Americans Are Fleeing 10 States — and Moving to These 5

States that are losing large numbers of residents got some good news in 2023: The exodus slowed a bit compared with the previous year.

However, a lot of people are still heading for the exits in these states.

When you don’t like where you live — because of the weather, the state of the economy, political leadership or any other reason — the clearest way to express your feelings is to move.

Tens of thousands of residents in 10 states did just that between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023. Depending on the state, these places each lost between approximately 15,000 and 338,000 residents to other states, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

It is important to note that these states gained back some of that population from the arrival of new residents from abroad. So, this list does not necessarily indicate the states that saw the greatest overall population declines. That means a state such as Hawaii — which recorded the second-greatest overall decline in population (of 4,261) — does not appear on this list.

Following are the U.S. states that recently lost the most residents to other states — as well as those that gained the most folks from other states.

10. Michigan

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 15,051
• The prior 12-month period: Not applicable (Michigan gained a net of 8,482 domestic residents during this period, rather than losing residents to other states.)

While net domestic migration to Michigan is down, the number of deer in the state has jumped. Some say the increase in the deer population poses risks to everything from farm crops to automobiles on Michigan roads.

9. Washington

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 15,276
• The prior 12-month period: Not applicable (Washington gained a net of 37,512 domestic residents during this period, rather than losing residents to other states.)

While Washington lost a shade more than 15,000 of its citizens to other states, it easily made up for that number — and then some — by adding 28,919 new residents from other countries.

8. Pennsylvania

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 24,825
• The prior 12-month period: 39,957

In recent years, Pennsylvania has been losing residents at a rate higher than that of most other states. The state’s biggest city — Philadelphia — has lost more than 600,000 residents since 1950.

7. Louisiana

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 29,692
• The prior 12-month period: 46,672

Large numbers of people are flying away from the Pelican State. In late 2021, demographer Greg Rigamer noted the trend and told the Louisiana Radio Network:

“States with a prosperous economy, communities with a prosperous economy attract people. People by and large are looking for a better life.”

6. Maryland

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 30,905
• The prior 12-month period: 45,101

As far back as the summer of 2021, alarm bells rang about an ongoing loss of population in the Baltimore metro. But the trend really reaches back many decades, with that Maryland city falling from the sixth most-populated U.S. city in 1950 to No. 30 by 2020.

5. Massachusetts

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 39,149
• The prior 12-month period: 57,292

Massachusetts continues to lose residents to other states — and that can mean fewer taxpayers to fund services. Commenting on the trend, Paul Craney of Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance told a local TV station:

“Unless you slow down spending, which frankly hasn’t happened in many years, maybe decades, in the State House, the vicious appetite to continue to increase spending will only become worse when more and more taxpayers leave our state.”

4. New Jersey

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 44,666
• The prior 12-month period: 64,231

New Jersey has been losing residents for a long time now. In fact, the New Jersey State Policy Lab at Rutgers University says data from the IRS shows that between 2011 and 2019, the Garden State lost more than $23.6 billion in net adjusted gross income.

3. Illinois

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 83,839
• The prior 12-month period: 141,656

Illinois has been losing residents for 10 consecutive years, with no end to the trend in sight. Half of the state’s residents have considered leaving, according to the nonpartisan group Illinois Policy. High taxes are the No. 1 factor pushing people to weigh leaving the state.

2. New York

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 216,778
• The prior 12-month period: 299,557

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is among many who are worried about a years-long trend of population loss in the Empire State. In 2022, Hochul referred to the exodus of residents as “an alarm bell that cannot be ignored.”

1. California

Net number of residents who moved from this state to another U.S. state:

• Between July 2022 and July 2023: 338,371
• The prior 12-month period: 343,230

While California tops the list of states losing residents to other states, the Golden State does offer a glimmer of hope. Its rate of population loss actually slowed in both 2022 and 2023.

Still, the state has now lost residents for three consecutive years.

States gaining the most residents

While some states are losing residents to fellow states, others are welcoming large numbers of American newcomers. The states with the highest net domestic migration numbers between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, are:

• Tennessee: 63,417
• South Carolina: 82,562
• North Carolina: 97,264
• Texas: 186,767
• Florida: 194,438