Why are people leaving NJ? New study reveals 2025 migration trends

Patricia Mendoza, Asbury Park Press

Sun, January 4, 2026 at 9:50 AM UTC

2 min read

Whether they’re headed down the coast to Florida or just a state over to New York, people are ditching The Garden State and settling down elsewhere.

In its 49th National Movers Study, United Van Lines explored the shifts in migration throughout the United States, revealing where and why residents are moving.

Typically for Americans, the primary motive for moving is to be closer to their families (29%), followed by job opportunities and job market expansion (26%).

Yet, the study revealed something different for New Jerseyans heading to other states. For the eighth consecutive year, more residents moved out of New Jersey than any other state, revealing a 62% outbound migration rate.

As the state becomes more attractive for young professionals and families who view the general region as a ‘launch state’ with 21% of inbound moves being from movers ages 18-34, older residents and retirees are seeking to settle down somewhere else.

This shift in migration patterns shows that despite a major outbound state like New Jersey, attracting aspiring workers, more and more people leave at the same time due to retirement, changes in lifestyle and living costs. Similarly New York and California are seeing an increase in outbound migration, with both states reaching a 58% rate.

At the opposite end, Oregon saw the greatest increase in inbound migration (65%). The Beaver State appeals to job seeking migrants looking to work in the area’s expanding tech and healthcare fields. Despite Oregon’s birthrate being lower than the national average, inbound migration continues to shape the statewide population change particularly in metro areas.

In 2025, the data revealed inbound migration patterns to states across Southern regions, with a few exceptions. Inbound moves were led by Oregon (65%), West Virgina (62%) and South Carolina (61%).

The top outbound states for 2025:

New Jersey
New York
California
North Dakota
Colorado
Mississippi
Massachusetts

The top inbound states of 2025:

Oregon
West Virginia
South Carolina
Delaware
Minnesota
Idaho
North Carolina
Arkansas
Alabama
Nevada

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: New Jersey leads US in outbound moves for 8th straight year

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