In 2022, approximately 8.2 million people moved between U.S. states, up from nearly 7.9 million in 2021, according to Census Bureau estimates. This represents roughly 2–3% of the population and continues a decade-long trend of elevated interstate migration even as the overall share of Americans who move each year has declined. More recent data and private-sector analyses for 2023 and 2024 suggest that migration patterns are stabilizing from the pandemic-era surge but remain significant. Many of these studies point to a striking geographic realignment: a disproportionate share of movers are heading to Southern states, which stand out as the main region experiencing net migration gains. This ongoing reshaping of America’s demographic map reflects a broader shift away from expensive coastal urban centers toward more affordable regions that offer economic opportunity and quality of life.
The Exodus States: Why Residents Are Leaving
California is consistently among the states with the largest net domestic migration losses, with more residents moving out to other states than moving in. This continues a multi-decade pattern of net domestic out-migration, even as the state’s total population has at times been supported by births and international immigration. High housing costs are widely cited as a primary driver, prompting many residents to seek more affordable markets despite California’s strong job base, cultural appeal, and climate.
New York likewise ranks near the top of states experiencing net domestic out-migration. Many former residents move to other parts of the country, often to lower-cost regions in the South and West. Surveys and demographic analyses frequently highlight retirement, family proximity, and overall cost of living as key reasons for leaving, with older adults often overrepresented among those moving out. New Jersey has repeatedly appeared near the top of annual outbound migration lists compiled by major moving and relocation companies, with a majority of tracked moves classified as outbound in recent years. A significant share of New Jersey emigrants relocate to Florida and other Sun Belt states, seeking warmer climates, comparatively lower housing costs in some areas, and lifestyle benefits, even as these destination states face their own affordability and insurance challenges.
Massachusetts has experienced periods of net domestic out-migration, driven in part by high housing costs and relatively high taxes. Despite world-class universities, hospitals, and a strong biotech and tech sector, the state faces competition from more affordable regions when it comes to retaining and attracting residents. Illinois has recorded population declines over multiple years, much of them tied to net domestic out-migration. Analysts often point to a combination of high taxes, concerns about state finances and governance, and uneven regional economic opportunities as factors that influence some residents’ decisions to leave.
Several relatively affordable states also experience notable out-migration. Louisiana, for instance, has struggled with economic volatility, limited job growth in certain sectors, and vulnerability to hurricanes and other climate-related risks, all of which can encourage residents to seek greater stability and opportunity elsewhere. South Dakota, while generally more affordable in terms of housing, can lose younger residents to larger, more dynamic labor markets, and its harsh winters and limited number of major metropolitan areas can be deterrents for some. Wyoming faces similar challenges as a sparsely populated, resource-dependent state: limited economic diversification and long distances between communities can make it harder to retain and attract residents over the long term.
The Destination States: Where Americans Are Moving
On the other side of the ledger, Southern and lower-cost states continue to rank among the most popular destinations for interstate movers. North Carolina has emerged as a major magnet, drawing new residents with relatively affordable housing, a diversified and growing job market, and a high quality of life in metros such as Raleigh, Charlotte, and their surrounding regions. Tennessee has also become a prominent destination, with rapid population growth in cities like Nashville and Chattanooga and the added draw of no state income tax.
South Carolina, West Virginia, and Alabama attract many movers through a combination of lower living costs, smaller and mid-sized metro areas with strong community ties, and economic growth in specific industries such as manufacturing, logistics, energy, and healthcare. These states leverage affordability and lifestyle advantages to compete with more expensive coastal metros that face mounting cost pressures.
Florida’s situation is more complex. The state has long been one of the nation’s top net in-migration destinations, but recent reporting indicates that the pace of net gains has moderated compared with the pandemic peak. Homeowners’ insurance costs in Florida are now among the highest in the country, with average premiums substantially above the national norm and some areas seeing sharp increases in recent years. Combined with rising home prices and growing climate-related risks, these pressures are beginning to push some residents to leave and are causing others to think carefully before moving there, even as Florida’s warm weather, beaches, and amenities remain powerful attractions.
The Underlying Drivers: Beyond Simple Economics
Migration data and surveys reveal consistent patterns in why Americans move. Family proximity is often one of the top reasons, as people relocate to be closer to children, grandchildren, or aging parents. Employment opportunities and career advancement are also central factors, with movers gravitating toward regions and metro areas that offer growing job markets, especially in sectors like technology, healthcare, logistics, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
Housing affordability cuts across all these categories. High-cost metropolitan areas—particularly in coastal states—face persistent challenges in retaining residents when home prices and rents grow faster than wages. Even when such regions offer strong job markets and amenities, many households eventually seek a better balance between income and housing costs. Research suggests that broader regional economic fundamentals—job growth, wage levels, industry mix, and infrastructure—are often better predictors of long-term migration patterns than tax rates alone, though taxes can still influence decisions at the margin.
At the same time, some lower-cost states illustrate that affordability by itself is not sufficient to retain residents when other conditions are lacking. Mississippi, for example, has relatively low housing costs but continues to struggle with economic stagnation and poor health outcomes, encouraging some residents to move elsewhere in search of better wages, services, and healthcare access. Similarly, Hawaii’s geographic beauty and tourism-driven economy cannot fully offset its extremely high cost of living and limited range of higher-wage employment opportunities, contributing to ongoing net domestic out-migration—especially among younger and working-age residents who find it difficult to buy homes or build long-term financial security there.
The Pandemic’s Lasting Impact
COVID-19 accelerated many migration trends that were already underway rather than creating entirely new ones. The rapid expansion of remote and hybrid work initially allowed more people to move away from the most expensive urban cores, leading to a spike in relocations to suburbs, smaller metros, and attractive mid-sized cities, particularly in the South and Mountain West. Over time, migration patterns have shown that instead of an even dispersal across the country, moves have clustered in a set of appealing regional hubs that offer a mix of affordability, jobs, and quality of life.
Office vacancies remain elevated in several major U.S. cities, reflecting the slower-than-expected return to traditional five-day office routines. This shift influences local labor markets, downtown economies, transit systems, and housing demand. As remote and hybrid work settle into a long-term equilibrium in many white-collar industries, migration pressures are likely to persist, with more households feeling empowered to weigh factors like climate, cost of living, schools, and community character when choosing where to live.
What Lies Ahead
America’s demographic map is being redrawn in real time. High-cost coastal and Northeastern states continue to face population pressure from domestic out-migration, while many Sun Belt and interior states absorb newcomers and expand their economic and political influence. Unless high-cost regions address housing affordability, economic opportunity, infrastructure, and quality-of-life concerns, out-migration from those areas is likely to continue.
At the same time, fast-growing destination states will need to manage the challenges that come with rapid population gains: pressure on transportation, schools, and healthcare systems; constraints on housing supply; environmental and water-stress concerns; and the risk that rising prices will erode the very affordability that attracted new residents in the first place. The evolving balance between affordability, opportunity, climate resilience, and quality of life—especially in the tension between expensive coastal metros and emerging Sun Belt and interior destinations—will help shape America’s demographic and economic future for decades to come.
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau 2023 State-to-State Migration Flows Statistics and Annual American Community Survey (ACS) migration data tables; 2022 Census migration report
United Van Lines 48th Annual National Movers Study 2024; migration patterns tracking inbound/outbound state rankings and mover motivations
Uninsurable: Florida’s Home Insurance Collapse Signals National Trend report (October 2025); Insurance Information Institute analysis on homeowners insurance premiums and coverage availability
McKinsey Global Institute “Empty Spaces and Hybrid Places” study; Owl Labs State of Hybrid Work 2024 Report; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics regional job market data on Southern states job growth and remote work normalization​