A new study reveals which states want to relocate from the US the most.
The research conducted by luggage shipping experts, MyBaggage.com analyzes all 52 states based on the number of times per month each Googles a term related to moving abroad.
The data includes 285 keywords, such as “best countries to move to,” “best European countries to live,” “minimum wage by country 2024,” “how to move to USA from UK,” “should I move to Australia,” and “legal requirements to move to Portugal.”
The number of searches for each term was then added to give a total for each state. This was then compared to the population to calculate the number of searches per 100,000 people.
Ranking | State | Average monthly keyword searches | Keyword searches (Per 100k Population) |
1 | Wyoming | 672 | 115 |
2 | Vermont | 725 | 112 |
3 | Alaska | 738 | 101 |
4 | North Dakota | 706 | 90 |
5 | Hawaii | 1,156 | 81 |
6 | Montana | 893 | 78.79 |
7 | Rhode Island | 859 | 78.39 |
8 | Delaware | 808 | 78.34 |
9 | Oregon | 3,281 | 77.5 |
10 | Colorado | 4,550 | 77.41 |
11 | New Hampshire | 1,084 | 77.33 |
12 | Maine | 1,078 | 77.26 |
13 | South Dakota | 705 | 76.69 |
14 | Washington | 5,875 | 75.2 |
15 | Nevada | 2,287 | 72 |
16 | Utah | 2,354 | 69 |
17 | Idaho | 1,254 | 64 |
18 | Arizona | 4,583 | 62 |
19 | Nebraska | 1,214 | 61 |
20 | Florida | 13,535 | 60 |
The States Most Likely to Relocate
Wyoming is the state most eager to relocate, with a total average of 115 searches per 100,000 residents and a total of 672 per month on average.
Among Wyoming's top search terms are “best countries in the world,” “best countries to live in,” “countries that speak English,” “best countries for Americans to move to,” and “move to Canada from USA.”
Other states making the top 5 list are Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, and Hawaii.
Mississippi is the state least interested in moving abroad, with just 50 searches per 100,000 residents.
Top Relocation-Related Search Terms in the US
The data also highlights the top relocation-related search terms across the US, with “best countries to live in" being the top term, with an average of 21,698 searches per month.
Paul Stewart, Managing Director of MyBaggage.com, comments on the study findings,
“Wyoming has been ranked the 5th best place to live, according to a recent study. However, Wyomingites seem most eager to leave the state and settle elsewhere.
“Americans leave the U.S. for a number of factors, including better job prospects, a lower cost of living, better quality of life, studying abroad, better healthcare, marriage and relationship, or just travel and adventure.
“If you are considering moving elsewhere, it is important to consider several factors.
“Understanding your tax responsibilities in both the U.S. and your destination country is recommended, as depending on the destination, you may need to file taxes in both places.
“Legal and immigration requirements are also important, as you need to determine what type of visa or residence permit you need and the process for obtaining long-term residency or citizenship if that’s your goal.”
