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Per Visual Capitalist: Mapped: Which U.S. States Gained the Most Residents in 2025

Which U.S. States Gained the Most Residents in 2025

Published: March 9, 2026
Author: Gabriel Cohen
Article/Editing: Niccolo Conte
Graphics/Design: Miranda Smith

Source: HireAHelper | Visual inspiration from the Voronoi app



Key Takeaways

  • South Carolina saw the largest net migration gain per 10,000 residents in 2025.

  • The South and Mountain West attracted the most new residents overall.

  • High-cost states like California and New York continued to see population outflows.

  • Nearly 15 million Americans moved in 2025, many relocating across state lines in search of lower costs, job opportunities, and warmer climates.

This map shows net migration per 10,000 residents across all 50 states in 2025, revealing where population inflows were strongest and which states saw the biggest outflows.

The data reflects major shifts in the country’s population distribution. Migration patterns show movement from the Eastern half of the U.S. toward the Western half, as well as shifts away from expensive coastal states toward more affordable inland states.

The Mountain West Over the West Coast

In 2025, the western half of the United States continued post-COVID migration trends.

Many residents left coastal states such as:

  • Washington (-10.7)

  • Oregon (-9.0)

Instead, they moved to inland Mountain West states, including:

  • Wyoming (+26.0)

  • Utah (+7.3)

  • Idaho (+63.2)

These states have become increasingly attractive due to lower housing costs, outdoor lifestyles, and remote work opportunities.

Top States by Net Migration in 2025

RankStateNet Migration (per 10,000 residents)
1South Carolina79.7
2Idaho63.2
3Delaware54.5
4Tennessee43.6
5Alabama36.6
6Maine35.7
7Arkansas33.3
8North Carolina29.2
9Oklahoma26.4
10Wyoming26.0
11Montana23.4
12Texas23.0
13West Virginia19.3
14New Hampshire18.8
15Mississippi17.9

The Cost of Living Factor

California is not alone in losing residents due to affordability challenges.

California (-25.1) saw nearly 100,000 residents leave the state, many moving to cheaper neighboring states such as Nevada, which has no state income tax.

Other expensive states also experienced population losses:

  • New York (-28.2)

  • Massachusetts (-37.9)

Across the Northeast, only Delaware, Maine, and New Hampshire saw positive migration in 2025.

Meanwhile, states surrounding Washington, D.C. also recorded losses:

  • Maryland (-27.4)

  • Virginia (-13.7)

This may partly reflect reductions in the federal workforce during the year.

The Rise of the Sun Belt

One region seeing consistent growth is the American South.

Leading states include:

  • South Carolina (+79.7)

  • Tennessee (+43.6)

  • Alabama (+36.6)

Lower living costs, warmer climates, and expanding job opportunities have fueled growth in Sun Belt states like Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida.

Source

Migration data: HireAHelper

For more data visualizations, explore the Voronoi app from Visual Capitalist.

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