Texans have long had a reputation for taking pride in their state’s size and its notable place in U.S. history. A few weeks after declaring independence from Mexico in 1836, the state’s forces defeated Mexican troops, and Texas existed as an independent republic until it was admitted to the Union as a state nearly a decade later. That legacy endures in the state’s flag: a large white lone “Star of Destiny” on a red, white, and blue banner, a contrast to the national flag’s spangle of 50 small stars representing national unity.
Texas is huge, but it remains second among U.S. states in both geographic size (to Alaska) and population (to California). That could someday change, demographically speaking. (Unlike growing Texas, here are America’s fastest shrinking cities.)
While Texas still has about 10 million fewer residents than California — 29.1 million compared to 39.5 million — the Lone Star State’s population is growing at a faster pace than the Golden State’s. The Texas population increased by 4 million more residents, or 16%, between the 2010 and 2020 census surveys, compared to California’s 6.5% gain of 2.4 million people in the same period of time. Texas’ population growth has been so robust in the past decade, the state was the only one to gain two congressional seats based on the 2020 census. Here’s how every state’s population has changed since 2010.
While Texas has experienced robust population growth, people are, of course, also moving out of the state every year. For example, in 2019, Texas gained nearly 560,000 new residents. At the same time, over 450,000 Texans moved out of the state. Where do Texans move to? To find out, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state-to-state migration flows from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Here’s a list of the states where Texans are moving to the most.
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 Texas 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.). 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. Maine
> People from Texas who moved to Maine in 2019: 459 (+0.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +5,808 (+0.4% — 18th largest)
> Total population: 1,344,212 (10th smallest)
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49. Delaware
> People from Texas who moved to Delaware in 2019: 744 (+0.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +6,593 (+0.7% — 13th largest)
> Total population: 973,764 (7th smallest)
48. Montana
> People from Texas who moved to Montana in 2019: 780 (+0.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +6,473 (+0.6% — 15th largest)
> Total population: 1,068,778 (9th smallest)
47. New Hampshire
> People from Texas who moved to New Hampshire in 2019: 892 (+0.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +3,253 (+0.2% — 24th largest)
> Total population: 1,359,711 (11th smallest)
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46. West Virginia
> People from Texas who moved to West Virginia in 2019: 927 (+0.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -13,685 (-0.8% — 2nd smallest)
> Total population: 1,792,147 (14th smallest)
45. South Dakota
> People from Texas who moved to South Dakota in 2019: 1,080 (+0.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +2,424 (+0.3% — 21st largest)
> Total population: 884,659 (6th smallest)
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44. Vermont
> People from Texas who moved to Vermont in 2019: 1,082 (+0.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -2,310 (-0.4% — 5th smallest)
> Total population: 623,989 (2nd smallest)
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43. Rhode Island
> People from Texas who moved to Rhode Island in 2019: 1,597 (+0.4% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +2,046 (+0.2% — 25th smallest)
> Total population: 1,059,361 (8th smallest)
42. Hawaii
> People from Texas who moved to Hawaii in 2019: 1,667 (+0.4% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -4,619 (-0.3% — 7th smallest)
> Total population: 1,415,872 (12th smallest)
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41. Wyoming
> People from Texas who moved to Wyoming in 2019: 1,696 (+0.4% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +1,022 (+0.2% — 23rd smallest)
> Total population: 578,759 (the smallest)
40. District of Columbia
> People from Texas who moved to District of Columbia in 2019: 2,073 (+0.5% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +8,185 (1.2% — 6th largest)
> Total population: 692,683 (3rd smallest)
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39. Connecticut
> People from Texas who moved to Connecticut in 2019: 2,141 (+0.5% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -7,378 (-0.2% — 10th smallest)
> Total population: 3,565,287 (23rd smallest)
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38. Kentucky
> People from Texas who moved to Kentucky in 2019: 2,878 (+0.6% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -729 (-0.02% — 16th smallest)
> Total population: 4,467,673 (25th largest)
37. North Dakota
> People from Texas who moved to North Dakota in 2019: 3,075 (+0.7% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +1,985 (+0.3% — 23rd largest)
> Total population: 762,062 (5th smallest)
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36. Idaho
> People from Texas who moved to Idaho in 2019: 3,198 (+0.7% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +32,857 (1.9% — the largest)
> Total population: 1,787,065 (13th smallest)
35. Iowa
> People from Texas who moved to Iowa in 2019: 3,936 (+0.9% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -1,075 (-0.03% — 15th smallest)
> Total population: 3,155,070 (21st smallest)
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34. Nebraska
> People from Texas who moved to Nebraska in 2019: 4,199 (+0.9% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +5,140 (+0.3% — 22nd largest)
> Total population: 1,934,408 (15th smallest)
33. Alaska
> People from Texas who moved to Alaska in 2019: 4,332 (1.0% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -5,893 (-0.8% — the smallest)
> Total population: 731,545 (4th smallest)
32. Oregon
> People from Texas who moved to Oregon in 2019: 4,441 (1.0% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +27,024 (+0.6% — 14th largest)
> Total population: 4,217,737 (25th smallest)
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31. New Jersey
> People from Texas who moved to New Jersey in 2019: 4,489 (1.0% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -26,330 (-0.3% — 8th smallest)
> Total population: 8,882,190 (10th largest)
30. Mississippi
> People from Texas who moved to Mississippi in 2019: 4,689 (1.0% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -10,381 (-0.3% — 6th smallest)
> Total population: 2,976,149 (18th smallest)
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29. Utah
> People from Texas who moved to Utah in 2019: 4,871 (1.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +44,853 (1.4% — 4th largest)
> Total population: 3,205,958 (22nd smallest)
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28. Maryland
> People from Texas who moved to Maryland in 2019: 4,954 (1.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +2,962 (+0.05% — 18th smallest)
> Total population: 6,045,680 (18th largest)
27. Wisconsin
> People from Texas who moved to Wisconsin in 2019: 5,049 (1.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +8,866 (+0.2% — 22nd smallest)
> Total population: 5,822,434 (19th largest)
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26. Nevada
> People from Texas who moved to Nevada in 2019: 5,240 (1.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +45,764 (1.5% — 2nd largest)
> Total population: 3,080,156 (20th smallest)
25. Minnesota
> People from Texas who moved to Minnesota in 2019: 5,916 (1.3% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +28,453 (+0.5% — 17th largest)
> Total population: 5,639,632 (21st largest)
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24. Massachusetts
> People from Texas who moved to Massachusetts in 2019: 6,088 (1.3% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -9,646 (-0.1% — 11th smallest)
> Total population: 6,892,503 (14th largest)
23. Indiana
> People from Texas who moved to Indiana in 2019: 7,095 (1.6% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +40,341 (+0.6% — 16th largest)
> Total population: 6,732,219 (16th largest)
22. South Carolina
> People from Texas who moved to South Carolina in 2019: 7,631 (1.7% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +64,587 (1.3% — 5th largest)
> Total population: 5,148,714 (22nd largest)
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21. Kansas
> People from Texas who moved to Kansas in 2019: 8,374 (1.8% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +1,804 (+0.1% — 19th smallest)
> Total population: 2,913,314 (17th smallest)
20. Alabama
> People from Texas who moved to Alabama in 2019: 8,405 (1.9% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +15,314 (+0.3% — 20th largest)
> Total population: 4,903,185 (23rd largest)
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19. Michigan
> People from Texas who moved to Michigan in 2019: 8,434 (1.9% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -9,058 (-0.1% — 13th smallest)
> Total population: 9,986,857 (9th largest)
18. Illinois
> People from Texas who moved to Illinois in 2019: 9,106 (2.0% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -69,259 (-0.5% — 3rd smallest)
> Total population: 12,671,821 (5th largest)
17. Pennsylvania
> People from Texas who moved to Pennsylvania in 2019: 11,490 (2.5% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -5,071 (-0.04% — 14th smallest)
> Total population: 12,801,989 (4th largest)
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16. Missouri
> People from Texas who moved to Missouri in 2019: 11,507 (2.5% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +10,976 (+0.2% — 24th smallest)
> Total population: 6,137,428 (17th largest)
15. Arkansas
> People from Texas who moved to Arkansas in 2019: 12,851 (2.8% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +3,979 (+0.1% — 21st smallest)
> Total population: 3,017,804 (19th smallest)
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14. New York
> People from Texas who moved to New York in 2019: 13,033 (2.9% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -88,648 (-0.5% — 4th smallest)
> Total population: 19,453,561 (3rd largest)
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13. Ohio
> People from Texas who moved to Ohio in 2019: 13,564 (3.0% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -342 (-0.003% — 17th smallest)
> Total population: 11,689,100 (6th largest)
12. Virginia
> People from Texas who moved to Virginia in 2019: 13,924 (3.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +17,834 (+0.2% — 25th largest)
> Total population: 8,535,519 (11th largest)
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11. North Carolina
> People from Texas who moved to North Carolina in 2019: 14,226 (3.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +104,464 (1.0% — 9th largest)
> Total population: 10,488,084 (8th largest)
10. Tennessee
> People from Texas who moved to Tennessee in 2019: 15,068 (3.3% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +59,164 (+0.9% — 11th largest)
> Total population: 6,829,174 (15th largest)
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9. New Mexico
> People from Texas who moved to New Mexico in 2019: 15,762 (3.5% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +1,401 (+0.1% — 20th smallest)
> Total population: 2,096,829 (16th smallest)
8. Arizona
> People from Texas who moved to Arizona in 2019: 17,482 (3.9% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +107,071 (1.5% — 3rd largest)
> Total population: 7,278,717 (13th largest)
7. Washington
> People from Texas who moved to Washington in 2019: 18,528 (4.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +79,302 (1.1% — 8th largest)
> Total population: 7,614,893 (12th largest)
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6. Louisiana
> People from Texas who moved to Louisiana in 2019: 19,675 (4.3% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -11,184 (-0.2% — 9th smallest)
> Total population: 4,648,794 (24th largest)
5. Georgia
> People from Texas who moved to Georgia in 2019: 22,452 (5.0% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +97,948 (+0.9% — 10th largest)
> Total population: 10,617,423 (7th largest)
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4. Florida
> People from Texas who moved to Florida in 2019: 26,174 (5.8% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +178,412 (+0.8% — 12th largest)
> Total population: 21,477,737 (2nd largest)
3. Oklahoma
> People from Texas who moved to Oklahoma in 2019: 26,383 (5.8% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +13,892 (+0.4% — 19th largest)
> Total population: 3,956,971 (24th smallest)
2. Colorado
> People from Texas who moved to Colorado in 2019: 32,295 (7.1% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: +63,172 (1.1% — 7th largest)
> Total population: 5,758,736 (20th largest)
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1. California
> People from Texas who moved to California in 2019: 37,063 (8.2% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-year net population change: -44,822 (-0.1% — 12th smallest)
> Total population: 39,512,223 (the largest)
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