RAPID CITY, S.D. – Recent data from moving company Atlas® Van Lines points to a shift in South Dakota’s migration patterns. For the first time since 2019, the company has suggested that more people are leaving the state than moving in. The study started in 1993, and measures domestic relocations of state-to-state moves.
Atlas’s 2024 Migration Patterns study
found that 57% of recorded moves in South Dakota were outbound. This was beyond their stable threshold of 55%, the first time in-going or out-going moves were this high since 2019, where out-going moves were at 62%.
“We’ve been doing this study for awhile,” said Lauren Piekos, Vice President of Business Development with Atlas® Van Lines, “What we’ve seen is that this year particularly has the most balanced states. To be considered a balanced state, you have to be within that 55%, and so South Dakota was 57%, so just slightly tipping to outbound.”
Other moving companies have conducted their own their own migration reports. Shown below is a graph of outbound moves in South Dakota over the last several years. Data from the Internal Revenue Service has been overlaid to compare data to tax records.
Many South Dakotans have shown concern over the “brain drain” trend in which educated youth migrate out of the state upon receiving their diploma. However, United Van Lines reported in their
that zero percent of outbound moves from South Dakota were of people ages 18 to 34. In fact, 11.2% of inbound moves were of the same demographic. Experts from Atlas® Van Lines say a litany of factors go into why a person may move.
“The main reason why people are moving is really because they find opportunities with their jobs,” Piekos continues, “The second reason is all about they’re moving for their family or friends. And then the third reason that we saw was affordability.”
As South Dakota continues to evolve, understanding these migration patterns is crucial for policymakers and businesses alike. By addressing factors such as job opportunities, affordability, and quality of life, the state can work to attract and retain talent, ensuring a prosperous future.
Per grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota Mines. He found his passion for weather reporting by the impact it has on the community, both in how people work and how it brings people together through severe weather preparation. He also has a passion for preventing health issues with Air Quality Index awareness. Per can be found enjoying outdoor activities in the Black Hills when the weather allows.
