Tennessee, Arizona Tie for Second Most Inbound Movers in 2023

Arizona and Tennessee tied with equal proportions of new residents moving in versus out of the states in 2023, with both states seeing about 61 percent of moves bringing new residents. Despite tying in percentages, Arizona was ranked second and Tennessee was ranked third by in the 2023 Allied US Moving Migration Report.

The data, which tracks migration patterns within the United States and is published by Allied Van Lines, showed that 60.8 of interstate moves in Tennessee and Arizona were new residents moving from elsewhere in the country, while just 39.2 percent of interstate moves saw residents leave the states. At 60.8 percent, Tennessee and Arizona are only edged out by South Carolina, where 64.7 percent of interstate moves brought new residents.

North Carolina and Florida ranked fourth and fifth for the number of residents moving in versus moving out. Illinois was the top state for outbound movers, followed by California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Washington.

Explaining why Americans are choosing to leave other states for Tennessee, the analysts explained the state “offers a mix of economic opportunity, no state income tax, and a vibrant cultural scene.” The report also credited Nashville’s well-known music industry, “growing healthcare sector,” and recent interest in the city from tech startups.

The report offered additional details about moves to and from Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, and Chattanooga, revealing that the cities saw many new residents moving from Illinois, Florida, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

Similarly, the report suggested Americans are relocating to Arizona for a “lower cost of living and better job opportunities,” with Tucson receiving the largest share of new residents due to “its booming job market, particularly in tech and manufacturing.” Many of the state’s new residents came from California, according to Allied.

Tennessee improved its ranking in 2022 when it was ranked fourth in a similar Allied report.

Overall, Allied reported a 12 percent decline in the number of interstate moves in 2023 when compared to 2022. Similarly, 2022 showed a 20 percent decrease when compared to 2021, which the report claimed “indicates a notable shift in migration patterns over the last two years.”

The analysts explained Americans are taking a “cautious approach in the face of economic uncertainties, particularly the high mortgage rates,” rising prices for homes and rentals, and the impact of inflation on “household wealth and neighborhood affordability.”

Tennessee continues to receive more new citizens after the U.S. Census Bureau determined the state grew to more than 7 million residents between 2021 and 2022. The data, released in May 2023, represents the largest growth in the state’s population since 2007.

Only 12 Tennessee counties were determined to have lost residents, with the largest exodus occurring in Memphis and Shelby County. Another recent study found Memphis was the only major Tennessee city that lost residents between 2017 and 2022 when about 30,000 Tennesseans moved out of the city.

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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].

 

 

 

 

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