PHOENIX, Ariz. — A new report by U-Haul doesn’t say whether high taxes, high energy costs, illegal immigration sanctuary, strict nanny-state laws, or the decline of the education system are to blame, but more people are leaving New Jersey than coming to New Jersey once again.
Many blame the policies of state Democrats and extreme progressive New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy for the mass departures from the Garden State.
New Jersey has been ranked the No. 48 growth state of 2024 in U-Haul’s annual Growth Index, which tracks one-way customer transactions to determine migration trends across the United States and Canada.
The state slipped back one spot from its 2023 ranking, with U-Haul reporting that 48.1% of all one-way truck, trailer, and moving container traffic in and out of New Jersey involved arrivals, compared to 51.9% departures. Year-over-year data showed arrivals to New Jersey declined by 1%, while departures remained steady.
The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled from more than 2.5 million transactions annually, measuring net gains or losses in one-way equipment moves. South Carolina claimed the top spot for 2024, unseating Texas, which had led the rankings for years.
Despite its overall low ranking, New Jersey saw growth in several markets, including Bridgeton, Bridgewater Township, Cherry Hill Township, Glassboro, and Jersey City, while cities like Bayonne and Bloomfield were classified as break-even markets with balanced arrivals and departures.
California ranked last for the fifth consecutive year, while Oklahoma, Indiana, and Maine saw the largest gains in growth rankings.
New Jersey’s stagnant migration trends reflect broader shifts in population movements across the U.S.
