OHIO — Ohio was among the top 10 of states people moved out of in 2021, according to data released by United Van Lines.
According to the moving company, Ohio ranked ninth for states where more people left the state than moved in. United Van Lines found that of people moving across Ohio’s borders, 56.3% were leaving the state compared to 43.7% moving in.
The No. 1 reason people left the state: Work.
United Van Lines found that of those moving out of Ohio, 37.9% were due to work. The survey found that retirement was the No. 2 reason for those moving out of Ohio, followed by family, lifestyle and health.
The No. 1 reason people moved into the state, according to United Van Lines’ survey, was family.
“This new data from United Van Lines is indicative of COVID-19’s impact on domestic migration patterns, with 2021 bringing an acceleration of moves to smaller, midsized towns and cities,” Michael A. Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, said. “We’re seeing this not only occur because of Americans’ desire to leave high density areas due to risk of infection, but also due to the transformation of how we’re able to work, with more flexibility to work remote.”
Data from the 2020 census indicated that Ohio's population growth slowed by comparison to other states, which will cause the number of U.S. House members serving the state to drop from 16 to 15.
The top outbound states for 2021 were:
- New Jersey
- Illinois
- New York
- Connecticut
- California
- Michigan
- Massachusetts
- Louisiana
- Ohio
- Nebraska
The top inbound states of 2021 were:
- Vermont
- South Dakota
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
- Florida
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Oregon
- Idaho
- Rhode Island