Millions of Americans packed up and moved in 2025, and a recent report sheds light on where exactly they wound up. Moving company United Van Lines released its Annual National Movers Study late last month, revealing the states with the highest percentages of inbound and outbound moves within the contiguous United States and Washington, D.C.
An accompanying survey also uncovered the two biggest deciding factors for those moves: wanting to be closer to family (29%) and relocating for a job (26%). Other major reasons included retirement (14%), lifestyle change (10%), and improved cost of living (3%).
Oregon took the top spot for the highest percentage of newcomers settling in — 64.5% of moves were inbound, while 35.5% were outbound. The ranking is a big jump from 2024, when it came in at No. 8, a hopeful sign for a state that has seen slow population growth in recent years.
The main motivator for people staking their claim in the Beaver State was job-seeking, at 36% of inbound migration. Family came in second, at 25%, and lifestyle was third, at 16%.
In second, third, and fourth place for inbound moves were West Virginia, South Carolina, and Delaware, respectively. On the flipside, New Jersey had the highest percentage of outbound moves (62%), followed by New York, California, and North Dakota.
“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 in a press release.
Additionally, the report shared which metro-statistical areas saw the highest inbound and outbound percentages. Oregon’s Eugene-Springfield area came in on top in that ranking, with 85% of its moves being inbound. Next up were Wilmington, North Carolina (83% inbound), and Dover, Delaware (79%).
“For most Americans, interstate relocation is no longer a linear calculation, it’s a complex decision balancing multiple competing factors,” economist Michael A. Stoll, a professor in the Department of Public Policy at UCLA, said in the release. “It is interesting to see that in general, population movement continues from North/Midwest regions to Southern states — and again top inbound locations dominated by smaller to medium-size metro areas.”
Top 10 Inbound States
Oregon
West Virginia
South Carolina
Delaware
Minnesota
Idaho
North Carolina
Arkansas
Alabama
Nevada
Top 10 Outbound States
New Jersey
New York
California
North Dakota
Colorado
Mississippi
Massachusetts
Nebraska
Illinois
Wyoming
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