For the past few years, the loudest narrative about Oregon was that everyone was packing up and leaving. Social media was full of hot takes about U Hauls heading east, businesses fleeing, families cashing out, and people swearing they were done with this state for good. Honestly, I believed some of it. I personally know a surprising number of people who really did leave Oregon specifically because of the politics. Friends. Former neighbors. Business owners. They were tired, frustrated, and felt like the state no longer reflected the place they fell in love with.
Which is why this latest data feels almost ironic.
According to United Van Lines’ 49th Annual National Movers Study, Oregon now ranks number one in the entire country for inbound moves. Not top five. Not trending upward. Number one.
Sixty five percent of all moves involving Oregon in 2025 were people moving into the state. Only thirty five percent were people leaving. After years of hearing that Oregon was being abandoned, the numbers suggest we have come full circle.
What makes it even more interesting is why people are coming. About thirty six percent of inbound movers cited job opportunities as the main reason for relocating, especially in tech and healthcare. As economic uncertainty reshapes where people feel safe planting roots, stable job markets are suddenly more important than trendy zip codes or political talking points.
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And despite what you might assume, Portland is not doing all the heavy lifting here.
The Eugene Springfield metro area accounted for the most inbound moves in Oregon. Springfield in particular is standing out as a quiet magnet. Lower cost of living than many Oregon cities, close to Eugene, not outrageously far from Portland, and still very much Oregon in character. For people looking to balance affordability with opportunity, it is starting to make a lot of sense.
The study also found that the number one reason Americans move overall is still family, followed closely by employment. Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner noted that affordability is a huge factor in which states are winning right now. States surrounding California are seeing strong inbound movement as people look for homes that do not come with California level prices but still offer solid job prospects. Oregon checks both boxes.
This puts the state in an interesting position. On one hand, there are real people who left because they felt alienated by Oregon politics. I know them personally, and their reasons were not imaginary or exaggerated. On the other hand, thousands of new residents are arriving for jobs, family, affordability, and quality of life, many of whom are likely walking into a very different Oregon than the one social media loves to argue about.
Meanwhile, states like New Jersey continue to see more people leaving than arriving, with sixty two percent of moves tied to residents heading out. High home prices and property taxes are pushing older residents to sell and retire elsewhere, while younger adults still treat it as a launchpad before moving on.
Oregon, for all its contradictions, seems to be doing something right again.
The states with the most inbound moves this year were Oregon, West Virginia, South Carolina, Delaware, Minnesota, Idaho, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, and Nevada.
After years of hearing that Oregon was finished, washed up, or emptying out, the data tells a different story. People may argue louder than ever, but quietly and steadily, people are still choosing to move here.
