Study Shows If People Are Moving to or Leaving Massachusetts
Have you ever wondered if more people are moving to the state or if the general trend has people leaving it? The past few years have brought some pretty wild…
Have you ever wondered if more people are moving to the state or if the general trend has people leaving it? The past few years have brought some pretty wild moving trends, partly due to the pandemic, but those trends are continuing well after 2020.
People move to different states for a variety of reasons, such as finding a new job that requires relocating, lifestyle changes, such as retirement, or wanting a lower cost of living. Others move to be in a warmer climate or closer to loved ones. So, are people moving to or from this state?
Massachusetts: Moving Trends Throughout the State
In a feature out on March 9, Gabriel Cohen of Visual Capitalist offers up a map of the country and shows the moving trends in each state. The differences are big, with some states seeing a record number of residents moving in and others seeing residents leaving the state in droves.
"Nearly 15 million Americans moved in 2025, with many relocating across state lines in search of lower costs, job opportunities, and warmer climates," Cohen notes in the feature. He adds that "Southern and Mountain West states dominated the rankings for inbound migration, while several high-cost coastal states continued to lose residents."
The number of people moving to Idaho is staggering. According to their research, Idaho had a net migration of +63.2 per 10,000 residents, the highest number in the country. Other states seeing a high net migration include Wyoming at +26.0 and Utah at +7.3. On the flip side, people left California with a net migration of -25.1, Washington at -10.7 and Oregon at -9.0. As for California, the study notes that people left to move to Nevada, which doesn't have a state income tax.
In the study, they note that the highly populated coastal states, which are considered "hubs for key economic sectors like tech and aviation," have experienced "moves in recent years owing to jobs either relocating or shifting to remote work."
So, what about Massachusetts? According to the study, the net migration per 10,000 residents is -37.9, among the highest in the country, largely due to the high cost of living in the state, the study notes. So, if you look around and see fewer people, perhaps that's why.
