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These Are the Least Popular States to Move to in 2022—and People Seem to Be Avoiding This Popular Metro Area

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A recent report from moveBuddha, a relocation tech company, ranked the least popular states to move to in 2022.

The 2022 Mid-Year Migration Report used data collected from January 1 to July 5, 2022, via the company's moving cost calculator.

moveBuddha compared the inflow to the outflow of people state to state to see which places are gaining new residents and which are losing their current population.

The least popular state to move to in 2022: New Jersey

In-to-out ratio: 0.50

New Jersey topped the list of least popular states. According to the report, the Garden State is losing the most residents compared to those moving in.

Residents in the East Coast state pay the country's highest property taxes, which may account for the loss in population.

The two other states that make up the New York metropolitan area — New York and Connecticut — are experiencing similar challenges as New Jersey.

Both made the list of states that people are moving out of more than they're moving in, at No. 4 and No. 5 on the list respectively.

The 10 least popular states to move to in 2022:

  1. New Jersey
  2. California
  3. Illinois
  4. New York
  5. Connecticut
  6. Utah
  7. Maryland
  8. Rhode Island
  9. Louisiana
  10. Virginia

Residents of California and Illinois are wrestling with unaffordable housing and high property taxes, which may contribute to their positions at No. 2 and No. 3 on the list.

The states are also some of the most densely populated in the U.S.

They have become less popular places to move to as folks reassess the ways they live and work, and are increasingly interested in moving away from city life.

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