Wilmington ranked top city in the nation for inbound moves, study shows

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new study reveals more Americans are moving west and south, and Wilmington saw the most inbound moves than any other city in the country last year.

The United Van Lines’ latest National Migration Study reports the COVID-19 pandemic factored into and accelerated many of those decisions to move.

The moving company has conducted the study since 1977 and tracks migration patterns.

“According to the study, which tracks the company’s exclusive data for customers’ 2020 state-to-state migration patterns, Idaho was the state with the highest percentage of inbound migration (70%) among states experiencing more than 250 moves* with United Van Lines for the second consecutive year,” the press release states. “Topping the list of outbound locations was New Jersey (70% outbound), which has held the spot for the past three years.”

Throughout the pandemic in 2020, major metropolitan areas and hotspots, such as New York City (72%), Newark (72%) and Chicago (69%), experienced greater outbound migration, while lower-density cities like Wilmington, North Carolina (79%) and Boise, Idaho (75%) saw high levels of inbound moves.

As for North Carolina as a whole, the state saw total inbound of 60.2% with a total outbound of 39.8%.

“Data from March to October 2020 also revealed the COVID-19 pandemic influenced Americans’ decisions to move,” according to United Van Lines. “For customers who cited COVID-19 as an influence on their move in 2020, the top reasons associated with COVID-19 were concerns for personal and family health and wellbeing (60%); desires to be closer to family (59%); 57% moved due to changes in employment status or work arrangement (including the ability to work remotely); and 53% desired a lifestyle change or improvement of quality of life.”

Moving In

The top inbound states (with 250 moves or more) of 2020 were:

1. Idaho
2. South Carolina
3. Oregon
4. South Dakota
5. Arizona
6. North Carolina
7. Tennessee
8. Alabama
9. Florida
10. Arkansas

New to the 2020 top inbound list are Tennessee at No. 7 and Alabama at No. 8, both with inbound percentages of 60, and Arkansas at No. 10 with 59% inbound.

Moving Out

The top outbound states for 2020 were:

1. New Jersey
2. New York
3. Illinois
4. Connecticut
5. California
6. Kansas
7. North Dakota
8. Massachusetts
9. Ohio
10. Maryland