(WWJ) -- A lot of people waved goodbye to the mitten state in 2021
So many people moved out of Michigan that it caused the state to rank as No. 6 in states with the most outbound moves, according to the United Van Line's 45th Annual National Movers Study.
Nine of the top 10 outbound states are considered densely populated -- the study, released on Monday, showed that Americans were moving to lower-density areas and less populated states last year.
“This new data from United Van Lines is indicative of COVID-19′s impact on domestic migration patterns, with 2021 bringing an acceleration of moves to smaller, midsized towns and cities,” Michael A. Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles, said.
New Jersey, Illinois, New York, Connecticut and California were the states that came ahead of Michigan.
Massachusetts, Louisiana, Ohio and Nebraska were the states rounding out the top 10 outbound states.
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The survey results indicated 31.8% of Americans moved to be closer to family, which is a new trend coming out of the pandemic as priorities and lifestyle choices shift.
Furthermore, 32.5% of Americans moved for a new job or job transfer, which is a significant decrease from 2015, when more than 60% of Americans cited a job or transfer.
“We’re seeing this not only occur because of Americans’ desire to leave high density areas due to risk of infection, but also due to the transformation of how we’re able to work, with more flexibility to work remote," said Stoll.
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In Michigan, 33.5% of people left the state because of their job, 27.5% left for family, 26.9% left due to retirement, 16.4% left due to lifestyle, 5.7% due to health and 1.8% due to cost.
The states they were heading to? Vermont is ranked No. 1 on the list for states with the most inbound moves, at 74%. Following Vermont was South Dakota at 69%, South Carolina at 63%, West Virginia at 63% and Florida at 62%.