The refugees from public health and democracy that Kristi Noem got to move to South Dakota may not have much staying power. Moving companies report that in 2023 and 2024, more people moved out of South Dakota than moved in:
More people are moving out of South Dakota than moving in, according to a migration patterns study by Atlas Van Lines.
South Dakota ranks 9th in the top 10 of outbound states. The study said 56% moved out while 44% moved in during 2024. It’s the second year in a row more people have left the state than moved in, according to the study.
…Meanwhile, a study from United Van Lines said in 2024 that the total outbound migration from the state was 53% (52.8%) while the inbound migration was 47% (47.2%). Two Midwest states made the top 10 outbound moves; North Dakota was sixth, and Nebraska was ninth [Rae Yost, “More Move from South Dakota Than In, Study Says,” KELO-TV, 2025.12.05].
Actually, while Yost pints to her 2022 report on U-Haul and United Van Lines data showing inbound moves to South Dakota topping outbound, Atlas has not shown more people moving in than moving out in the last ten years. Their 2023 report showed inbound even with outbound in 2022, but that’s as close as our comings have come to matching our goings:
Surprisingly, Yost doesn’t mention that Sioux Falls is leading South Dakota’s tilt toward exodus:
Atlas Van Lines also finds some of our favorite blue states are recovering from previous outmigration:
We shouldn’t be surprised that the influx Noem touted was temporary. After all, Kristi Noem came back to South Dakota to run for Governor in 2018, but even she could only stay for a few years before moving back to Washington, D.C., which has been a consistently popular destination among Atlas Van Line customers:
You just need the poet and one man band Jon Hansen to join the majority.
People using using movers tend to be more wealthy or are getting to a job where moving expenses are provided. If you are yonger or lower middle class you use U-Hall. If you are poor, you pile your belongings in a14-year-old vehicle. I think what the numbers suggest is that poorer or younger people are moving to South Dakota, while wealthier people are moving out.
My family was part of the 2024 exodus. Rule by death cult, where cruelty toward the other and profit over all else is SOP, was too much to take, especially when perpetrated most blatantly by morally bankrupt American Taliban adherents. They’ll never admit it, but most of that ilk live a miserable existence predicated on punching down and projecting self loathing onto others.
The destination: Bluer pastures with markedly higher quality of life and opportunities for kids. Easily the best decision we’ve ever made, and more family looks to follow suit in the near future. Best of luck to those sane souls who remain.
The resultant soaring median age of the retirees seeking deliverance from the cultural diversities thriving in Colorado, California, Minnesota, even Arizona and Oregon drives the exploitation of South Dakota’s regressive tax structure and reinforces the racially insulated Nazi enclave that Spearditch is today.
People moving out is great but Mr. Pay’s scenario has some merit and is bad. It is bad. Don’t move here people. South Dakota is full enough and we need no more California Carleys.
Brain drain is one result of people moving out. Sounds like a lot of contributors to this blog are like Cory, Ex patriots of S.D. Seems like a loss that you all moved.
Soon, when more rural clinics close and long-term care facilities bite the dust, those professionals are gone. Then the school’s enrollment decreases and it’s the domino effect which causes talk about consolidation of counties and schools.
Why would anyone want to move here unless they love hunting and fishing? Thant’s all the state promotes…..oh and gambling.
VM, I would say the whole point is that those who move to SD don’t really need anything; SD is not going to give them anything, but more importantly to them, it will not take anything away. Light taxation means you move to SD to pull up the ladder behind you. It puts the “greed” in GOP.