Top States NJ Residents Move to Every Year (Florida Isn’t #1)

More People Are Leaving New Jersey Than Any Other State

2024 marked the seventh year in a row that more residents moved out of New Jersey than any other state.

That's according to WNYW-TV, which said most people who flee the Garden State do so for retirement, family, employment, and lifestyle reasons.

We can't help but think the high cost of living, high taxes, and insane traffic were contributing factors, too.

But where did all these now-former New Jerseyans move to?

Where Are New Jerseyans Moving?

If you automatically thought Florida or the Carolinas would be at the top of the list, you'd be wrong. And if you thought states with low taxes would all be high on the list, you'd be wrong again.

In fact, tax-heavy states like California, Virginia, and Maryland are all in the top 10 of, apparently, attractive states for people in New Jersey.

• READ MORE: Thousands Leave Florida and Carolinas for New Jersey

We recently took a deep dive into data from the U.S. Census Bureau to find out exactly where people are moving to and the results were rather shocking.

Not Just About Saving Money

As we mentioned earlier, one of the things to keep in mind is that not everyone leaves the Garden State just to flock to a cheaper place to live.

• READ MORE: New Jersey’s Best 2025 Summer Road Trips

For example, if you're just out of college and a high-paying job in Oregon is calling your name, you're probably moving to Oregon and you aren't going to be too concerned with the cost of living. You'll probably figure it out when you get there.

The same can be said for family matters. Lots of people have relatives and friends in states that are right next door to us and thousands of people move to Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York every year.

So, let's take a look at where your neighbors have moved to recently...