A Gallup survey on looking for greener pastures shows Half in Illinois and Connecticut Want to Move Elsewhere.
Every state has at least some residents who are looking for greener pastures, but nowhere is the desire to move more prevalent than in Illinois and Connecticut. In both of these states, about half of residents say that if given the chance to move to a different state, they would like to do so. Maryland is a close third, at 47%. By contrast, in Montana, Hawaii, and Maine, just 23% say they would like to relocate. Nearly as few — 24% — feel this way in Oregon, New Hampshire, and Texas.
Nevada, Illinois, Maryland, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, and Connecticut all appear particularly vulnerable to losing population in the coming few years: high percentages of their residents say they would leave if they could, and larger-than-average percentages say they are at least somewhat likely to do so in the coming year. At the other end of the spectrum, Texas, Minnesota, and Maine have little to fear. Residents of these states are among the least likely to want to leave and few are planning to leave in the next 12 months.
Would Move If They Could
Likely to Move
Nevada, Illinois, and Arizona lead the way in states where people expect to move.
Reasons for Moving
Illinois, New York, and Maryland were the only states where taxes were a significant reason for wanting to move.
Illinois is at the bottom of the list in the friends and family category, and high in the work-related, weather, and quality of life reasons.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
