One expert attributes the loss of residents to the liberal policies of New Jersey.

EJ Antoni is a public finance economist and research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He told Fox News Digital that “high taxes were the primary reason for New Jersey’s net migration.”

Antoni’s remarks come after a United Van Lines study found that New Jersey again took the top position as the most-moved-from state in the year 2023. This is the sixth consecutive time the state has reached this grim milestone. According to the study 65% of all moves in New Jersey were outside the state in 2023, which was nearly four percentage points higher than the second-placed state of Illinois

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The top five are North Dakota, New York and Michigan. However, Antoni says it’s no surprise to see New Jersey in the lead.

Antoni explained that people pay attention to tax rates in deciding where to work and live. This is increasingly true as more people are working remotely and not in a central office.

We would expect to see New Jersey lose people.

Antoni stated that New Jersey had the sixth highest state and local tax burden in terms of a percentage of income. It also had the third highest tax revenue per capita. The state has some of the highest property taxes in the country, and its regulatory environment is another factor that drives up the cost-of-living for residents.

Antoni said that the Garden State has also the worst tax climate for business.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who switched political parties in 2020 over disagreements with Democrats attributed much of the fault for the issues facing the state to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

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Van Drew, Fox News Digital, said: “Under Governor Murphy’s administration, New Jersey is witnessing a massive exodus, despite the beautiful pinelands, mountains and farms,” Van Drew stated. “The governor’s declaration of New Jersey as a Sanctuary State, which prioritizes illegal immigrants over hardworking New Jerseyans is deeply concerned.”

Van Drew criticized the Governor’s environmental policies, claiming that they alienated many New Jersey residents. He also blasted the Democratic Legislature of the state for voting for a pay increase for themselves while residents of the state were “faced with constant toll increases and the highest taxes of any state in the country.”

Van Drew stated, “This is a textbook example of how liberal Democrat leadership has harmed our cities and state’s ability to help American families get ahead. It’s no surprise that we have a declining population because of it.”

Gov. Murphy’s office didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital when it asked for comment.

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The study also found that the Southeast region gained the most traction in terms of moving to other states. South Carolina (63%) and North Carolina (60%) were the states that moved the most in 2023. However, they fell behind Vermont, the state with the highest inbound move ranking last year.

Antoni said that New Jersey’s problems can be traced to their tax policies. He noted that states with higher tax burdens in certain areas compensate for this by having lower tax burdens elsewhere.

Tennessee is one of the states with the highest sales taxes in the country, but it has no income tax. It also has low property taxes and very few other taxes. Overall, its tax burden is low. Tennessee is the state with the highest sales tax in the nation, but it has the lowest local and state taxes per capita. It’s less than half of New Jersey. New Jersey has the 8th highest state sales tax, which is less than a half percentage point lower than Tennessee.

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Antoni pointed out that the Garden State’s inheritance tax is a tax which extends well beyond death.

Antoni stated that New Jersey was one of six states with an estate tax, because residents had not paid enough taxes in their lifetimes. It’s an expensive place to live.