According to the U.S. Postal Service, more than 330,000 residents of New York City requested out-of-state address changes in the first eight months of the pandemic lockdowns last year, as businesses closed and people fled to safer domestic harbors in less-populated areas. Since then, the population has rebounded at least partially — but statewide, the situation is less rosy. (These are America’s fastest shrinking cities.)
Even before the pandemic turned Manhattan into a ghost town, New York State was losing population. The numbers declined by 1.4 million residents between 2010 and 2019, according to Albany-based The Empire Center for Public Policy, a conservative think tank. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates an additional 126,000 residents left the state between 2019 and 2020. (New York isn’t the only state to lose numbers. See how every state’s population has changed since 2010.)
New York recently lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives because of this demographic shift. The decline also means less public revenue as tax-paying residents leave in pursuit of better job opportunities and a lower cost of living.
So did New York residents move before the pandemic? To answer this question, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state-to-state migration flows from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, revealing the number of people living in other states (or Washington D.C.) in 2019 who had lived in New York the previous year. State population and population change figures are based on one-year estimates from the ACS (five-year estimates for Washington D.C.). Unemployment rates are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Click here to see where people from New York State are moving to the most.
What our research revealed was that, for the most part, at least in pre-pandemic times, when people left New York State, they seemed to be emigrating to neighboring states or to larger ones in other parts of the country, such as California and Texas. No Midwestern state was among the ten most popular destinations, though states in the South were popular among some Empire State emigrés.
It is important to note that our list does not include New York State, and all rankings are out of a universe of 49 states and the District of Columbia.
50. South Dakota
> People from New York State who moved to South Dakota in 2019: None reported
> 1-year net population change: +2,424 (+0.3% — 22nd largest)
> Total population: 884,659 (6th smallest)
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49. Idaho
> People from New York State who moved to Idaho in 2019: 194 (<0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +32,857 (+1.9% — the largest)
> Total population: 1,787,065 (13th smallest)
48. Alaska
> People from New York State who moved to Alaska in 2019: 329 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -5,893 (-0.8% — the smallest)
> Total population: 731,545 (4th smallest)
47. Wyoming
> People from New York State who moved to Wyoming in 2019: 389 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +1,022 (+0.2% — 22nd smallest)
> Total population: 578,759 (the smallest)
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46. North Dakota
> People from New York State who moved to North Dakota in 2019: 445 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +1,985 (+0.3% — 24th largest)
> Total population: 762,062 (5th smallest)
45. Nebraska
> People from New York State who moved to Nebraska in 2019: 472 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +5,140 (+0.3% — 23rd largest)
> Total population: 1,934,408 (15th smallest)
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44. Iowa
> People from New York State who moved to Iowa in 2019: 489 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -1,075 (-0.03% — 14th smallest)
> Total population: 3,155,070 (21st smallest)
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43. West Virginia
> People from New York State who moved to West Virginia in 2019: 546 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -13,685 (-0.8% — 2nd smallest)
> Total population: 1,792,147 (14th smallest)
42. New Mexico
> People from New York State who moved to New Mexico in 2019: 608 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +1,401 (+0.1% — 19th smallest)
> Total population: 2,096,829 (16th smallest)
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41. Arkansas
> People from New York State who moved to Arkansas in 2019: 642 (0.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +3,979 (+0.1% — 20th smallest)
> Total population: 3,017,804 (19th smallest)
40. Montana
> People from New York State who moved to Montana in 2019: 1,239 (0.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +6,473 (+0.6% — 16th largest)
> Total population: 1,068,778 (9th smallest)
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39. Maine
> People from New York State who moved to Maine in 2019: 1,273 (0.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +5,808 (+0.4% — 19th largest)
> Total population: 1,344,212 (10th smallest)
38. Louisiana
> People from New York State who moved to Louisiana in 2019: 1,359 (0.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -11,184 (-0.2% — 8th smallest)
> Total population: 4,648,794 (24th largest)
37. Kansas
> People from New York State who moved to Kansas in 2019: 1,497 (0.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +1,804 (+0.1% — 18th smallest)
> Total population: 2,913,314 (17th smallest)
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36. Oklahoma
> People from New York State who moved to Oklahoma in 2019: 1,505 (0.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +13,892 (+0.4% — 20th largest)
> Total population: 3,956,971 (24th smallest)
35. Hawaii
> People from New York State who moved to Hawaii in 2019: 1,940 (0.4% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -4,619 (-0.3% — 6th smallest)
> Total population: 1,415,872 (12th smallest)
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34. Alabama
> People from New York State who moved to Alabama in 2019: 1,996 (0.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +15,314 (+0.3% — 21st largest)
> Total population: 4,903,185 (23rd largest)
33. Utah
> People from New York State who moved to Utah in 2019: 2,073 (0.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +44,853 (+1.4% — 4th largest)
> Total population: 3,205,958 (22nd smallest)
32. Mississippi
> People from New York State who moved to Mississippi in 2019: 2,124 (0.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -10,381 (-0.3% — 5th smallest)
> Total population: 2,976,149 (18th smallest)
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31. Missouri
> People from New York State who moved to Missouri in 2019: 2,247 (0.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +10,976 (+0.2% — 23rd smallest)
> Total population: 6,137,428 (17th largest)
30. Wisconsin
> People from New York State who moved to Wisconsin in 2019: 2,337 (0.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +8,866 (+0.2% — 21st smallest)
> Total population: 5,822,434 (19th largest)
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29. Rhode Island
> People from New York State who moved to Rhode Island in 2019: 2,359 (0.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +2,046 (+0.2% — 24th smallest)
> Total population: 1,059,361 (8th smallest)
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28. Minnesota
> People from New York State who moved to Minnesota in 2019: 2,549 (0.6% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +28,453 (+0.5% — 18th largest)
> Total population: 5,639,632 (21st largest)
27. Kentucky
> People from New York State who moved to Kentucky in 2019: 2,693 (0.6% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -729 (-0.02% — 15th smallest)
> Total population: 4,467,673 (25th largest)
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26. Nevada
> People from New York State who moved to Nevada in 2019: 2,711 (0.6% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +45,764 (+1.5% — 2nd largest)
> Total population: 3,080,156 (20th smallest)
25. Delaware
> People from New York State who moved to Delaware in 2019: 3,044 (0.7% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +6,593 (+0.7% — 14th largest)
> Total population: 973,764 (7th smallest)
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24. Vermont
> People from New York State who moved to Vermont in 2019: 3,276 (0.7% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -2,310 (-0.4% — 4th smallest)
> Total population: 623,989 (2nd smallest)
23. Oregon
> People from New York State who moved to Oregon in 2019: 3,462 (0.8% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +27,024 (+0.6% — 15th largest)
> Total population: 4,217,737 (25th smallest)
22. New Hampshire
> People from New York State who moved to New Hampshire in 2019: 3,556 (0.8% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +3,253 (+0.2% — 25th largest)
> Total population: 1,359,711 (11th smallest)
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21. Indiana
> People from New York State who moved to Indiana in 2019: 4,199 (1.0% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +40,341 (+0.6% — 17th largest)
> Total population: 6,732,219 (16th largest)
20. District of Columbia
> People from New York State who moved to District of Columbia in 2019: 4,314 (1.0% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +8,185 (+1.2% — 6th largest)
> Total population: 692,683 (3rd smallest)
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19. Maryland
> People from New York State who moved to Maryland in 2019: 6,018 (1.4% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +2,962 (+0.05% — 17th smallest)
> Total population: 6,045,680 (18th largest)
18. Michigan
> People from New York State who moved to Michigan in 2019: 6,078 (1.4% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -9,058 (-0.1% — 12th smallest)
> Total population: 9,986,857 (9th largest)
17. Arizona
> People from New York State who moved to Arizona in 2019: 6,079 (1.4% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +107,071 (+1.5% — 3rd largest)
> Total population: 7,278,717 (13th largest)
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16. Tennessee
> People from New York State who moved to Tennessee in 2019: 6,594 (1.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +59,164 (+0.9% — 12th largest)
> Total population: 6,829,174 (15th largest)
15. Washington
> People from New York State who moved to Washington in 2019: 6,885 (1.6% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +79,302 (+1.1% — 8th largest)
> Total population: 7,614,893 (12th largest)
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14. Colorado
> People from New York State who moved to Colorado in 2019: 7,965 (1.8% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +63,172 (+1.1% — 7th largest)
> Total population: 5,758,736 (20th largest)
13. Illinois
> People from New York State who moved to Illinois in 2019: 8,032 (1.8% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -69,259 (-0.5% — 3rd smallest)
> Total population: 12,671,821 (5th largest)
12. Ohio
> People from New York State who moved to Ohio in 2019: 8,780 (2.0% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -342 (-0.003% — 16th smallest)
> Total population: 11,689,100 (6th largest)
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11. South Carolina
> People from New York State who moved to South Carolina in 2019: 10,416 (2.4% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +64,587 (+1.3% — 5th largest)
> Total population: 5,148,714 (22nd largest)
10. Georgia
> People from New York State who moved to Georgia in 2019: 14,641 (3.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +97,948 (+0.9% — 11th largest)
> Total population: 10,617,423 (7th largest)
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9. Virginia
> People from New York State who moved to Virginia in 2019: 15,618 (3.6% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +17,834 (+0.2% — 25th smallest)
> Total population: 8,535,519 (11th largest)
8. Massachusetts
> People from New York State who moved to Massachusetts in 2019: 17,143 (3.9% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -9,646 (-0.1% — 10th smallest)
> Total population: 6,892,503 (14th largest)
7. Texas
> People from New York State who moved to Texas in 2019: 18,078 (4.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +294,036 (+1.0% — 9th largest)
> Total population: 28,995,881 (2nd largest)
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6. North Carolina
> People from New York State who moved to North Carolina in 2019: 23,571 (5.4% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +104,464 (+1.0% — 10th largest)
> Total population: 10,488,084 (8th largest)
5. Connecticut
> People from New York State who moved to Connecticut in 2019: 27,606 (6.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -7,378 (-0.2% — 9th smallest)
> Total population: 3,565,287 (23rd smallest)
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4. California
> People from New York State who moved to California in 2019: 37,567 (8.5% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -44,822 (-0.1% — 11th smallest)
> Total population: 39,512,223 (the largest)
3. Pennsylvania
> People from New York State who moved to Pennsylvania in 2019: 46,618 (10.6% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -5,071 (-0.04% — 13th smallest)
> Total population: 12,801,989 (4th largest)
2. Florida
> People from New York State who moved to Florida in 2019: 57,488 (13.1% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: +178,412 (+0.8% — 13th largest)
> Total population: 21,477,737 (3rd largest)
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1. New Jersey
> People from New York State who moved to New Jersey in 2019: 58,664 (13.3% of all outbound New Yorkers)
> 1-year net population change: -26,330 (-0.3% — 7th smallest)
> Total population: 8,882,190 (10th largest)
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