A quick story
- The Sunshine State’s population grew by nearly 2 percent.
- Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee also saw population increases.
- California sees its population drop out of the state by 2022, but remains the most populous state in the country.
More people are moving to Florida than any other state in the country by 2022, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors.
The Sunshine State saw the highest net domestic migration gains last year, with its population growing by 1.9 percent. It is followed by Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, each with respect to total domestic net migration.
Overall, twenty-six states had more people move into their regions than out.
Over the past six years, the rate of movement in the United States has decreased, with the rate reaching historic levels in 2021.
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Despite this trend, positive net domestic migration gains help boost population growth in certain areas. Florida’s population increase of 1.9 percent marks the first time since 1957 that the state grew faster than anywhere else in the country.
“Although housing is the main reason people move, data shows that housing-related movements have increased further due to the pandemic,” the report read.
In 2021, more than 45 percent of moves were made for housing-related reasons, marking an increase of six percentage points from the previous year.
The majority of the fastest growing areas are located in the south, home to almost 130 million people. Georgia, Arizona, Idaho, Alabama, and Oklahoma made up the latter half of the top ten states with the largest total domestic net migration.
In comparison, California, New York and Illinois saw the largest net domestic outmigration last year, respectively, although California remains the most populous state.
New Jersey, Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Maryland also had fewer people moving into their states than out.
With regard to the metro area, Ocala, Fla; Tallahassee, Fla.; Charlotte, NC; Savannah, Ga.; Houston, Texas; Deltona, Fla.; and Myrtle Beach, SC all saw inbound moves exceed outbound moves by more than six percentage points.
In addition to being located in the Sun Belt, all of these regions are experiencing significant job market recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report. On average, the regions with the highest displacement rates have 5 percent more jobs now compared to March 2020.
The Miami metro area experienced the largest inbound gains from movers compared to pre-pandemic levels, with movements increasing by nearly 60 percent in 2022 compared to 2019.
Meanwhile, in New York, San Francisco and Chicago, outbound migration still outpaces those moving into the cities, thanks to declining affordability in these metros.
