Idaho saw the largest percentage of inbound moves in 2017 at 65.1 percent, according to a recent Atlas Van Lines report.
“Historically, [moves] are job-related," says Jeff Schimmel, vice president of transportation services at Atlas Van Lines, adding, "This past year, people moving wanted to go to the Northwest." Realtor.com reports Idaho has a lower cost of living, more affordable homes than more expensive West Coast states, and an unemployment rate at 2.9 percent in November, lower than the national average at 4.1 percent, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Not all states are seeing an influx of new residents. Illinois saw the largest percentage of folks escaping its borders, at 62.4 percent. That's not altogether surprising with a 4.9 percent unemployment rate and a higher cost of living than surrounding states. Illinois has seen more moves out of state than in state since the mid-1990s, according to Atlas Van Lines. Only 37 percent of folks looking for homes in Illinois on realtor.com were from the state.
