The Surprising Reason Thousands are Leaving the Carolinas and Florida for NJ

Why So Many People Dream of Leaving New Jersey?

The next time you're with a group of friends or co-workers, ask them what they would do if they hit the lottery.

About 98% of the time, you'll get the same answer: "I'd move out of Jersey!"

Let's be honest, New Jersey is a state that we wholeheartedly love and wholeheartedly don't love at the same time.

The Big Reasons People Leave

Why? The obvious reasons are sky-high taxes and the sky-high cost of living. And it's those two things that make moving to Florida or North or South Carolina very attractive for thousands of people every year.

• Average NJ homeowner pays $10,095/year in property taxes
• Average FL homeowner pays $2,338/year in property taxes
• Average SC homeowner pays $1,185/year in property taxes

• READ MORE: Where NJ's Rich, Rude, and Really Educated People All Live

Top States New Jersey Residents Are Moving To

According to 247wallst.com, here's a sample of the top ten states that people in New Jersey are moving to:

1. Florida
5. Texas
7. North Carolina
8. Georgia
10. South Carolina

People Are Also Moving to New Jersey

But it's also interesting to note that while those southern states are destinations for those in New Jersey, some of those same states rank high for people moving to New Jersey.

Yes, lots of people leave Florida's year-round sunny, warm weather to move to the Garden State.

Why People Move to New Jersey

As for exactly why moving vans are headed north on I-95 to get here, there are a few reasons.

First, as much as we hate to depend on New York City and Philadelphia for things, huge corporations are headquartered in and around those metro areas. Lots of people move to New Jersey to be near better-paying jobs.

Of course, the Garden State is also home to, and near, countless large colleges and universities.

Long story short, New Jersey is an economic and educational hub for the nation, and that's very attractive to a lot of people — and they are willing to pay the price to live here.

So, where are all of these Jersey-newbies coming from?

• READ MORE: 30 Richest vs. 30 Poorest Neighborhoods in NJ

Where Are These New Jersey Residents Coming From?

We recently turned to our friends at Stacker, which recently took a deep dive into some census data and they determined the top 25 states that are sending the most people to New Jersey.

If, in your travels, you've been noticing more license plates from Virginia, Texas, and beyond, this might explain why.