The Allied Van Lines report tracks migration patterns in the U.S., and it revealed that fewer Americans moved in 2022 compared to 2021 because rents and interest rates skyrocketed while wages struggled to keep up with rising inflation.
These factors resulted in a roughly 20 percent decrease year over year.
Illinois was the state in which the most number of Americans fled in 2022. An estimated 66.1 percent more Americans left the state compared to only 33.9 percent moving in. The report also found that next to Illinois, California, New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania were the top four states from which Americans fled in 2022.
Allied Van Lines reported that Anaheim, Chicago, New York City, Riverside and San Diego were the most fled cities last year. (Related: New Yorkers leaving for Florida due to surging crime rates and high taxes.)
The moving company's report is based on data from all interstate moves received between Jan. 1, 2016, to Nov. 14, 2022.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed that more Americans are choosing to leave high-tax, left-leaning states for Republican-led states in the hopes of a better life.
The Allied Van Lines report also showed that people who did relocate moved to Arizona, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas – specifically to Austin, Charlotte, Nashville, Sarasota and Tucson.
Analysts explained that the most moved-to states in 2022 were "both affordable and offered better financial security," which could explain why states like California lost many residents to Arizona and Texas.
Cost of living a major factor
According to the Allied Van Lines report, even though California's gross domestic product (GDP) went up by eight percent, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the U.S. behind Hawaii and Nevada, the state's cost of living is still extremely high, behind Hawaii and Alaska.
California's average weekly wages also decreased by 0.6 percent last 2022.
"While Texas saw only 6.4 percent growth, its wages rose 6.4 percent and its cost-of-living is one of the lowest in the country," the report noted.
The report showed that the same can't be said for Arizona since the state's prices went up in 2022, mostly due to increased demand for housing.
However, Arizona's cost of living is still nowhere near as high as California's cost-of-living, and its wages grew 5.8 percent over the same period, explained analysts.
Employment opportunities are another motivating factor behind Americans leaving certain states. The report cited slow job growth in states like Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania when compared to Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.
And while New Jersey has seen large job growth, it is still more expensive than states further south, explaining why it continues to lose population.
Housing is another important motivating factor. The Allied Van Report found that home prices in New York City currently stand at a shocking 119 percent above the national average.
Higher still are house prices in Anaheim, California, which is at least 140 percent above the national average. In San Diego, residents can expect to pay more than 166 percent above the national average.
Economy and crime also have a significant role
Analysts said Chicago is an outlier among outbound cities because it is the only one with a housing market below the national average, a sign that other factors like crime and economy have "a more significant role in its migration patterns."
Another reason for the move may be the end of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdowns and restrictions, which have finally given back Americans the freedom to live where they prefer, such as in areas with cheaper housing and better access to nature, reported Allied Van Lines.
Crime is also another potential big factor. Data from the Chicago Police Department revealed that in the first three weeks of 2023, the crime rate in Chicago skyrocketed by an alarming 61 percent across nearly all crime segments.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has campaigned for measures reducing the cash bail for people accused of various felonies and violent misdemeanors.
Pritzker, a Democrat, also maintained a tough stance on gun laws. In August, he signed into law the "Firearm Industry Responsibility Act," banning gun industry members from engaging in certain marketing practices that "encourage individuals to engage in unlawful paramilitary or private militia activity in Illinois."
Allied Van Lines also reported that even though Chicago ranked fourth among cities that Americans left in 2022, the city only lost about three percent of its residents between 2020 and 2022. This suggests that many residents were possibly leaving from other parts of Illinois.
Visit Collapse.news for more on the rising crime rate in the United States.
Watch the video below to see Gov. Pritzker sign off on total anarchy in Illinois.
This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.
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