Chris Walker created a fascinating interactive graphic of migration patterns within the United States. It’s based on US Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey estimates. Here are a few insights that Walker gleaned:
• First, there are more people leaving California than there are arriving there. 566,986 people left the Golden State in 2012, for states like Texas, Nevada, Washington, and Arizona, presumably for the lower cost of living.
• New York also shows more people leaving than arriving. The most popular destination for New Yorkers is Florida. My hunch is that these are retirees. The next most popular destinations are New Jersey and Pennsylvania. More likely these folks are leaving pricey New York City for more affordable suburbs in neighboring states.
• Migrants are flocking to Florida. Interestingly the state contributing the most migrants to Florida is neighboring Georgia. Texas, New York, and North Carolina are the next largest contributors.
“Restless America: state-to-state migration in 2012” (Thanks, David Steinberg!)