Scarborough, Maine.
Adobe Stock / Enrico Della Pietra Scarborough, Maine.

Northeastern states home to some of the hottest metro markets in the country were the most popular locations for inbound movers, according to the 2023 Migration Patterns Study conducted by Atlas Van Lines.

Maine and New Hampshire, home to three of the six hottest metros according to Realtor.com (Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire; Portland-South Portland, Maine; and Concord, New Hampshire) ranked first and third with inbound migration percentages of 64% and 60%, respectively.

New Hampshire made the largest jump on the inbound list, moving from 10th last year to third in 2023.

States that are good for business, including Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington, were also popular for inbound markets, according to Atlas Van Lines. Montana, Arkansas, Florida, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C., also featured as states with the top 10 inbound migration percentages.

While New Hampshire and Maine’s hot housing markets benefited inbound migration, several states with hot housing markets—including Illinois (63%), New York (56%), Ohio (56%), and Pennsylvania (63%)—saw some of the highest outbound moves this past year. Several Midwestern states with affordable markets, including Indiana (59%), Illinois (63%), Iowa (57%), and Ohio (56%), saw high rates of outbound moves. Louisiana, Minnesota, Oregon, and Mississippi also had high rates of outbound moves, according to Atlas Van Lines.

Pennsylvania’s and Oregon’s rate of outbound moves increased the most significantly in 2023, jumping from 58% to 63% in Pennsylvania and from 56% to 58% in Oregon. The rate of outbound moves decreased in Indiana, which was ranked as the second-highest outbound state in 2022, though the state still ranked in the top 10 in 2023.

The Migration Patterns Study analyzes moving habits and preferences based on internal data from Atlas Van Lines. States are ranked based off the inbound and outbound percentages of total moves in each state.