These are the least popular states to move to in 2022—and people seem to be avoiding this popular metro area (2024)

A recent report from moveBuddha, a relocation tech company, ranked the least popular states to move to in 2022.

The 2022 Mid-Year Migration Report used data collected from January 1 to July 5, 2022, via the company's moving cost calculator.

moveBuddha compared the inflow to the outflow of people state to state to see which places are gaining new residents and which are losing their current population.

The least popular state to move to in 2022: New Jersey

In-to-out ratio: 0.50

New Jersey topped the list of least popular states. According to the report, the Garden State is losing the most residents compared to those moving in.

Residents in the East Coast state pay the country's highest property taxes, which may account for the loss in population.

The two other states that make up the New York metropolitan area — New York and Connecticut — are experiencing similar challenges as New Jersey.

Both made the list of states that people are moving out of more than they're moving in, at No. 4 and No. 5 on the list respectively.

The 10 least popular states to move to in 2022:

  1. New Jersey
  2. California
  3. Illinois
  4. New York
  5. Connecticut
  6. Utah
  7. Maryland
  8. Rhode Island
  9. Louisiana
  10. Virginia

Residents of California and Illinois are wrestling with unaffordable housing and high property taxes, which may contribute to their positions at No. 2 and No. 3 on the list.

The states are also some of the most densely populated in the U.S.

They have become less popular places to move to as folks reassess the ways they live and work, and are increasingly interested in moving away from city life.

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FAQs

These are the least popular states to move to in 2022—and people seem to be avoiding this popular metro area? ›

The least popular state to move to in 2022: New Jersey

What state are people leaving the most in 2022? ›

However, California (-343,230), New York (-299,557), and Illinois (-141,656) experienced the largest net domestic outmigration. As a result, the population dropped even further in these states. Despite this decrease, California remained the most populous state, with nearly 39 million residents statewide.

What is the least common state to live in? ›

Wyoming is the least populated state in the U.S. According to the 2020 census, Wyoming has a population of 576,851 people.

What is the least known state in the United States? ›

That state is Missouri. The results from Sporcle's “US States Quiz” make it clear that Missouri is the most forgotten state. The quiz has been attempted by players more than 19 million times, and Missouri is the state the lowest percent of people guess correctly.

What is the least populated state? ›

Wyoming is ranked the lowest in the population, with only 576,851 residents. In terms of total area, Wyoming stands at number 40, with an area of 97,813 square miles.

What states are leaving the most? ›

New York and California were the top two states that had the highest number of people moving out as a share of their total number of movers.

What states are Americans leaving? ›

A Storage Hub analysis of 2022 census data revealed there were 33 states where more people moved into than left, while 18 states lost more residents than they gained. The top five states that Americans moved out of were Alaska, New York, Illinois, California and Wyoming.

What are the top 5 states losing population? ›

According to a December release by the Census Bureau, California, Illinois and New York—along with West Virginia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and Oregon — lost population in 2023 compared to 2022. Throughout the new Census first released in 2020, all three states have shown continuously sinking population numbers.

What is the number 1 best state to live in? ›

Researchers at the personal finance publication ranked the 50 states based on scores in five categories: affordability, economy, education and health, quality of life, and safety. Massachusetts topped 2023's list, scoring 61 out of 100. New Jersey came in second.

What is the most forgotten state? ›

"The results from Sporcle's “US States Quiz” make it clear that Missouri is the most forgotten state. The quiz has been attempted by players more than 19 million times, and Missouri is the state the lowest percent of people guess correctly.

What is the nicest state in America? ›

Topping the chart, Minnesota claims the position as the friendliest state in the U.S. Its Midwestern charm and welcoming locals have earned the state the top spot on the Politeness Index. In second is Tennessee, a Southern state that has lived up to its reputation for hospitality.

What state has the most black people? ›

The ten states with the largest non-Hispanic black population in 2020 were Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia.

Where is the least populated place in the US? ›

The least-populated place in the United States is Alaska's Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area. At over 145,000 square miles, it's larger than New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia -- combined. But it's home to only 5,547 people, for a population density of fewer than 4 people every 100 miles.

What city has the least people? ›

The smallest city in the world, the Vatican City is also one of the least populated. It is an independent state located inside the city of Rome, Italy. The Vatican is the seat of the Catholic Church and the home of the Pope. With a surface area of 44 hectares, it has a population of around 825 habitants.

What state is everyone moving to in 2024? ›

Florida and Texas are the top two states that people are moving to. U.S. Census data showed that of all the U.S. states, Florida and Texas were the top two states people were moving to.

What cities are moving to the most in 2022? ›

Here is where millennials moved to the most in 2022

Some of those places included Santa Ana, Moreno Valley, Thousand Oaks and Lancaster in California; Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Brockton, Massachusetts. Overall, the study found that one in four millennials moved to a different city in 2022.

Which two states have the most people immigrating to? ›

Which U.S. states and cities have the largest numbers of immigrants? The U.S. states with the most immigrants in 2022 were California (10.4 million), Texas (5.2 million), Florida (4.8 million), New York (4.5 million), and New Jersey (2.2 million).

Where are U.S. citizens moving to? ›

According to the Association of American Residents Overseas (AARO), US expats can be found in more than 160 countries: 40% opt for the Western hemisphere — Canada, Central and South America. 26% move to Europe. 14% head to East Asia and the Pacific — think Australia and New Zealand as well as China and Japan.

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