Inman

Top 10 US places with a net influx of movers

Editor’s note: This story has been edited to correct that the Canadian provinces not categorized as "outbound" were Newfoundland and New Brunswick.

Only Washington, D.C., and nine states — primarily in the Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions — were labeled "inbound" by receiving a net influx (over 55 percent) of Atlas moves in 2011, according to Atlas Van Lines’ 2011 annual migration patterns report, released this month. Atlas has tracked annual Atlas shipment patterns for Canada and the U.S., by state, since 1993.

Those states falling between 55 percent net influx and outgoing moves were labeled "balanced"; those above that percentage, either incoming or outgoing, were labeled "inbound" or "outbound," respectively.

Washington, D.C., had the highest percentage net influx of Atlas shipments in 2011, continuing its six-year run at the top — 69 percent of its 856 Atlas shipments in 2011 were inbound. North Carolina, at a 61 percent net increase, was second highest in the region, followed by Rhode Island at 60 percent, Tennessee at 58 percent and Virginia at 56 percent.

Texas, also in the net-influx group at 58 percent, experienced the greatest total number of inbound moves at 7,861 shipments, followed closely by California’s 7,803 incoming loads. California, however, at a 53 percent net influx, was classified as a "balanced" state in the report, like most states of the West.

Ohio, continued its consecutive nine-year bleed of net out-of-state moves, at 60 percent net outgoing shipments. The Midwest experienced the greatest regional loss in the report. The Rust Belt states of West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin joined Ohio on the outbound list.

All of Canada’s provinces, except for Newfoundland and New Brunswick, were categorized as "outbound."

The "inbound" U.S. states (and district), listed alphabetically, are:

  • Alaska
  • Maryland
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Rhode Island
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Washington, D.C.

The "outbound" states, listed alphabetically, are:

  • Connecticut
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Utah
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin