Even more recently, new migration trends have dispersed residents from traditional western destinations like Los Angeles and San Francisco to other places, particularly neighboring states. Over the last decade, California stands out as a notable exception in the fast-growing West; people are leaving California in droves and heading to Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. In fact, 6 of the 10 fastest-growing states benefited most from California residents, according to Census data that identified the most common origin for recent movers.
In the South, the primary beneficiaries of recent growth have been Florida, Texas, and the Carolinas. On the other end of the spectrum, the Midwest has become less popular, led by an exodus from Illinois. Outside of moves to neighboring states, which is by far the most common phenomenon for domestic migration, lots of movers also went from New York to Florida, California to Texas, Florida to Tennessee, and New York to California.
To pinpoint which states are growing the fastest, researchers at Inspection Support Network compiled U.S. Census Bureau statistics from 2015 and 2020, then compared the difference in population.
The analysis found that between 2015 and 2020, Utah added 266,253 residents, representing an increase of 8.9% to the total population. The most popular origin for recent movers to Utah was the state of California. Overall, Utah is the 3rd fastest-growing state in the United States. Here is a summary of the data for Utah:
- Percentage change in population (2015–2020): 8.9%
- Total change in population (2015–2020): 266,253
- Population 2020: 3,249,879
- Most common origin for recent movers: California
For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:
- Percentage change in population (2015–2020): 2.7%
- Total change in population (2015–2020): 8,745,129
- Population 2020: 329,484,123
- Most common origin for recent movers: N/A
For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, you can find the original report on Inspection Support Network’s website: https://www.inspectionsupport.com/resources/the-fastest-growing-metropolitan-areas-in-the-u-s/