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Mapped: The Top 5 States Americans Are Leaving
Visual Capitalist ^ | 12/01/2024 | Kayla Zhu

Posted on 12/01/2024 6:51:50 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Americans are constantly on the move, with many leaving their home states in search of better opportunities, lower living costs, or a change in scenery. Some states see more departures than others, raising the question of what’s driving people to pack up and leave.

This visualization, via Visual Capitalist's Kayla Zhu, shows the top five states that American residents moved away from in 2023 and their migration outflows, with the top three states where people from those states moved to labeled.

State-by-state migration flow data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau and is updated as of August 2024. Only residents aged one year and older were included and the data includes Puerto Rico but does not include U.S. island territories.

Which States Did Americans Move Away From in 2023?

Below, we show the top five states that Americans moved away from in 2023, with each states’ total number of residents who left, and the number of residents who went to the top three outbound states.

The average American moves about 11 times throughout their life, according to Steinway Moving and Storage. U.S. Census Bureau data shows that in 2023, 12% of Americans moved to a different residence within the country.

Some stayed close to home and moved within their home state, while others embarked on cross-country relocations. Out of those who moved to a different residence in 2023, 80% moved within their state and 20% moved to a different state.

Interestingly, three out of the top five states Americans are moving away from–Florida, Texas, and California–are also seeing the highest number of new residents from other states.

These states experience high migration turnover due to factors like job opportunities, housing affordability, tax policies, and lifestyle preferences such as weather and urban amenities.

New Yorkers Have Been Leaving In Droves

New York has also seen high levels of domestic out-migration since 2012, primarily due to job transfers, family reasons, or wanting to own a new home.

As one of the most expensive states to live in, it’s no surprise that many people are leaving New York due to affordability concerns and a desire for better quality of life.

Additionally, the pandemic-driven shift to remote work led to significant workforce losses in major metropolitans like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

To learn more about American domestic migration check out this graphic which shows the top five states Americans are moving to.


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: bluestateexodus; exodus; influx; migration; visualcapitalist
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To: metmom

Lots of bed wetter liberals are fleeing Texas because they “can’t take it”.

As a NM resident, I wish that would happen to us.


21 posted on 12/02/2024 4:49:01 AM PST by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown)
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To: TheThirdRuffian

That thought also occurred to me later.

I’m sure Texans are fine with that.


22 posted on 12/02/2024 5:15:50 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” uitAmen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: SeekAndFind

Illinois and New York had the biggest losses, as a percentage of the state’s population, though Florida was not far behind.

My expectation is that housing in some areas of Florida is getting too expensive for some, and everyone in Florida has higher home insurance costs, leading some folks to leave for economic reasons not political ones.


23 posted on 12/02/2024 5:55:00 AM PST by Wuli
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To: frogjerk
I grew up in WNY. Went to SUNY colleges and left after graduation in 1985. My three siblings all left too. Almost everyone of my friends in the neighborhood left in the 1970s and 1980s. Only one of my friends stayed because he owned a landscaping company.

The fact was there were just not many opportunities for employment in NY state back then. I was offered jobs in the Bronx, Boston and NH upon graduation. I chose NH and have been here ever since.

My other siblings moved to NC, PA and WA DC. The one left DC after a couple years and has been in TX since.
There are so many WNY transplants in the Charlotte area that there is a bar that shows the Bills games on the weekend instead of the Panthers. The owner is an ex WNYer that moved there in the 1980s. Like my brother.

The problem here in NH is that the last five years NH has been inundated with liberals moving here from NY & NJ. Not just the usual flow of Massholes moving north. Which many are more conservative. Which is why they left MA. A lot of the NY/NJ are retirees.

24 posted on 12/02/2024 7:37:36 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
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