With its low taxes, year-round sunshine, and access to beautiful beaches, Florida ranks as the top spot for newcomers. Move.org reported that Florida was the number one destination in 2020 for people pulling up roots. Much of the migration was fueled by Northeasterners attracted by the state’s lower cost of living and more relaxed lifestyle.
But Florida may be losing a bit of its luster. Admittedly, the state’s population surged by 387,479 between April 2019 and April 2020, a 1.83% increase over the previous year’s gain, according to Florida’s Demographic Estimating Conference. However, the same organization predicts that between April 2020 and April 2021, the compound growth rate will prove to have been only 1.39%, a substantial slowing. (See how every state’s population has changed since 2010.)
While it may remain the most popular for incoming residents, Move.org notes that it is also in fourth place for people leaving. With all its undeniable attractions (and even without factoring in Florida’s current record-breaking rate of new COVID-19 infections), there are definite downsides to living in the Sunshine State — among them annual threats from hurricanes and oppressive summertime heat and humidity. (If you want to know how to survive the Florida heat, find out what you should never do when it’s hot outside.)
Where are the people who move out of Florida going? To find out, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state-to-state migration flows from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey, revealing the number of people living in other states (or Washington D.C.) in 2019 who had lived in Florida 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.). Note that our list does not include Florida (for obvious reasons). All rankings are out of a universe of 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Click here to see where people from Florida are moving to the most
50. South Dakota
> People from Florida who moved to South Dakota in 2019: 550 (0.1% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +2,424 (+0.3% — 21st largest)
> Total population: 884,659 (6th smallest)
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49. Vermont
> People from Florida who moved to Vermont in 2019: 637 (0.1% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -2,310 (-0.4% — 5th smallest)
> Total population: 623,989 (2nd smallest)
48. Idaho
> People from Florida who moved to Idaho in 2019: 895 (0.2% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +32,857 (+1.9% — the largest)
> Total population: 1,787,065 (13th smallest)
47. Wyoming
> People from Florida who moved to Wyoming in 2019: 909 (0.2% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +1,022 (+0.2% — 23rd smallest)
> Total population: 578,759 (the smallest)
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46. Delaware
> People from Florida who moved to Delaware in 2019: 939 (0.2% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +6,593 (+0.7% — 13th largest)
> Total population: 973,764 (7th smallest)
45. North Dakota
> People from Florida who moved to North Dakota in 2019: 1,168 (0.3% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +1,985 (+0.3% — 23rd largest)
> Total population: 762,062 (5th smallest)
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44. New Hampshire
> People from Florida who moved to New Hampshire in 2019: 1,182 (0.3% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +3,253 (+0.2% — 24th largest)
> Total population: 1,359,711 (11th smallest)
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43. Nebraska
> People from Florida who moved to Nebraska in 2019: 1,474 (0.3% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +5,140 (+0.3% — 22nd largest)
> Total population: 1,934,408 (15th smallest)
42. District of Columbia
> People from Florida who moved to District of Columbia in 2019: 1,496 (0.3% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +8,185 (+1.2% — 6th largest)
> Total population: 692,683 (3rd smallest)
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41. Montana
> People from Florida who moved to Montana in 2019: 1,715 (0.4% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +6,473 (+0.6% — 15th largest)
> Total population: 1,068,778 (9th smallest)
40. New Mexico
> People from Florida who moved to New Mexico in 2019: 1,804 (0.4% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +1,401 (+0.1% — 20th smallest)
> Total population: 2,096,829 (16th smallest)
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39. Hawaii
> People from Florida who moved to Hawaii in 2019: 1,858 (0.4% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -4,619 (-0.3% — 7th smallest)
> Total population: 1,415,872 (12th smallest)
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38. Arkansas
> People from Florida who moved to Arkansas in 2019: 2,118 (0.5% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +3,979 (+0.1% — 21st smallest)
> Total population: 3,017,804 (19th smallest)
37. Utah
> People from Florida who moved to Utah in 2019: 2,451 (0.5% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +44,853 (+1.4% — 4th largest)
> Total population: 3,205,958 (22nd smallest)
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36. Alaska
> People from Florida who moved to Alaska in 2019: 2,473 (0.5% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -5,893 (-0.8% — the smallest)
> Total population: 731,545 (4th smallest)
35. Maine
> People from Florida who moved to Maine in 2019: 2,797 (0.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +5,808 (+0.4% — 18th largest)
> Total population: 1,344,212 (10th smallest)
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34. West Virginia
> People from Florida who moved to West Virginia in 2019: 3,052 (0.7% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -13,685 (-0.8% — 2nd smallest)
> Total population: 1,792,147 (14th smallest)
33. Rhode Island
> People from Florida who moved to Rhode Island in 2019: 3,084 (0.7% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +2,046 (+0.2% — 25th smallest)
> Total population: 1,059,361 (8th smallest)
32. Kansas
> People from Florida who moved to Kansas in 2019: 3,828 (0.8% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +1,804 (+0.1% — 19th smallest)
> Total population: 2,913,314 (17th smallest)
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31. Minnesota
> People from Florida who moved to Minnesota in 2019: 4,070 (0.9% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +28,453 (+0.5% — 17th largest)
> Total population: 5,639,632 (21st largest)
30. Oklahoma
> People from Florida who moved to Oklahoma in 2019: 4,109 (0.9% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +13,892 (+0.4% — 19th largest)
> Total population: 3,956,971 (24th smallest)
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29. Oregon
> People from Florida who moved to Oregon in 2019: 4,218 (0.9% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +27,024 (+0.6% — 14th largest)
> Total population: 4,217,737 (25th smallest)
28. Iowa
> People from Florida who moved to Iowa in 2019: 4,397 (1.0% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -1,075 (-0.03% — 15th smallest)
> Total population: 3,155,070 (21st smallest)
27. Mississippi
> People from Florida who moved to Mississippi in 2019: 4,712 (1.0% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -10,381 (-0.3% — 6th smallest)
> Total population: 2,976,149 (18th smallest)
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26. Wisconsin
> People from Florida who moved to Wisconsin in 2019: 5,168 (1.1% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +8,866 (+0.2% — 22nd smallest)
> Total population: 5,822,434 (19th largest)
25. Louisiana
> People from Florida who moved to Louisiana in 2019: 5,296 (1.2% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -11,184 (-0.2% — 9th smallest)
> Total population: 4,648,794 (24th largest)
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24. Nevada
> People from Florida who moved to Nevada in 2019: 5,429 (1.2% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +45,764 (+1.5% — 2nd largest)
> Total population: 3,080,156 (20th smallest)
23. Missouri
> People from Florida who moved to Missouri in 2019: 6,848 (1.5% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +10,976 (+0.2% — 24th smallest)
> Total population: 6,137,428 (17th largest)
22. Kentucky
> People from Florida who moved to Kentucky in 2019: 7,139 (1.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -729 (-0.02% — 16th smallest)
> Total population: 4,467,673 (25th largest)
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21. Arizona
> People from Florida who moved to Arizona in 2019: 7,358 (1.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +107,071 (+1.5% — 3rd largest)
> Total population: 7,278,717 (13th largest)
20. Connecticut
> People from Florida who moved to Connecticut in 2019: 7,501 (1.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -7,378 (-0.2% — 10th smallest)
> Total population: 3,565,287 (23rd smallest)
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19. Maryland
> People from Florida who moved to Maryland in 2019: 7,766 (1.7% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +2,962 (+0.05% — 18th smallest)
> Total population: 6,045,680 (18th largest)
18. Washington
> People from Florida who moved to Washington in 2019: 7,925 (1.7% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +79,302 (+1.1% — 8th largest)
> Total population: 7,614,893 (12th largest)
17. Michigan
> People from Florida who moved to Michigan in 2019: 9,941 (2.2% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -9,058 (-0.1% — 13th smallest)
> Total population: 9,986,857 (9th largest)
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16. Massachusetts
> People from Florida who moved to Massachusetts in 2019: 10,360 (2.3% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -9,646 (-0.1% — 11th smallest)
> Total population: 6,892,503 (14th largest)
15. Indiana
> People from Florida who moved to Indiana in 2019: 11,926 (2.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +40,341 (+0.6% — 16th largest)
> Total population: 6,732,219 (16th largest)
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14. New Jersey
> People from Florida who moved to New Jersey in 2019: 12,032 (2.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -26,330 (-0.3% — 8th smallest)
> Total population: 8,882,190 (10th largest)
13. Colorado
> People from Florida who moved to Colorado in 2019: 14,124 (3.1% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +63,172 (+1.1% — 7th largest)
> Total population: 5,758,736 (20th largest)
12. South Carolina
> People from Florida who moved to South Carolina in 2019: 14,136 (3.1% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +64,587 (+1.3% — 5th largest)
> Total population: 5,148,714 (22nd largest)
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11. Illinois
> People from Florida who moved to Illinois in 2019: 14,534 (3.2% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -69,259 (-0.5% — 3rd smallest)
> Total population: 12,671,821 (5th largest)
10. Alabama
> People from Florida who moved to Alabama in 2019: 15,519 (3.4% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +15,314 (+0.3% — 20th largest)
> Total population: 4,903,185 (23rd largest)
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9. Ohio
> People from Florida who moved to Ohio in 2019: 16,590 (3.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -342 (-0.003% — 17th smallest)
> Total population: 11,689,100 (6th largest)
8. New York
> People from Florida who moved to New York in 2019: 18,976 (4.1% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -88,648 (-0.5% — 4th smallest)
> Total population: 19,453,561 (3rd largest)
7. Pennsylvania
> People from Florida who moved to Pennsylvania in 2019: 19,629 (4.3% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -5,071 (-0.04% — 14th smallest)
> Total population: 12,801,989 (4th largest)
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6. Virginia
> People from Florida who moved to Virginia in 2019: 21,432 (4.7% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +17,834 (+0.2% — 25th largest)
> Total population: 8,535,519 (11th largest)
5. Tennessee
> People from Florida who moved to Tennessee in 2019: 21,539 (4.7% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +59,164 (+0.9% — 12th largest)
> Total population: 6,829,174 (15th largest)
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4. California
> People from Florida who moved to California in 2019: 22,692 (5.0% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: -44,822 (-0.1% — 12th smallest)
> Total population: 39,512,223 (the largest)
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3. North Carolina
> People from Florida who moved to North Carolina in 2019: 30,032 (6.6% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +104,464 (+1.0% — 10th largest)
> Total population: 10,488,084 (8th largest)
2. Texas
> People from Florida who moved to Texas in 2019: 41,238 (9.0% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +294,036 (+1.0% — 9th largest)
> Total population: 28,995,881 (2nd largest)
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1. Georgia
> People from Florida who moved to Georgia in 2019: 46,235 (10.1% of all outbound Floridians)
> 1-year net population change: +97,948 (+0.9% — 11th largest)
> Total population: 10,617,423 (7th largest)
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