Massachusetts continues to lose residents at a higher rate than almost any state in the nation. This trend, driven by high housing costs and industry competition from other states, has accelerated in recent years, and officials have begun making efforts to retain people and preserve the state's economic future. Massachusetts was the 49th-ranked state for growth last year, according to a January U-Haul study that tracked move-ins and move-outs. A United Van Lines report put it among the seven states with the most net out-migration in 2023, with 56% of the state's moves being outbound. As more residents move out of the state, officials and commercial real estate executives worry about its impacts on the workforce and, as a result, on the level of demand for new development. The issue has become a priority, with the governor advancing several new policies and laws aimed at retaining talent. 
"Out-migration is deeply concerning for employers," NAIOP Massachusetts CEO Tamara Small said. "When you look at those people aged 25 to 34, that's the future of our workforce. Those are the recent college graduates. If they're gone, our workforce will continue to get older… Read the full story here. | 
