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It’s a scenario reminiscent of “Escape From New York,” but for real.
The allure of striking it big in the Big Apple seems to have vanished like the dinosaurs.
According to the 2025 National Movers Study by United Van Lines, this year has seen a mass departure from New York and New Jersey, with residents opting for the inviting climates of the South and Pacific Northwest.
New Jersey, for the eighth consecutive year, claims the top spot, with 62% of its population relocating, while New York trails with 58% choosing to leave.
This migration trend from the Northeast highlights a significant change in American relocation patterns. The moving company observed that the primary reasons behind this shift are the desire to be nearer to family (29%) and seeking better job opportunities (26%).
“For most Americans, interstate relocation is no longer a linear calculation; it’s a complex decision balancing multiple competing factors,” said Michael A. Stoll, Economist and Professor in The Department of Public Policy at The University of California, Los Angeles, in a statement.
He claimed that the shift reflected a preference for “lower-density living” that began during COVID — a time when many New Yorkers fled to smaller havens in Texas and Florida, in droves.
The survey, which has been conducted since 1977, was based on household moves handled by the network of the company’s parent group, UniGroup, within the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.
They then ranked states based on the inbound and outbound percentages of total moves in each.
New Jersey was granted the title of the most abandoned state reportedly because while young professionals and families often move there to start a new life, older residents are packing their bags and fleeing as fast as they can say “retirement.”
The same rule held for New York: ambitious job seekers run there while the state “simultaneously loses more people motivated by retirement, affordability and lifestyle changes.”
This comes after hundreds of thousands of Gothamites vowed that they would abandon the Big Apple if socialist Zohran Mamdani were sworn in as mayor, potentially setting the stage for the largest flight in US history. The inbound hizzoner is slated to be in just moments after midnight on New Year’s Day, below City Hall Park in an abandoned subway stop.
It’s also no secret that rising prices have been a major issue with average and median rents once again hitting record new highs in Manhattan in November.
In third place, to no one’s surprise, was California (58%), which has been similarly racked by high inflation and unemployment — issues attributed to Governor Gavin Newsom’s progressive policies.
Top outbound states in 2025:
- New Jersey
- New York
- California
- North Dakota
- Colorado
- Mississippi
- Massachusetts
Where are these state refugees fleeing? Westward Ho.
Oregon topped the list when it came to inbound immigrants (65%), like a modern-day version of the state’s eponymous trail.
This migration was attributed to the Beaver State’s growing status as a destination for migrants (36%) seeking opportunities in the growing tech and health care sectors.
Oregon was followed by West Virginia (62%) and South Carolina (61%), proving that the birds aren’t the only ones flying South for the winter.
United Van Lines attributed the trend to “Americans’ broader shift toward smaller cities and towns — moving outside major metros where housing is more affordable.”
“The data reveals Americans are seeking a different pace of life, and destinations like Oregon, the Carolinas and the South are delivering it,” Eily Cummings, Vice President of Corporate Communications at United Van Lines, said.
Top inbound states in 2025:
- Oregon
- West Virginia
- South Carolina
- Delaware
- Minnesota
- Idaho
- North Carolina
- Arkansas
- Alabama
- Nevada
