The 15 US States People Are Leaving Fastest, Ranked

Long a magnet for transplants, Oregon has seen outbound moving rates rise to nearly 54%. High state income taxes, soaring median home prices in Portland, and quality-of-life concerns have driven many longtime residents south to Nevada or east to Idaho.

Minnesota’s cold weather and top-tier individual income tax brackets continue to drive outmigration. Retirees and young remote workers are leading departures toward Florida, Texas, and the Carolinas.

Despite tech sector strength, King County’s steep median home values and high cost of living have turned Washington into a net-outbound state, with movers heading to Arizona, Texas, and lower-cost inland regions.

While cities like Columbus are growing, outmigration from older industrial regions across Ohio remains steady. Moving data shows thousands heading annually to Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia for warmer weather and newer job markets.

Michigan has struggled with net domestic losses for decades. Despite revitalization efforts in Detroit and Grand Rapids, residents frequently cite job transfers, retirement, and winter weather as primary drivers for moves down south.

Connecticut consistently ranks among the most expensive states for living costs and estate taxes. Retirees and professionals in Fairfield and Hartford counties are departing in droves for Florida and North Carolina.

After a decade-long population surge, the Centennial State is cooling off. Many families and young professionals priced out of Front Range real estate are heading to Texas, Wyoming, and the Midwest.

Despite high median household incomes, Maryland loses thousands of residents each year to tax-friendly states like Florida, Delaware, and Virginia, driven by high property levies and retirement relocation.

Isolated in the Pacific, Hawaii faces staggering cost-of-living metrics, with median single-family home prices topping $1 million. Native islanders and long-term locals are relocating to Nevada, California, and Texas.

Massachusetts boasts premier universities and hospitals, but runaway real estate costs and child care expenses make retention difficult. Census estimates show tens of thousands of net domestic movers leaving each year.

Retirees looking for sunshine and workers seeking lower-tax states are leading departures from Pennsylvania, with Florida, North Carolina, and New Jersey being frequent relocation destinations.

United Van Lines has ranked New Jersey among the top outbound states for over a decade, with outbound moves often exceeding 65%. High municipal taxes, tolls, and overall expenses drive movers toward Florida, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas.

Illinois has experienced year-over-year net domestic outmigration for more than a decade. While Chicago remains a world-class cultural hub, high tax burdens and cost-of-living concerns prompt moves to Indiana, Wisconsin, Florida, and Texas.

New York leads the East Coast in domestic outmigration, losing hundreds of thousands of net residents over recent years. Movers cite astronomical housing prices, high combined tax rates, and dense urban stress, predominantly heading to Florida, New Jersey, and North Carolina.

The Golden State ranks #1 in total domestic population loss. The median home price topping $800,000, combined with high fuel and utility costs, has prompted hundreds of thousands of Californians to pack up for Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington.