Between April 2020 and July 2022, Texas’ population grew by more than 884,000, the largest net increase of any state. Boasting 367 miles of open Gulf coastline, several major cities, low taxes, and generally mild winters, Texas is a magnet for new residents – drawing in nearly 591,400 Americans from across the country in 2021 alone.
These numbers do not tell the full story, however. Even as Americans are flocking to the Lone Star State and starting families there, many are also moving out. According to government data, over 447,000 Texans packed up and moved to a different part of the country in 2021 – the fourth largest outbound migration of any state.
Every state and Washington D.C. added a number of ex-Texans to their population in 2021 – but some places drew in far more than others. (Here is a look at the best states to live in.)
Using data on state-to-state migration flows from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states the most people from Texas are moving to. The 50 places on this list – Washington D.C. and every state except Texas – are ranked by the number of residents in 2021 who lived in Texas in 2020. For each state and Washington D.C., we also reviewed net population change from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021 with data from U.S. Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates program.
Explanations for why so many people left Texas in 2021 are varied and often personal. But according to a study conducted by moving company United Van Lines, the largest share of Texan outbound moves – 43.4% – were for job-related reasons.
The 2021 annual unemployment rate in Texas was 5.7%, higher than the 5.3% national rate that year. The top five destination states for outbound Texans were California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma. These states alone took in over 30% of Texans who moved out in 2021. With the exception of California, each had a stronger job market, as measured by the unemployment rate, than Texas did that year. (Here is a look at the cities that will add the jobs by 2060 according to economists.)
Here is where people from Texas are moving to the most.
50. Vermont
> People from Texas who moved to Vermont in 2021: 576 (0.13% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +4,079 (+0.63%)
> Total 2021 population: 641,007
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49. Wyoming
> People from Texas who moved to Wyoming in 2021: 610 (0.14% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +1,878 (+0.33%)
> Total 2021 population: 573,476
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48. Rhode Island
> People from Texas who moved to Rhode Island in 2021: 762 (0.17% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +640 (+0.06%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,085,539
47. Maine
> People from Texas who moved to Maine in 2021: 876 (0.20% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +13,681 (+1.00%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,360,264
46. West Virginia
> People from Texas who moved to West Virginia in 2021: 920 (0.21% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -5,894 (-0.33%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,767,792
45. Delaware
> People from Texas who moved to Delaware in 2021: 1,300 (0.29% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +12,693 (+1.28%)
> Total 2021 population: 994,669
44. District of Columbia
> People from Texas who moved to District of Columbia in 2021: 1,498 (0.33% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -2,077 (-0.31%)
> Total 2021 population: 661,026
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43. New Hampshire
> People from Texas who moved to New Hampshire in 2021: 1,647 (0.37% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +8,918 (+0.65%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,377,638
42. Connecticut
> People from Texas who moved to Connecticut in 2021: 2,073 (0.46% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +25,993 (+0.72%)
> Total 2021 population: 3,571,470
41. North Dakota
> People from Texas who moved to North Dakota in 2021: 2,127 (0.48% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -1,584 (-0.20%)
> Total 2021 population: 764,638
40. South Dakota
> People from Texas who moved to South Dakota in 2021: 2,229 (0.50% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +8,365 (+0.94%)
> Total 2021 population: 884,616
39. New Jersey
> People from Texas who moved to New Jersey in 2021: 2,402 (0.54% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -3,728 (-0.04%)
> Total 2021 population: 9,174,117
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38. Nebraska
> People from Texas who moved to Nebraska in 2021: 2,619 (0.59% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +912 (+0.05%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,939,700
37. Montana
> People from Texas who moved to Montana in 2021: 2,671 (0.60% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +19,152 (+1.76%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,093,888
36. Idaho
> People from Texas who moved to Idaho in 2021: 3,089 (0.69% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +55,112 (+2.98%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,879,719
35. Alaska
> People from Texas who moved to Alaska in 2021: 3,563 (0.80% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +1,259 (+0.17%)
> Total 2021 population: 723,949
34. Iowa
> People from Texas who moved to Iowa in 2021: 3,903 (0.87% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +7,118 (+0.22%)
> Total 2021 population: 3,159,672
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33. Nevada
> People from Texas who moved to Nevada in 2021: 4,317 (0.96% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +30,754 (+0.99%)
> Total 2021 population: 3,111,722
32. Minnesota
> People from Texas who moved to Minnesota in 2021: 4,889 (1.09% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +1,619 (+0.03%)
> Total 2021 population: 5,645,866
31. South Carolina
> People from Texas who moved to South Carolina in 2021: 5,464 (1.22% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +61,418 (+1.20%)
> Total 2021 population: 5,142,137
30. Massachusetts
> People from Texas who moved to Massachusetts in 2021: 5,618 (1.26% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -6,039 (-0.09%)
> Total 2021 population: 6,916,314
29. Kansas
> People from Texas who moved to Kansas in 2021: 6,016 (1.34% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +03 (+0.00%)
> Total 2021 population: 2,900,594
28. Utah
> People from Texas who moved to Utah in 2021: 6,078 (1.36% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +55,328 (+1.68%)
> Total 2021 population: 3,295,561
27. Oregon
> People from Texas who moved to Oregon in 2021: 6,469 (1.45% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +11,506 (+0.27%)
> Total 2021 population: 4,207,387
26. Michigan
> People from Texas who moved to Michigan in 2021: 6,589 (1.47% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -32,073 (-0.32%)
> Total 2021 population: 9,950,336
25. Indiana
> People from Texas who moved to Indiana in 2021: 6,591 (1.47% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +24,733 (+0.36%)
> Total 2021 population: 6,729,771
24. Hawaii
> People from Texas who moved to Hawaii in 2021: 6,849 (1.53% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -3,889 (-0.27%)
> Total 2021 population: 1,426,298
23. Kentucky
> People from Texas who moved to Kentucky in 2021: 6,892 (1.54% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -856 (-0.02%)
> Total 2021 population: 4,460,646
22. Wisconsin
> People from Texas who moved to Wisconsin in 2021: 6,893 (1.54% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -16,170 (-0.27%)
> Total 2021 population: 5,838,954
21. Maryland
> People from Texas who moved to Maryland in 2021: 6,974 (1.56% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +1,405 (+0.02%)
> Total 2021 population: 6,099,715
20. Mississippi
> People from Texas who moved to Mississippi in 2021: 7,027 (1.57% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -8,555 (-0.29%)
> Total 2021 population: 2,919,574
19. Ohio
> People from Texas who moved to Ohio in 2021: 7,248 (1.62% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -33,175 (-0.28%)
> Total 2021 population: 11,660,200
18. Pennsylvania
> People from Texas who moved to Pennsylvania in 2021: 9,271 (2.07% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +17,619 (+0.14%)
> Total 2021 population: 12,842,522
17. Alabama
> People from Texas who moved to Alabama in 2021: 10,616 (2.37% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +18,484 (+0.37%)
> Total 2021 population: 4,989,797
16. New Mexico
> People from Texas who moved to New Mexico in 2021: 10,712 (2.39% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -1,713 (-0.08%)
> Total 2021 population: 2,092,251
15. Washington
> People from Texas who moved to Washington in 2021: 10,737 (2.40% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +16,714 (+0.22%)
> Total 2021 population: 7,657,350
14. Missouri
> People from Texas who moved to Missouri in 2021: 12,919 (2.89% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +15,825 (+0.26%)
> Total 2021 population: 6,102,443
13. Virginia
> People from Texas who moved to Virginia in 2021: 13,305 (2.97% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +20,894 (+0.24%)
> Total 2021 population: 8,557,020
12. Arizona
> People from Texas who moved to Arizona in 2021: 13,312 (2.98% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +84,934 (+1.18%)
> Total 2021 population: 7,202,745
11. North Carolina
> People from Texas who moved to North Carolina in 2021: 14,240 (3.18% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +116,440 (+1.11%)
> Total 2021 population: 10,446,881
10. Tennessee
> People from Texas who moved to Tennessee in 2021: 15,300 (3.42% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +42,732 (+0.62%)
> Total 2021 population: 6,899,165
9. Illinois
> People from Texas who moved to Illinois in 2021: 15,480 (3.46% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -100,111 (-0.78%)
> Total 2021 population: 12,544,435
8. Arkansas
> People from Texas who moved to Arkansas in 2021: 16,374 (3.66% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +13,927 (+0.46%)
> Total 2021 population: 2,990,311
7. New York
> People from Texas who moved to New York in 2021: 16,818 (3.76% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -250,804 (-1.25%)
> Total 2021 population: 19,626,300
6. Louisiana
> People from Texas who moved to Louisiana in 2021: 21,290 (4.76% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -24,566 (-0.53%)
> Total 2021 population: 4,571,302
5. Georgia
> People from Texas who moved to Georgia in 2021: 21,413 (4.79% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +58,201 (+0.54%)
> Total 2021 population: 10,688,429
4. Oklahoma
> People from Texas who moved to Oklahoma in 2021: 27,223 (6.09% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +26,313 (+0.66%)
> Total 2021 population: 3,943,443
3. Florida
> People from Texas who moved to Florida in 2021: 28,243 (6.31% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +238,467 (+1.10%)
> Total 2021 population: 21,590,684
2. Colorado
> People from Texas who moved to Colorado in 2021: 29,754 (6.65% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: +26,432 (+0.46%)
> Total 2021 population: 5,757,628
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1. California
> People from Texas who moved to California in 2021: 33,577 (7.51% of all outbound Texans)
> 1-yr. net population change: -358,662 (-0.91%)
> Total 2021 population: 38,833,197
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