According to data released today from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, more Americans are leaving New York than any other state, and more Americans are moving to Texas than any other state. The recently released 2012-2013 IRIS migration data highlighted that Texas was by far the state that saw the most migration inflow during the period, receiving more than twice as many new residents as the second place state Florida.
Of note, IRS migration data for the United States are based on year-to-year address changes culled from individual income tax returns received by the agency. The data represent migration patterns by state or county and are available both for the number of new residents who moved to a state or county and where they migrated from (inflows), and the number of residents leaving a state or county and where they went (outflows).
Note that IRS migration data are not representative of the entire U.S. population because some people are not required to file tax returns.
Texas featured in the highlights of the 2012-2013 IRS migration data
Texas is apparently the place to be these days, as the Lone Star State is certainly booming in terms of migration patterns. For the years of 2012 and 2013, Texas had the largest positive net migration of 152,477 people, based on the number of exemptions claimed on 72,032 individual income tax returns. The state of Florida saw the second greatest number of migrations with 73,789 newcomers listed as exemptions on 27,991 tax returns (with almost a quarter coming from New York). It was a big drop off to third place, with South Carolina seeing a net positive migration of 28,905 people in the period based on the exemptions claimed on 13,475 returns.
According to the IRS migration data, the state of New York saw the largest negative net migration outflow during the two-year period — a total of 113,861 people based on exemptions claimed in 51,825 tax returns. Those choosing to leave New York went to Florida and New Jersey most often, with California being the third most popular destination for expatriate New Yorkers.
It turns out Texas was only the seventh most popular destination for those leaving New York. While this might seem unexpected, it’s not too surprising really, given the attitudes embodied in the long-running, tongue in cheek, New York-bashing “Get a Rope!” Pace Picante commercial that is still popular in Texas.
Also of note, Texas actually represented over half of the net migration into the southern U.S. On the other hand, people choosing to leave New York represented more than half of the net migration loss from the Northeast. People migrated to Texas from every state in the union.
Again not too surprisingly, age also apparently played a significant role in the decision to migrate. According to the IRS data, tax returns filed by primary taxpayers ages 34 or younger were more than twice as likely as those in any other age category to have migrated to another state in 2012 or 2013.
The largest net migration from one state to another during the period was the New York to Florida migration of 17,355 people based on 7,861 tax returns.
