Additional Coverage:
- The Carolinas emerge as new population boom states. Affordability and lifestyle drive growth (apnews.com)
Carolinas Crowned New Growth Hotspots as Florida’s Luster Dims
**ORLANDO, Fla. ** – Move over, Florida and Texas!
The Carolinas are officially the new darlings of U.S. population growth, according to fresh figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.
North Carolina snagged the top spot for attracting new residents from other states last year, drawing in a hefty 84,000 people. Not to be outdone, South Carolina boasted the highest overall growth rate nationwide at 1.5%.
This marks a significant shift from previous years, where Texas and Florida dominated domestic migration. While Texas still saw a respectable influx of 67,300 domestic migrants, it barely edged out South Carolina’s 66,600. Florida, once a magnet for new residents, experienced a notable dip, falling to eighth place for state-to-state migration as more U.S. residents opted to move elsewhere, even to neighboring Alabama.
The appeal of the Sunshine State appears to be fading for some. Sabrina Morley and Steven Devereaux, for example, sold their Tampa-area home last year and relocated to Spain.
Citing concerns about rising costs, school safety, educational quality, and political divisiveness, the couple, who are expecting a daughter, felt a move was necessary. “We think where we are now, it’s the best decision we could make to give any future children the best quality of life,” Devereaux stated.
Younger Folks and Nice Areas
So, what’s the secret to the Carolinas’ success? North Carolina state demographer Michael Cline points to a combination of high-paying jobs in banking and tech, the state’s diverse geography, and the appeal of its “smaller big-cities” compared to Florida and Texas.
“North Carolina is attracting younger folks because we have so many nice areas…the mountains and beaches and lakes in between,” Cline explained, suggesting that the ability to work remotely has allowed more people to choose desirable locations.
These shifts in population growth are more than just numbers; they carry significant implications for states, influencing economic dynamism, demand for goods and services, and even future political power in Congress and the Electoral College.
The slowing of domestic migration in many states also highlights a broader trend: with a significant reduction in international migration due to stricter policies, domestic movement will play an increasingly crucial role in states’ population trajectories. Without immigration, the U.S. population is projected to begin shrinking within five years as deaths surpass births.
Pandemic Boom Peters Out
Despite the slowdown in domestic migration, Texas and Florida still posted the highest overall population growth last year, with 391,000 and 196,000 new residents, respectively. This growth was primarily fueled by international migration and, in Texas, by births outpacing deaths. Both states experienced a boom during the early pandemic, as remote work and more relaxed restrictions encouraged residents from other states to relocate.
“The sharp domestic migrations they observed during the pandemic have now petered out, especially for Florida, at the same time that immigration is being diminished,” noted Brookings demographer William Frey.
While demographers in Florida and Texas expressed some reservations about the precise accuracy of the Census Bureau’s migration figures, which can fluctuate annually, they acknowledged the rigor of the bureau’s work. The Census Bureau utilizes IRS data and its American Community Survey to calculate migration, though the ACS data has a year-long lag.
Richard Doty, a research demographer at the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research, uses a different method involving electrical customer data to track growth. He suggests that factors like Florida’s rising cost of living, increased insurance rates, a series of hurricanes, and the return-to-office mandates might contribute to the state’s significant drop in domestic migration from nearly 319,000 in 2022 to 22,500 in 2025.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ press secretary, Molly Best, acknowledged the state’s substantial influx during the pandemic and reiterated that Florida remains a top-ranked place to live. Similarly, Texas state demographer Lloyd Potter noted that while the Texas economy is growing, conditions outside the state also influence migration patterns. He emphasized that attractive communities with plentiful jobs, affordable living, and a good quality of life are less likely to see residents move elsewhere.