Residents Are Quickly Leaving Michigan For Good, But Where Are They Moving To?

Making a move to another state can be a daunting task. I would know. I moved to Michigan about a year and a half ago. But for everyone like me who moves into Michigan, it appears many more are on the way out.

For years, Michigan has been one of the top moved-out-of states in America. Some of it can be attributed to the exodus from Detroit and many people fled Flint during the water crisis. Of course, others move for more conventional reasons.

According to United Van Lines, more than 50% of people leaving Michigan are doing so either for a job (30%) or to be closer to family (26%). Another 15% is for retirees, which isn't surprising either.

Michigan saw 167,900 of its residents leave the Mitten State to call another home in 2022, the most recent data. If that sounds like a lot, first, it is - it's the fifth-most in the country. However, 8.2 million people in America changed states in 2022, so the scale goes up drastically for the states with more departures: New York, North Dakota, Illinois, and New Jersey.

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Interestingly, Michigan residents moved all across the country. Some wanted to stay closer, migrating to Michigan's border states, while others got as far away as possible to the South or the West. Michigan residents moved to every other state and Washington D.C., except one. Out of 167,900 people, not a single one moved to Vermont. Even Alaska brought in a few Michiganders, with 40 people moving to The Last Frontier.

The gallery below shows the 24 states Michiganders moved to the most in 2022 according to data from 24/7 Wall St., with each bringing in at least 1,500 new residents from the Mitten State, accounting for at least 1% of all outward moves from Michigan.

See how many Michiganders moved to all 49 other states and D.C. here.