Would I Choose This State if it Weren’t For a Corporate Relocation?

United Van Lines’ Annual Migration Study tracks the states its customers move to and from during the course of the year. Oregon is once again the number one state people moved to in 2014. South Carolina comes in second, and North Carolina is the 3rd most moved to state in the US.

The top outbound states last year were, in this order, New Jersey, New York and Illinois.

This is the first year United Van Lines added an interesting new question to their study: Why are you relocating?

The answers made sense. According to the study, people are choosing to relocate to southern and western states for lower housing costs, better climates, and more positive job growth. People are also drawn in by things like outdoor recreation, cultural activities, and green space.

A corporate transfer is certainly a different type of reason than moving to the Carolinas for the warm climate and outdoor activities or Oregon for the green space. In fact, as I look at the migration study results, I wonder how many of these moves were a conscious choice, versus a corporate relocation that dictated the new zip code with no input from the family involved.

If you’ve had to move to a state you didn’t embrace, my congratulations to you for making it through and finding a way to call it home. If you’re still striving for that feeling of being settled, here is a relocation resource that can help.

Moving In

The top inbound states of 2014 were:

1. Oregon
2. South Carolina
3. North Carolina
4. Vermont
5. Florida
6. Nevada
7. Texas
8. District of Columbia
9. Oklahoma
10. Idaho

Moving Out

The top outbound states for 2014 were:

1. New Jersey
2. New York
3. Illinois
4. North Dakota
5. West Virginia
6. Ohio
7. Kansas
8. New Mexico
9. Pennsylvania
10. Connecticut

9 Motivational Quotes for the Relocation Journey

When you are moving, everyone knows it. They see the For Sale sign. They see the bags of donations on your doorstep as you attempt to clear out before the movers come to pack. They see your anxious expression as you try to juggle many projects all at once.

Since what you are going through is so obvious, everyone seems to want to offer advice (even if you would probably prefer they drop off a healthy meal or offer to watch the kids while you make calls to switch utilities). Unfortunately, this unsolicited advice doesn’t always contain the kind of positivity you need right now.

Following are some of my go-to quotes while navigating an unsettling time like relocation. They help set my internal GPS to destinations that keep my mind focused on the many gifts of change. I hope they keep you on a positive path, too.

1. “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” 

~ Dan Millman

2. “Focus on where you want to go,
 not on what you fear.”

 ~ Anthony Robbins

3. “Do not follow where the path may lead. 
Go instead where there is no path 
and leave a trail.” 

~ Muriel Strode

4. “Done is better than perfect.” 

~ Sheryl Sandberg

5. “Your thoughts are the architects of your destiny.” 

~ David O. McKay

6. “Still round the corner there may wait, 

a new road or a secret gate.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

7. “No journey carries on far unless, as it extends to the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within us."

~ Lillian Smith


8. “Travel many roads. Turn around. Make a wrong turn. Get lost. It’s all part of being found.”

~ Maripat Abbott

9. “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” 

~ Maripat Abbott