Another data point indicating that Virginia is in bigger trouble than the political class is willing to acknowledge…
In a recent poll the Gallup organization found that one third (33%) of all Americans say that, if given a chance to move to a different state, they would. Overall, residents are most dissatisfied with the blue dystopias of the Northeastern and Midwestern states (Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts all ranked in the top eight), while deep South red states (Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia came in close behind). It seems people aren’t happy living with either all-encroaching government or poverty. (See the state ranking here.)
And Virginia? It turns out that that the Old Dominion is pretty high on the list, with 37% of respondents saying they would leave. We also ranked above the national average in the percentage of residents who said they they were likely to move within 12 months — not exactly endorsement of the economic opportunities and lifestyles we have created here.
The following chart gets us closer to understanding why people want to move. (Unfortunately, Gallup publishes only details for 10 states, not including Virginia):
Clearly, taxes are a significant factor for high-tax states. Cost of living is a factor in the Northeast, quality-of-life considerations a factor in the South. The big driver, however, is economic opportunity, as reflected by the “work/business-related” category. I’m guessing the latter might be pretty high for Virginia.
— JAB
