(Stacker) — The U.S. is among the most mobile countries in the world, but our rates of moving have slumped in recent decades. In 2019, for example, a lower percentage of Americans changed residence than any year prior since 1947 when migration statistics were first gathered by the Census Bureau. Between March of 2019 and 2020, just 9.3% of Americans moved.
American migration has been in some form of decline since the housing boom and economic growth of the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s. During that period, as much as 20% of the population moved each year.
Stacker compiled a list of where people in West Virginia are moving to most using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. States are ranked by the number of people that have moved from West Virginia in 2019. Keep reading to see where people in your home state are moving the most.
1 / 40Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#40. Massachusetts
– Moved from West Virginia to Massachusetts in 2019: 63
— 0.2% of residents that moved
– Moved from Massachusetts to West Virginia in 2019: 425
— #35 most common destination from Massachusetts
2 / 40randy andy // Shutterstock
#39. Nevada
– Moved from West Virginia to Nevada in 2019: 74
— 0.2% of residents that moved
– Moved from Nevada to West Virginia in 2019: 64
— #45 most common destination from Nevada
3 / 40spablab // Flickr
#38. Rhode Island
– Moved from West Virginia to Rhode Island in 2019: 83
— 0.2% of residents that moved
– Moved from Rhode Island to West Virginia in 2019: 124
— #28 most common destination from Rhode Island
4 / 40Canva
#37. Arkansas
– Moved from West Virginia to Arkansas in 2019: 133
— 0.3% of residents that moved
– Moved from Arkansas to West Virginia in 2019: 120
— #40 most common destination from Arkansas
5 / 40Katherine Welles // Shutterstock
#36. Nebraska
– Moved from West Virginia to Nebraska in 2019: 148
— 0.4% of residents that moved
– Moved from Nebraska to West Virginia in 2019: 96
— #40 (tie) most common destination from Nebraska
6 / 40Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#35. New Hampshire
– Moved from West Virginia to New Hampshire in 2019: 155
— 0.4% of residents that moved
– Moved from New Hampshire to West Virginia in 2019: 37
— #39 (tie) most common destination from New Hampshire
7 / 40Kzollman // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Kansas
– Moved from West Virginia to Kansas in 2019: 174
— 0.4% of residents that moved
– Moved from Kansas to West Virginia in 2019: 45
— #45 most common destination from Kansas
8 / 40Sara Goth // Wikicommons
#33. Montana
– Moved from West Virginia to Montana in 2019: 176
— 0.4% of residents that moved
– Moved from Montana to West Virginia in 2019: 0
— #47 (tie) most common destination from Montana
9 / 40Canva
#32. Hawaii
– Moved from West Virginia to Hawaii in 2019: 197
— 0.5% of residents that moved
– Moved from Hawaii to West Virginia in 2019: 256
— #32 most common destination from Hawaii
10 / 40Drobinson // Wikimedia Commons
#31. Oklahoma
– Moved from West Virginia to Oklahoma in 2019: 216
— 0.5% of residents that moved
– Moved from Oklahoma to West Virginia in 2019: 117
— #44 most common destination from Oklahoma
11 / 40Tim Kiser // Wikicommons
#30. Delaware
– Moved from West Virginia to Delaware in 2019: 219
— 0.5% of residents that moved
– Moved from Delaware to West Virginia in 2019: 127
— #20 most common destination from Delaware
12 / 40DPPed// Wikimedia
#29. Arizona
– Moved from West Virginia to Arizona in 2019: 237
— 0.6% of residents that moved
– Moved from Arizona to West Virginia in 2019: 356
— #46 most common destination from Arizona
13 / 40Nick Kelly / Faithlife Corporation
#28. Washington
– Moved from West Virginia to Washington in 2019: 275
— 0.7% of residents that moved
– Moved from Washington to West Virginia in 2019: 129
— #49 most common destination from Washington
14 / 40en:User:Paul.h // Wikimedia
#27. California
– Moved from West Virginia to California in 2019: 303
— 0.7% of residents that moved
– Moved from California to West Virginia in 2019: 940
— #48 most common destination from California
15 / 40Larry Jacobsen // Flickr
#26. Wyoming
– Moved from West Virginia to Wyoming in 2019: 308
— 0.8% of residents that moved
– Moved from Wyoming to West Virginia in 2019: 0
— #43 (tie) most common destination from Wyoming
16 / 40Nile Dean Meservy // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Utah
– Moved from West Virginia to Utah in 2019: 322
— 0.8% of residents that moved
– Moved from Utah to West Virginia in 2019: 0
— #49 (tie) most common destination from Utah
17 / 40Andrew Bossi // Wikimedia
#24. Washington, D.C.
– Moved from West Virginia to Washington, D.C. in 2019: 324
— 0.8% of residents that moved
– Moved from Washington, D.C. to West Virginia in 2019: 154
— #34 most common destination from Washington, D.C.
18 / 40Canva
#23. Alaska
– Moved from West Virginia to Alaska in 2019: 355
— 0.9% of residents that moved
– Moved from Alaska to West Virginia in 2019: 192
— #39 most common destination from Alaska
19 / 40Christopher & Amy Esposito // Wikicommons
#22. Illinois
– Moved from West Virginia to Illinois in 2019: 379
— 0.9% of residents that moved
– Moved from Illinois to West Virginia in 2019: 380
— #48 most common destination from Illinois
20 / 40Canva
#21. Georgia
– Moved from West Virginia to Georgia in 2019: 408
— 1.0% of residents that moved
– Moved from Georgia to West Virginia in 2019: 658
— #39 most common destination from Georgia
21 / 40JonathanVictor // Wikimedia
#20. Connecticut
– Moved from West Virginia to Connecticut in 2019: 408
— 1.0% of residents that moved
– Moved from Connecticut to West Virginia in 2019: 0
— #49 most common destination from Connecticut
22 / 40SD Dirk // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Iowa
– Moved from West Virginia to Iowa in 2019: 409
— 1.0% of residents that moved
– Moved from Iowa to West Virginia in 2019: 119
— #41 most common destination from Iowa
23 / 40M Floyd // Flickr
#18. Alabama
– Moved from West Virginia to Alabama in 2019: 421
— 1.0% of residents that moved
– Moved from Alabama to West Virginia in 2019: 245
— #40 most common destination from Alabama
24 / 40Bob Jagendorf // Wikicommons
#17. New Jersey
– Moved from West Virginia to New Jersey in 2019: 494
— 1.2% of residents that moved
– Moved from New Jersey to West Virginia in 2019: 527
— #34 most common destination from New Jersey
25 / 40Arina P Habich // Shutterstock
#16. Colorado
– Moved from West Virginia to Colorado in 2019: 502
— 1.2% of residents that moved
– Moved from Colorado to West Virginia in 2019: 266
— #49 most common destination from Colorado
26 / 40Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
#15. New York
– Moved from West Virginia to New York in 2019: 530
— 1.3% of residents that moved
– Moved from New York to West Virginia in 2019: 546
— #43 most common destination from New York
27 / 40Royalbroil // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Wisconsin
– Moved from West Virginia to Wisconsin in 2019: 572
— 1.4% of residents that moved
– Moved from Wisconsin to West Virginia in 2019: 41
— #47 most common destination from Wisconsin
28 / 40Canva
#13. Mississippi
– Moved from West Virginia to Mississippi in 2019: 647
— 1.6% of residents that moved
– Moved from Mississippi to West Virginia in 2019: 0
— #46 (tie) most common destination from Mississippi
29 / 40PhotosByMahin // Pixabay
#12. Michigan
– Moved from West Virginia to Michigan in 2019: 767
— 1.9% of residents that moved
– Moved from Michigan to West Virginia in 2019: 316
— #41 most common destination from Michigan
30 / 40TommyBrison // Shutterstock
#11. Missouri
– Moved from West Virginia to Missouri in 2019: 829
— 2.0% of residents that moved
– Moved from Missouri to West Virginia in 2019: 361
— #42 most common destination from Missouri
31 / 40Chris Watson // Wikicommons
#10. Kentucky
– Moved from West Virginia to Kentucky in 2019: 983
— 2.4% of residents that moved
– Moved from Kentucky to West Virginia in 2019: 1,518
— #15 most common destination from Kentucky
32 / 40Alan Botting // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Texas
– Moved from West Virginia to Texas in 2019: 1,059
— 2.6% of residents that moved
– Moved from Texas to West Virginia in 2019: 927
— #46 most common destination from Texas
33 / 40Imilious // Wikicommons
#8. Tennessee
– Moved from West Virginia to Tennessee in 2019: 1,235
— 3.1% of residents that moved
– Moved from Tennessee to West Virginia in 2019: 402
— #40 most common destination from Tennessee
34 / 40Akhenaton06 // Wikicommons
#7. South Carolina
– Moved from West Virginia to South Carolina in 2019: 1,559
— 3.9% of residents that moved
– Moved from South Carolina to West Virginia in 2019: 2,882
— #11 most common destination from South Carolina
35 / 40Kolossos // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Florida
– Moved from West Virginia to Florida in 2019: 2,186
— 5.4% of residents that moved
– Moved from Florida to West Virginia in 2019: 3,052
— #34 most common destination from Florida
36 / 40Sharkshock // Shutterstock
#5. North Carolina
– Moved from West Virginia to North Carolina in 2019: 2,950
— 7.3% of residents that moved
– Moved from North Carolina to West Virginia in 2019: 2,515
— #26 most common destination from North Carolina
37 / 40ESB Professional // Shutterstock
#4. Pennsylvania
– Moved from West Virginia to Pennsylvania in 2019: 3,763
— 9.3% of residents that moved
– Moved from Pennsylvania to West Virginia in 2019: 5,706
— #14 most common destination from Pennsylvania
38 / 40Famartin // Wikicommons
#3. Maryland
– Moved from West Virginia to Maryland in 2019: 4,933
— 12.2% of residents that moved
– Moved from Maryland to West Virginia in 2019: 3,976
— #11 most common destination from Maryland
39 / 40Ron Cogswell//Wikicommons
#2. Virginia
– Moved from West Virginia to Virginia in 2019: 5,518
— 13.6% of residents that moved
– Moved from Virginia to West Virginia in 2019: 6,008
— #14 most common destination from Virginia
40 / 40Canva
#1. Ohio
– Moved from West Virginia to Ohio in 2019: 6,056
— 15.0% of residents that moved
– Moved from Ohio to West Virginia in 2019: 4,985
— #16 most common destination from Ohio
