Moving out
States in the central Northeast generally showed an outbound trend, according to United's records. Ranked number two on the high-outbound list in 2005, Michigan (66 percent) moved up a spot to tie for the top outbound state on the 2006 list. Michigan saw a 2.1 percent increase over its 2005 numbers. Other central Northeast states that made the high-outbound list were: New York (59.5 percent), which has been an outbound state since the survey was established; Indiana (58.2 percent), which has been high outbound since 1993; and Illinois (55.7 percent), which has been high outbound since the survey's inception.

Also continuing outbound traditions, New Jersey (60.9 percent, outbound since 1997), Pennsylvania (57 percent, high outbound for the past three years) and Ohio (55.8 percent, outbound since 1992) saw residents depart. Rounding out the high-outbound states, Louisiana (56.4 percent) continued its two-year, high-outbound trend, but did see 1.5 percent less people leave as compared to 2005's numbers. Continuing its reign as the top outbound state of 2005, North Dakota (66 percent) tied with Michigan for the state that lost the most residents in 2006. The year of 2006 marked the 11th consecutive year that North Dakota has been classified as high outbound.

Not identified as "high outbound" but following the outbound trend in the central Northeastern part of the country, Connecticut (52.4 percent) saw its fourth successive year of out-migration and Maryland (54.1 percent) continued its 15-year outbound tradition. Some other noteworthy outbound states in the study were: California (52.4 percent), which saw its lowest outbound percentage in four years. Missouri (51.8 percent) continued its 12-year outbound trend and had one percent more residents leave in 2006 as compared to 2005. Wisconsin (53.2 percent) witnessed its lowest outbound influx since 2000.

Walter said that the United Van Lines study, through the years, has been shown to accurately reflect the general migration patterns in various regions of the country. United has tracked shipment patterns annually on a state-by-state basis since 1977. He also noted that real estate firms, financial institutions and other observers of relocation trends regularly use the United data in their business planning and analysis activities.

For more information, visit www.unitedvanlines.com.

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Mar 24, 2014