Best States for Relocation 2005: Commentary
Although California has dominated relocation statistics since the 1930s, the Census-based study by iMovingGuide.com vaulted Florida into first place by a wide margin. California, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina follow Florida in the top five, confirming long-term U.S. migration patterns to the Southeast and Southwest. Rounding out the top 10 are Arizona, Virginia, New York, Colorado and Pennsylvania.

Working from the premise that people “vote with their feet”, the study used a complex algorithm, conceptually similar to Google’s PageRank™, to measure the “votes” of more than 29 million interstate moves reported in the U.S. Census. In the study, each move is counted not only as “vote for State A”, but also as “a vote for State A over State B”.

“The problem with previous studies is that they predetermine the importance of each factor such as such as crime, pollution, jobs and health care,” commented Jim Lane, publisher of iMovingGuide.com. “But people view these factors in different ways. For example, a young couple with small children will place more emphasis on schools than elder care, but an older couple preparing for retirement feels the opposite way.”

“To solve the problem, Lane continued, “this study uses actual relocation decisions that people made, rather than making guesses about how to weigh their motivations. Whether new residents are moving to enjoy a better life, or pursue one, this study measures what they are telling us with their actual relocation decisions.”

There is not always a strong correlation between large population and relocation popularity. For example, the state of Nevada is ranked #35 in total population, but was ranked #14 in the iMovingGuide.com study. Other states with striking relocation popularity include Colorado (22nd in population, 10th for relocation), North Carolina (11th and 5th), and Arizona (18th and 6th).

“With the summer moving season beginning this week,” Lane said, “this study will help potential new residents focus in on great places to live. It also helps states and communities understand their positioning with potential new residents.”