Jul 11, 2022 - News

How Massachusetts compares to other states in migration

Net inbound and outbound migration
Data: Equifax, Moody's Analytics; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Massachusetts once again ranks in the bottom five in the U.S. when it comes to net inbound migration, meaning the state sees more people leaving than moving in.

What's happening: The Bay state had the fifth-lowest net inbound migration rate, with -9%, according to data from Moody's Analytics.

  • Of note: Moody's based each state's ranking on the net difference between January 2021 and February 2022.
  • During that time 185,360 people moved into Massachusetts, while 220,080 moved out.

Why it matters: While the data doesn't indicate why so many people left, the state has one of the highest costs of living in the country.

  • Massachusetts not only has some of the highest rents, but also among the highest costs for a nanny or daycare.

Zoom out: We ranked above only Louisiana, Illinois, California and New York.

  • The top state for net inbound migration was Montana. Maine ranked fourth, while New Hampshire ranked 17th.

Our thought bubble: This is yet another sign that the rent here is too damn high.

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