Vermont's population is among the smallest in the U.S., but a high proportion of people are moving to the New England state from elsewhere in the U.S., according to a new study.

United Van Lines, a St. Louis-based moving company on Wednesday released its 42nd annual National Movers Study, which tracks customers' state-to-state migration patterns.

Vermont has the second-smallest population among states, exceeding only Wyoming, yet it saw the highest percentage of inbound moves in 2018 - at 72.6 percent. However, it's worth noting that was out of 234 total moves.

A majority of people moving to Vermont cited jobs (34.4 percent) and retirement (31.2 percent), while 85 percent of the people leaving the state said they did so for a job.

Interactive Map Reveals Where Americans are Moving To and From

Four Western states filled out the top five: Oregon (63.8 percent inbound), (62.4 percent), Nevada (61.8 percent inbound) and Arizona (60.2 percent inbound).

The top reasons for people moving to Oregon were jobs (34.4 percent) and retirement (31.3 percent). The same was true in Nevada and Arizona

Several southern states also saw a high rate of inbound migration, including South Carolina (59.9 percent) and North Carolina (57 percent). Officials said the top reasons for moving south included job changes (46.6 percent) and retirement (22.3 percent).

At the same time, a higher rate of people moved out of New Jersey than any other state, with 66.8 percent of all moves in that state being outbound.

In New Jersey, a majority (85.7 percent) of those leaving cited job opportunities elsewhere.

The Garden State was followed by Illinois (65.9 percent outbound), Connecticut (62 percent outbound), New York (61.5 percent outbound) and Kansas (58.7 percent outbound).

Overall, the study showed that Americans continue to move west and south: The Mountain West and South regions saw high percentages of inbound moves, while the Northeast and Midwest had high percentages of outbound moves.

This map closeup reveals the motivation for why people are moving into and out of Vermont, with a majority of inbound movers citing jobs and retirement, while most outbound movers saying they must leave for a job

This map closeup reveals the motivation for why people are moving into and out of New Jersey, with a majority of inbound movers citing jobs and family, while most outbound movers saying they are leaving to retire or for a job

'These findings accurately reflect not only where Americans are moving to and from, but also the reasons why,' said Eily Cummings, director of corporate communications at United Van Lines.

The leading motivation for the migration patterns across the country was a career change, as a United Van Lines survey showed approximately one out of every two people who moved in the past year moved for a new job or company transfer.

Other reasons for the high percentage of moves to the Mountain West in 2018 include retirement (28.1 percent), proximity to family (20.8 percent) and lifestyle change (19.4 percent).

The in- and out-bound migration across the U.S. is also driven by trends including job growth, lower costs of living, state budget challenges and a desire to live in more temperate climates, said Michael Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles

'Unlike a few decades ago, retirees are leaving California, instead choosing other states in the Pacific West and Mountain West,' Stoll said. 'We're also seeing young professionals migrating to vibrant, metropolitan economies, like Washington, D.C. and Seattle.'

