Household migration to Virginia slowing, study shows

Virginia last year saw about as many households moving into the commonwealth as moving out, according to a study by a major moving company.

Evansville, Ind.-based Atlas Van Lines lists Virginia among four “inbound” states in 2011 that became “balanced” states in 2012. The other three were Maryland, New Mexico and Rhode Island. 

Likewise, six states that were “outbound” in 2011 are now balanced states. They are Massachusetts, Delaware, Louisiana, Missouri, Utah and Wisconsin.

For any state to be classified inbound or outbound, at least 55 percent of the shipments must have moved either into or out of the state during the year.

During 2012, Atlas tracked 3,262 shipments out of the Old Dominion and 3,411 into the commonwealth. By comparison, the state had 3,416 outbound moves in 2011 compared to 4,295 inbound shipments.

Overall, the 2012 Atlas Van Lines Migration Patterns study found Southwestern and mid-Atlantic coastal states remain as the most popular destinations, while the Midwest has become more balanced than years past. Atlas first conducted the study in 1993 to track the nation’s interstate moving patterns.

The highest number of moves occurred in California, Texas and Florida. California comes in at the top with nearly 13,000 moves in 2012. For the seventh consecutive year, Washington, D.C., had the highest percentage of inbound moves, with 63 percent of all moves being inbound. Nebraska and New York beat out Ohio for the highest percentage of outbound moves, with outbound moves accounting for 58 percent of each state’s total.

Another migration study by St. Louis-based United Van Lines had similar results, also finding the District of Columbia leading the nation for inbound moves.

Its top-five inbound destinations for 2012 were:

1. District of Columbia
2. Oregon
3. Nevada
4. North Carolina
5. South Carolina

Its top-five outbound states for 2012 were:

1. New Jersey
2. Illinois
3. West Virginia
4. New York
5. New Mexico