Quick question ahead of Tax Day. According to the personal finance site Self Financial, which state’s residents pay the highest lifetime taxes? We won’t keep you in suspense. It’s New Jersey, whose residents pay an average of just short of $1 million ($987,117).

Next question: according to United Van Lines which state lost the most residents to other states in 2023? Good guess, it’s The Garden State. Do you think there is any possible connection between those two facts?

As we frequently point out in the Hotline, the evidence is abundant. Five other high-tax states, California, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, and New York, rank in the top eight for 2023 outbound migration in the United Van Lines study.

Where did they move? Almost entirely low-tax states: including Alabama, Arkansas, New Mexico, North and South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia (which was the lowest-taxed state).

By the way, the Self Financial study added up taxes on income, homes, cars, clothing, food, drink, entertainment, and personal care. It found that the average lifetime tax payments for an American are $524,625, or over one-third of average earnings. After New Jersey, it’s no surprise the most taxed jurisdiction is bureaucrat-heaven Washington D.C. at $884,820.  Connecticut and Massachusetts are third and fourth, at $855,307 and $816,700.