What surprised me is Mississippi lost 917 citizens while Bama increased 23,400. I wonder what the difference between them are. Louisiana is another state that lost people...
Vermont lost 726, yet New Hampshire and Maine increased...
Neither Mississippi nor Louisiana are attracting corporate relocations due to the undesirable conditions of cities like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Jackson. Alabama has problems with Montgomery, but there are cities like Huntsville, Birmingham, and Mobile that are financially doing well. North Alabama is also closer to Atlanta and Nashville, and this location helps business connections and synergy. Louisiana has a somewhat unfriendly tax structure as well. Climate is another factor. North Alabama is the tail end of Appalachia, but the other two states lack either the mountainous country or a lot of Gulf frontage that is suitable for people looking to retire, the Biloxi area of Mississippi excepted.
As for Vermont losing people vs. New Hampshire and Maine, Vermont is especially business unfriendly and further to the left than the other two (though oddly enough, firearms friendly). If you were trying to escape leftist governance in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, but wanted to stay close to family and friends, Vermont is not an option. New Hampshire, with no income tax, is attractive. Maine is somewhat less so, but it appears to be less politically crazy than the home of Bernie Sanders.