Arizona’s flirting with a dubious distinction: more people leaving the state than moving ^[1] there.

For years, Arizona’s population has exploded with retirees and job-seekers attracted by a booming economy and a warm climate.

But now, a prolonged economic blood-letting, particularly in the housing market, is taking its toll, with Arizona facing a net outmigration in the not-so-distinct future.

According to Relocation.com data, 60% of all Arizona moves in 2005 were inbound. But that percentage has slowly dropped over the past four years, reaching 53.3% for 2009 year to date.

There are two bright spots for Arizona:

Bright spot #1: There are more people making in-state moves, suggesting that Arizonians are taking advantage of cheaper real estate to trade up: In 2009 year to date, 20.2% of long distance and local moves were in-state, up from 17.2% in 2008 and 15.6% in 2007.

Bright spot #2: It’s pretty bad everywhere, so if you’re going to be mired in a lousy economy,  why not face it while taking in a Camelback mountain view?

Although the luster is off Arizona, Phoenix still appeals. Relocation.com found that 57.5% of all long distance moves ^[2] involving Phoenix were inbound, up from 54.5% in 2008 and 45.5% in 2007.

Relocation.com utilizes real-time data from people requesting moving services, recording where people are moving from and to. It annually records over 500,000 moving requests in its database.

Related Stories:

Fewer People Fleeing California ^[3]

Relocation.com’s Best Cities for a Fresh Start ^[4]

Where You Choose to Live is Vital to Your Financial Future ^[5]