The top states where Pennsylvanians are moving
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Florida is the top destination for Pennsylvanians who move out of the state.
Why it matters: While moving overall is at an all-time low around the U.S., there's been an uptick in state-to-state migration.
🧮 By the numbers: More than 31,700 people fled Pennsylvania for the Sunshine State between 2018 and 2022, according to newly released census data. The top states after Florida were:
- New Jersey (25,874 people).
- New York (23,281).
- Ohio (14,669).
- and Virginia (13,482).
How it works: The Census Bureau's estimates are best understood as a pooled average covering the 2018-2022 time frame.
Between the lines: Moving — across town, across the state and across the country — for new jobs and better lives was once a common part of American life. In the 1960s, around 1 in 5 Americans moved each year, according to the Brookings Institution.
- As of 2022, that had fallen to 8.7% — even accounting for the pandemic-era moves out of big coastal cities and into places like the Sun Belt.
Zoom in: Pennsylvania's population is on the decline while Philadelphia has seen an exodus of residents in recent years.
The top U.S. counties Pennsylvanians are flocking to are:
- New Castle County, Delaware.
- Camden County, New Jersey.
- New York County, New York.
- Burlington County, New Jersey.
- King County, Washington.
On the flip side: Pennsylvania was among the top states for transplants from Maryland, New York and Ohio.