More people are moving out of Pennsylvania than in

In the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, as remote work became a new reality, Pennsylvania saw more residents leaving than people moving in.

By the numbers: More than 318,000 people moved out of the Keystone State between January 2021 and February 2022, while nearly 301,500 moved in, according to data from Moody's Analytics.

Zoom out: Nearby New York, New Jersey and Maryland — where the cost of living overall is higher than Pennsylvania — ranked in the bottom 10 states with the lowest net inbound migration rates.

• The top state for net inbound migration was Montana. Maine ranked fourth, and Delaware sixth.

Between the lines: A 2021 study from moving company United Van Lines published earlier this year found that roughly 35% of movers left the state for jobs, while 28% cited family and 21% retirement as their reasons for leaving Pennsylvania.