The Wall Street Journal cites interesting statistics about the continuing wave of people moving from high-tax blue states to low-tax red states. Some examples:
California (343,230), New York (299,557) and Illinois (141,656) lost the most residents to other states, but New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Louisiana were also big losers.
Florida drew the most newcomers (318,855), followed by Texas (230,961), North Carolina (99,796), South Carolina (84,030), Tennessee (81,646), Georgia (81,406) and Arizona (70,984).
One new trend is the migration from the Pacific Northwest.
Both Oregon and Washington experienced net outmigration this past year, a reversal of earlier trends. Meanwhile, blue Colorado’s growth slowed appreciably.
In addition to taxation and climate, less business regulation is a factor drawing employers to the red states. To some extent the economic migration is “moving where the jobs are.”
Paradoxically, the movement to red states has made reelection easier for blue state politicians whose majorities become larger as Republican voters leave their states.
The Great Sort continues, with no end currently in sight.
