Only the Strong Survive: NJ Tops List of States People Leave

Oregon’s lure is making it a lumbersexual paradise—like Jersey City, but with actual trees.

That’s why citizens are fleeing the Garden State for the greener pastures of the Pacific Northwest, the Carolinas, Vermont and even Florida.

According to the United Van Lines Annual National Movers Study, which tracks customers’ migration patterns state-to-state during the course of the past year, New Jersey tops the list of outbound movers—slightly edging out our Bridge & Tunnel brethren, New York.

WE’RE NUMBER ONE, BABY!!!

(Insert obligatory fist-pump here…)

According to the study, more and more people are leaving the Tri-State Area, with New Jersey (65 percent outbound), New York (64 percent) and Connecticut (57 percent) making the list of top outbound states for the third consecutive year.

“With economic stability growing nationally, the current migration patterns reflect longer-term trends of movement to the southern and western states, especially to those where housing costs are relatively lower, climates are more temperate and job growth has been at or above the national average, among other factors,” said Michael Stoll, economist, professor and chair of the Department of Public Policy at UCLA. “Unique amenities such as outdoor recreation, arts and entertainment activities, and green space protection likely continue to propel Oregon to the top of the list for the second straight year.”

As the faint of heart start choosing fresh air over fresh bagels, good luck keeping Portland weird… we’ll just look forward to shorter breadlines.

Meanwhile, The New York Times says Hoboken is a great place to live.

So… suck it, Oregon.

No one is waiting in line for a bagel in Oregon… because Oregon bagels suck.