Texans Jack & Dodie

Retired Americans are Moving Away from Their State at Very High Numbers

Most exits in California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania

Nearly one million people aged 60 and over in the U.S. crossed state lines to make a new home in 2023, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. With a lower risk tolerance for market fluctuations, retirees may seek other ways to maximize their income and make the most out of life, including moving to places that better suit their budget, tax and lifestyle needs.

In addition to seeking fulfilling and financially secure retirements, wider trends in migration among this demographic have potential implications for the local tax base, housing market and business environment.

Key Findings

  • Southwestern cities are the most popular destinations for retirees. Mesa, AZ gained the most retirees studywide with a net gain of 2,044. In Nevada, North Las Vegas (+1,420); Paradise (+1,416); Spring Valley (+1,312); Henderson (+1,194) also made the top 10 cities retirees are flocking to, along with Scottsdale, AZ (+904).

  • Despite a preference for Southwestern cities, Florida and North Carolina are the most popular states for retirees. Florida gained the most retirees over one year at a net of +44,504. North Carolina ranked second at the state level with a net gain of 20,369. Arizona was neck and neck with North Carolina at +20,203.

  • Retirees are steering clear of New York City. In just one year, a net 17,084 retirees moved out of The Big Apple, after 23,874 individuals aged 60 and over moved out compared to only 6,790 moving in. Relative to population size, Ann Arbor, MI (-889) is losing retirees at the fastest rate.

  • At the state level, California lost the most retirees. A net of 56,858 people aged 60 and over left California in 2023. In particular, Los Angeles (-3,187) and San Diego (-2,604) had large net losses, second and third only to New York City. 

Top 10 Cities Where Retirees Are Moving

Cities are ranked based on the net migration of people aged 60 and over in 2023.

  1. Mesa, Arizona
  • Net migration: 2,044
  • Retirees who moved in: 4,941
  • Retirees who moved out: 2,897
  • Total population, all ages: 511,624
  • Total population aged 60+: 131,562
  1. North Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Net migration: 1,420
  • Retirees who moved in: 2,443
  • Retirees who moved out: 1,023
  • Total population, all ages: 284,772
  • Total population aged 60+: 52,082
  1. Paradise, Nevada
  • Net migration: 1,416
  • Retirees who moved in: 2,054
  • Retirees who moved out: 638
  • Total population, all ages: 177,413
  • Total population aged 60+: 37,849
  1. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Net migration: 1,314
  • Retirees who moved in: 2,599
  • Retirees who moved out: 1,285
  • Total population, all ages: 702,654
  • Total population aged 60+: 132,318
  1. Spring Valley, Nevada
  • Net migration: 1,312
  • Retirees who moved in: 1,421
  • Retirees who moved out: 109
  • Total population, all ages: 198,326
  • Total population aged 60+: 47,754
  1. Henderson, Nevada
  • Net migration: 1,194
  • Retirees who moved in: 3,578
  • Retirees who moved out: 2,384
  • Total population, all ages: 337,280
  • Total population aged 60+: 90,764
  1. Durham, North Carolina
  • Net migration: 1,117
  • Retirees who moved in: 1,406
  • Retirees who moved out: 289
  • Total population, all ages: 295,845
  • Total population aged 60+: 55,904
  1. Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Net migration: 1,054
  • Retirees who moved in: 2,163
  • Retirees who moved out: 1,109
  • Total population, all ages: 425,142
  • Total population aged 60+: 70,151
  1. St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Net migration: 981
  • Retirees who moved in: 2,294
  • Retirees who moved out: 1,313
  • Total population, all ages: 263,546
  • Total population aged 60+: 79,785
  1. Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Net migration: 904
  • Retirees who moved in: 2,519
  • Retirees who moved out: 1,615
  • Total population, all ages: 244,421
  • Total population aged 60+: 87,179

Top 10 Cities Retirees Are Moving Out Of

Cities are ranked based on the net migration of people aged 60 and over in 2023.

  1. New York, New York
  • Net migration: -17,084
  • Retirees who moved in: 6,790
  • Retirees who moved out: 23,874
  • Total population, all ages: 8,258,035
  • Total population aged 60+: 1,940,556
  1. Los Angeles, California
  • Net migration: -3,187
  • Retirees who moved in: 4,196
  • Retirees who moved out: 7,383
  • Total population, all ages: 3,820,963
  • Total population aged 60+: 763,361
  1. San Diego, California
  • Net migration: -2,604
  • Retirees who moved in: 1,541
  • Retirees who moved out: 4,145
  • Total population, all ages: 1,388,312
  • Total population aged 60+: 273,581
  1. Washington, District of Columbia
  • Net migration: -2,434
  • Retirees who moved in: 2,710
  • Retirees who moved out: 5,144
  • Total population, all ages: 678,972
  • Total population aged 60+: 120,177
  1. Denver, Colorado
  • Net migration: -2,286
  • Retirees who moved in: 1,801
  • Retirees who moved out: 4,087
  • Total population, all ages: 716,577
  • Total population aged 60+: 125,676
  1. Oakland, California
  • Net migration: -2,016
  • Retirees who moved in: 379
  • Retirees who moved out: 2,395
  • Total population, all ages: 436,508
  • Total population aged 60+: 88,080
  1. Arlington, Virginia
  • Net migration: -1,703
  • Retirees who moved in: 771
  • Retirees who moved out: 2,474
  • Total population, all ages: 234,162
  • Total population aged 60+: 40,434
  1. Chicago, Illinois
  • Net migration: -1,699
  • Retirees who moved in: 3,612
  • Retirees who moved out: 5,311
  • Total population, all ages: 2,664,454
  • Total population aged 60+: 533,029
  1. San Jose, California
  • Net migration: -1,668
  • Retirees who moved in: 656
  • Retirees who moved out: 2,324
  • Total population, all ages: 969,615
  • Total population aged 60+: 200,684
  1. Anchorage, Alaska
  • Net migration: -1,413
  • Retirees who moved in: 355
  • Retirees who moved out: 1,768
  • Total population, all ages: 286,075
  • Total population aged 60+: 53,946

Top 10 States Where Retirees Are Moving

States are ranked based on the net migration of people aged 60 and over in 2023.

  1. Florida
  • Net migration: 44,504
  • Retirees who moved in: 143,378
  • Retirees who moved out: 98,874
  • Total population, all ages: 22,610,726
  • Total population aged 60+: 6,515,453
  1. North Carolina
  • Net migration: 20,369
  • Retirees who moved in: 45,803
  • Retirees who moved out: 25,434
  • Total population, all ages: 10,835,491
  • Total population aged 60+: 2,610,422
  1. Arizona
  • Net migration: 20,203
  • Retirees who moved in: 54,045
  • Retirees who moved out: 33,842
  • Total population, all ages: 7,431,344
  • Total population aged 60+: 1,905,562
  1. South Carolina
  • Net migration: 14,676
  • Retirees who moved in: 34,738
  • Retirees who moved out: 20,062
  • Total population, all ages: 5,373,555
  • Total population aged 60+: 1,408,424
  1. Georgia
  • Net migration: 13,789
  • Retirees who moved in: 37,145
  • Retirees who moved out: 23,356
  • Total population, all ages: 11,029,227
  • Total population aged 60+: 2,370,455
  1. Texas
  • Net migration: 10,050
  • Retirees who moved in: 60,245
  • Retirees who moved out: 50,195
  • Total population, all ages: 30,503,301
  • Total population aged 60+: 5,889,582
  1. Nevada
  • Net migration: 5,782
  • Retirees who moved in: 22,036
  • Retirees who moved out: 16,254
  • Total population, all ages: 3,194,176
  • Total population aged 60+: 757,348
  1. Idaho
  • Net migration: 5,182
  • Retirees who moved in: 13,665
  • Retirees who moved out: 8,483
  • Total population, all ages: 1,964,726
  • Total population aged 60+: 463,084
  1. Oklahoma
  • Net migration: 4,940
  • Retirees who moved in: 13,021
  • Retirees who moved out: 8,081
  • Total population, all ages: 4,053,824
  • Total population aged 60+: 925,676
  1. Delaware
  • Net migration: 4,519
  • Retirees who moved in: 8,718
  • Retirees who moved out: 4,199
  • Total population, all ages: 1,031,890
  • Total population aged 60+: 296,881

Top 10 States Retirees Are Moving Out Of

Cities are ranked based on the net migration of people aged 60 and over in 2023.

  1. California
  • Net migration: -56,858
  • Retirees who moved in: 40,749
  • Retirees who moved out: 97,607
  • Total population, all ages: 38,965,193
  • Total population aged 60+: 8,651,346
  1. New York
  • Net migration: -39,123
  • Retirees who moved in: 26,092
  • Retirees who moved out: 65,215
  • Total population, all ages: 19,571,216
  • Total population aged 60+: 4,950,701
  1. New Jersey
  • Net migration: -15,151
  • Retirees who moved in: 17,097
  • Retirees who moved out: 32,248
  • Total population, all ages: 9,290,841
  • Total population aged 60+: 2,279,626
  1. Illinois
  • Net migration: -14,207
  • Retirees who moved in: 22,260
  • Retirees who moved out: 36,467
  • Total population, all ages: 12,549,689
  • Total population aged 60+: 3,031,809
  1. Maryland
  • Net migration: -6,118
  • Retirees who moved in: 17,243
  • Retirees who moved out: 23,361
  • Total population, all ages: 6,180,253
  • Total population aged 60+: 1,481,299
  1. Pennsylvania
  • Net migration: -4,829
  • Retirees who moved in: 27,647
  • Retirees who moved out: 32,476
  • Total population, all ages: 12,961,683
  • Total population aged 60+: 3,499,469
  1. Colorado
  • Net migration: -4,648
  • Retirees who moved in: 23,199
  • Retirees who moved out: 27,847
  • Total population, all ages: 5,877,610
  • Total population aged 60+: 1,301,867
  1. Massachusetts
  • Net migration: -4,544
  • Retirees who moved in: 15,093
  • Retirees who moved out: 19,637
  • Total population, all ages: 7,001,399
  • Total population aged 60+: 1,782,008
  1. Michigan
  • Net migration: -4,161
  • Retirees who moved in: 22,848
  • Retirees who moved out: 27,009
  • Total population, all ages: 10,037,261
  • Total population aged 60+: 2,629,520
  1. Washington
  • Net migration: -3,807
  • Retirees who moved in: 21,417
  • Retirees who moved out: 25,224
  • Total population, all ages: 7,812,880
  • Total population aged 60+: 1,822,469

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8 comments

  1. When you read this, overall, to me it looks like unease, this restless milling around. Traveling is great; I wonder though, for a lot of people, if this pulling up of roots in such amounts will go well? Although Americans do tend to do a lot of that all through their lives, related to changing jobs. Still, it says volumes about the places where the exits are high.

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  2. Small town Granbury Texas is experiencing this influx. I’m seeing plates from California, New York, MN etc, much more than in years past. Being the number one small historical town in the US was our downfall. City fathers played it up, and now we are being invaded. I’ve met many of these folks, and they are happy about being in Texas and away from their former third-world state. If we didn’t have hail the size of basketballs, Tornadoes and brutal heat, it would be ideal.

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