Louisiana Ranks No. 1 for People Moving Out—Again

(KMDL-FM) - For a second year in a row, Louisiana has recorded the most outbound moves, according to an analysis of interstate moves report from Atlas Van Lines.

The following map shows the states and their net residential moves entering or leaving. The net share is from 107,000 services provided by Atlas Van Lines from Nov. 1, 2024, to Oct. 31, 2025.

Why Residents Are Leaving Louisiana

The fact that people are still leaving Louisiana has local and state leaders worried. But, why are people moving?

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It seems to be for many of the reasons that people are moving from state-to-state across the nation -- for lower prices, jobs, climate resilience, or to be closer to family.

Census Data Shows Ongoing Population Decline

Census data shows that Louisiana is among the nation's fastest-shrinking states. The New Orleans-area in particular continues to lose population.

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A report at the beginning of 2025 showed that Louisiana had the fourth-most population loss in the United States at a -.9% clip. Only West Virginia, Mississippi, and Vermont saw bigger losses.

Where Louisiana Residents Are Moving

The census data also reveals that when people leave Louisiana, they're not going too far, often preferring locations in neighboring states.

One of those states is Arkansas. According to Atlas Van Lines, the Natural State to our north was among the top three states to draw the most new arrivals last year. Roughly 2 in 5 people landed in Bentonville, home to Walmart's corporate headquarters.