Population and Social Characteristics
People Are Fleeing These US Cities, Have They Become Unlivable?
Published:
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. identified the cities Americans are leaving in droves. For each of the 387 U.S. metro areas, we reviewed population change due to net migration — the difference between outbound and inbound moves — and identified the 30 cities with the largest relative population decline between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2023.
While this ranking is based solely on net migration, even when accounting for births and deaths, the vast majority of these cities have shrinking populations. When factoring in both migration and natural population change, only two metro areas on this list are larger now than they were in 2020.
Why It Matters
High rates of outbound moves from major metropolitan areas have become one of the most notable migration patterns in recent years. The metro areas Americans are most likely to leave behind include places like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, which are among the largest and most expensive places in the country. Still, smaller, more affordable cities are not immune. In places like Elmira, New York and Minot, North Dakota, the volume of outbound migration has greatly surpassed the number of inbound moves in the last few years.
30. Trenton-Princeton, NJ
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.0% (-7,620)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -3.5% (-13,443)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +1.5% (+5,823)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -1.5% (-5,657)
- Total population in 2023: 381,671
29. Hanford-Corcoran, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.0% (-3,010)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.1% (-3,254)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.2% (+244)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: +0.1% (+196)
- Total population in 2023: 152,682
28. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.0% (-65,280)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.6% (-87,347)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.7% (+22,067)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -0.9% (-28,675)
- Total population in 2023: 3,269,973
27. Grand Forks, ND-MN
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.0% (-2,074)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.6% (-2,719)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.6% (+645)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -1.2% (-1,246)
- Total population in 2023: 103,120
26. Eagle Pass, TX
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.1% (-1,223)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.6% (-1,531)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.5% (+308)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -0.2% (-122)
- Total population in 2023: 57,762
25. Laredo, TX
- Population change from net-migration, 2020-2023: -2.2% (-5,791)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.9% (-7,770)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.7% (+1,979)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: +0.8% (+2,035)
- Total population in 2023: 269,148
24. Ann Arbor, MI
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.2% (-8,095)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -3.3% (-12,418)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +1.2% (+4,323)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -1.8% (-6,722)
- Total population in 2023: 365,536
23. Alexandria, LA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.2% (-3,323)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.4% (-3,581)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.2% (+258)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -2.6% (-4,013)
- Total population in 2023: 148,171
22. Elmira, NY
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.3% (-1,938)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.5% (-2,139)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.2% (+201)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -3.3% (-2,817)
- Total population in 2023: 81,325
21. Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.3% (-9,233)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.6% (-10,230)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.3% (+997)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -2.6% (-10,114)
- Total population in 2023: 383,295
20. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.4% (-20,266)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.7% (-22,837)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.3% (+2,571)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -1.7% (-14,250)
- Total population in 2023: 829,590
19. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.5% (-234,239)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -3.2% (-305,428)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.8% (+71,189)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -2.0% (-187,479)
- Total population in 2023: 9,262,825
18. Decatur, IL
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.6% (-2,658)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -2.9% (-3,021)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.3% (+363)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -3.3% (-3,393)
- Total population in 2023: 100,591
17. Odessa, TX
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.9% (-4,743)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.2% (-6,985)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +1.4% (+2,242)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -0.4% (-676)
- Total population in 2023: 164,494
16. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -2.9% (-12,885)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -3.5% (-15,845)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.7% (+2,960)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -1.6% (-6,963)
- Total population in 2023: 441,257
15. Napa, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.2% (-4,457)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -3.6% (-4,982)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.4% (+525)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -3.5% (-4,797)
- Total population in 2023: 133,216
14. Urban Honolulu, HI
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.4% (-34,111)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.3% (-43,273)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.9% (+9,162)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -2.7% (-27,099)
- Total population in 2023: 989,408
13. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.5% (-468,472)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.4% (-583,250)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.9% (+114,778)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -3.0% (-401,873)
- Total population in 2023: 12,799,100
12. Fairbanks-College, AK
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.6% (-3,459)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.1% (-3,901)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.5% (+442)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -0.9% (-820)
- Total population in 2023: 94,840
11. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.6% (-9,872)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -3.9% (-10,649)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.3% (+777)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -3.4% (-9,323)
- Total population in 2023: 261,547
10. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.6% (-732,334)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.9% (-974,919)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +1.2% (+242,585)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -2.9% (-583,741)
- Total population in 2023: 19,498,249
9. Manhattan, KS
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.7% (-4,974)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.4% (-5,944)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.7% (+970)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -0.9% (-1,211)
- Total population in 2023: 132,831
8. Salinas, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.8% (-16,674)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.3% (-19,085)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.5% (+2,411)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -1.9% (-8,312)
- Total population in 2023: 430,723
7. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.9% (-77,756)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -6.2% (-123,379)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +2.3% (+45,623)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -2.7% (-54,722)
- Total population in 2023: 1,945,767
6. Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -3.9% (-4,567)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.4% (-5,081)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.4% (+514)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -1.6% (-1,924)
- Total population in 2023: 114,787
5. Minot, ND
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -4.0% (-3,111)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.4% (-3,383)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.4% (+272)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -2.3% (-1,819)
- Total population in 2023: 75,742
4. Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -4.4% (-9,024)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -4.5% (-9,417)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.2% (+393)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -4.1% (-8,470)
- Total population in 2023: 198,672
3. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -4.5% (-214,106)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -5.9% (-282,473)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +1.4% (+68,367)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -3.8% (-182,021)
- Total population in 2023: 4,566,961
2. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -4.8% (-48,678)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -5.7% (-57,147)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.8% (+8,469)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -4.5% (-45,121)
- Total population in 2023: 962,165
1. Lake Charles, LA
- Population change from net migration, 2020-2023: -5.6% (-14,297)
- Population change from domestic migration, 2020-2023: -6.0% (-15,165)
- Population change from international migration, 2020-2023: +0.3% (+868)
- Total population change, 2020-2023: -5.7% (-14,569)
- Total population in 2023: 240,082
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