A new report from Evansville-based Atlas Van Lines shows the number of household moves across state lines continues to rise in Indiana and around the country. The 2011 Atlas Van Lines Migration Patterns study shows for the first time in six years, Michigan is no longer considered an outbound state. Washington D.C. continues to see the highest percentage of inbound moves, while Ohio has the highest percentage of outbound moves.

EVANSVILLE, Ind.--According to one of North America’s leading moving companies, Atlas Van Lines, the number of household moves across state lines continues to rise. The 2011 Atlas Van Lines Migration Patterns study found Southwestern and Mid-Atlantic coastal states to be popular destinations. Atlas first conducted the study in 1993 to track the nation's interstate moving patterns.

“Our annual migration patterns study is an interesting gauge of the economy, where economic development is taking place and trends to follow throughout the upcoming year”

For the first time in six years, Michigan went from a perennially outbound state to a balanced state. Michigan now joins South Dakota and Iowa as the only Midwest states to remain balanced in 2011, as the rest of the Midwest continued to lose residents.

Five states that were balanced in 2010 are now outbound states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, West Virginia, Louisiana and Utah. Wyoming and Mississippi, which were outbound in 2010, are now balanced. Previously inbound states Kentucky and New Hampshire became balanced in 2011.

The highest number of interstate, or between states, moves occurred in states with larger cities, including, California, Texas, New York, Florida, Georgia and Illinois. California comes in at the top with nearly 15,000 moves in 2011. For the sixth consecutive year, Washington D.C. had the highest percentage of inbound moves. Once again, Ohio saw the highest percentage of outbound moves.

"Our annual migration patterns study is an interesting gauge of the economy, where economic development is taking place and trends to follow throughout the upcoming year,” said Jack Griffin, president and COO of Atlas World Group. "These new findings are especially promising, as we saw the number of moves increase yet again.”

Visit http://www.atlasvanlines.com/migration-patterns/ for a full report, detailed map and state-by-state statistics.

About Atlas Van Lines

Atlas Van Lines, a national moving company, is the largest subsidiary of Atlas World Group, an Evansville, Ind.-based company. Atlas World Group companies employ nearly 700 people throughout North America. Nearly 500 Atlas interstate moving agents in the United States and Canada specialize in corporate relocation, household moving services and in the specialized transportation of high-value items such as electronics, fine art, store fixtures and furniture. For more information, visit http://www.atlasvanlines.com.

Source: Atlas Van Lines