In 2011, the publication 24/7 Wall St. compiled the following list of the ten states doing the "most" and the "least" to "spread the wealth." A migration study compiled from 2016 to 2017 by the U.S. Census provides some thought-provoking data on these 20 states: Table 1: 2017 Relocation Data on States that Differ in Spreading the Wealth

States doing the most in 2011 Migration per 1000 States doing the least in 2011 Migration per 1000 Alaska -13.4 Alabama 0.8 California -3.5 Arizona 9.1 Connecticut -6.2 Arkansas 1.6 Hawaii -6.2 Florida 7.8 Massachusetts -3.4 Idaho 14.6 Minnesota 1.4 Indiana -0.1 New Jersey -6.4 Oklahoma -2.7 New York -9.6 South Carolina 9.9 Pennsylvania -2 Tennessee 6.1 Rhode Island -3.6 Texas 2.8 average -5.6 average 5.0

If social spending improves the overall quality of life, why are so many Americans relocating away from the states on the left?

Based on data gathered by the Sacramento Bee from 2005 to 2015, California "exports its poor to Texas and other states while wealthier people move in." This pattern is not limited to California. According to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, nearly 9,000 working-age adults with only high school diplomas moved out of New York in 2007 while 10,000 with college degrees moved in. The NCHEMS documented a similar relocation pattern in Rhode Island where non-college graduates moved out while people with graduate and professional degrees moved in. Why are adults who are presumed to benefit the most from income redistribution leaving these states? Employment data compiled in 2015 by 24/7 Wall St. provides a clue: Table 2: 2015 Unemployment by Race in States that Differ in Spreading the Wealth*

States doing the most in 2011 White unem. Black unem. Latino unem. States doing the least in 2011 White unem. Black unem. Latino unem. California 6.0% 11.0% 7.6% Alabama 4.3% 10.6% 6.5% Connecticut 4.5% 13.2% 11.3% Arizona 5.7% 9.1% 8.3% Massachusetts 4.4% 10.6% 11.0% Arkansas 4.3% 10.3% 6.7% Minnesota 2.9% 14.1% 3.8% Florida 4.6% 9.0% 5.8% New Jersey 5.2% 10.0% 7.6% Indiana 4.5% 7.0% 5.6% New York 4.5% 8.2% 6.7% Oklahoma 3.8% 8.8% 4.8% Pennsylvania 4.5% 10.5% 7.7% South Carolina 4.1% 10.7% 6.2% Rhode Island 5.2% 12.2% 9.1% Tennessee 5.1% 7.5% 4.0% average★ 4.7% 11.2% 8.1% Texas 4.1% 7.5% 4.9% average★ 4.5% 8.9% 5.8%

* To provide more realistic data on minority communities, the table excludes data from states where blacks make up less than 5% of the state population.

★Based on a one-tailed T-test, overall black and Latino unemployment is significantly higher in states on the left column (p = 0.01). There is no significant difference for white unemployment between the states in the left and right columns (p = 0.30).

According to the Department of Labor, these minorities rely much more on blue-collar jobs than whites, and even though the employment numbers for New York seem respectable, Forbes listed this state as one of the laggards for growth in high-paying blue-collar jobs in 2014.

Blue-collar jobs are more vulnerable to outsourcing, and data compiled by Forbes show why adults without college degrees are likely to struggle to find high-paying jobs in states on the left:

Table 3: 2017 Forbes Business Regulatory Environment Ranking on States that Differ in Spreading the Wealth