HONOLULU (KHON2) -- New data shows that the mass out migration that some appeared after the fires on Maui did not materialize, despite the devastation. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Economists at the University of Hawaii said the majority of residents who lived in homes in the burn zone have stayed in the county. Thousands had to find new roofs over their head after the fires in 2023, but data from the Department of Taxation shows the vast majority stayed on Maui. A total of 2,478 affected residents relocated to different parts of the island while 369 left the Valley Isle. "There's certainly a lot of changes in location, but most of them are happening within Maui, according to our numbers," said University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization associate professor Dylan Moore said. "It's costly for people to move from an emotional perspective and even potentially from a monetary perspective, people may just be a little more attached to sticking around than was expected." From dream job to ashes: What’s next for Maui businesses Former Lahaina resident Jessalyn Manina lost her rental home and jewelry business in the blaze. She moved to the mainland immediately after the fires to fundraise and returned to Maui eight months ago. She now lives in Napili and said visiting the rubble where she lived still stings. "Because unfortunately, even though I didn't own it, that was my daughter and I's home. Not being able to be there feels weird. Like we go and visit it very very often, but it's not even my personal property. I just lost my everything there," she said. Finding a new place to call home is not off the table yet for Manina. "I'm kind of trying to stay above water and really figure it out at this point," she said. "I just, at this point, sometimes feel like running away from it just because it's hard to accept." Economists say there is still hope since most who were affected by the fires have stayed on Maui. "I think this maybe makes it all the more important to figure out some of the housing challenges that are confronting Maui and confronting the state as a whole," Moore said. "Are they really going to be able to stay in Maui in the long run? There's a question mark there. We don't know yet. And so maybe the long run impact will turn out to be a lot, much larger than what we see here." Find more Hawaii, Oahu, Maui and Kauai news here Click here for more information from UHERO.