Special Report

Cities Americans Are Abandoning

Thomas C. Frohlich, Steven Peters

Published: June 7, 2016 6:06 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 7:08 am

Moving to a new city can have a tremendous impact on a person’s life. Similarly, migration can have a significant impact on an area’s economy. With hundreds of thousands of people relocating within the United States every year, states and cities in particular compete with one another to attract new residents.

Based on net migration data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the cities with the highest incoming and outgoing net migration over the last five years.

Americans have migrated from northern to southern cities in recent years. Nine out of the 10 cities with the highest incoming migration are located in the south.

Click here to see the cities Americans are abandoning.
Click here to see the cities Americans are moving to.

Relative to their population, there was a significant outgoing migration from cities in the north such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit. The New York City metropolitan area alone lost a net of more than 700,000 people — the largest net migration loss of any U.S. metro. At the same time, southern cities such as Orlando, Atlanta, and Houston all gained at least a net 100,000 new residents.

The availability of jobs is perhaps the most important factor for Americans seeking to relocate. The national unemployment rate fell from 9.9% in April 2010 to 5.3% in July 2015, a 4.6 percentage point improvement. During the same time period, unemployment in seven of the 10 cities with the highest incoming domestic migration improved even more. By contrast, the unemployment rates in nine of the 10 cities with the highest share of their population leaving declined at a slower pace than the national decline over that period.

To identify the cities with the highest rates of domestic migration, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed domestic migration data from April 2010 to July 2015 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates, the size of the labor force, and employment levels are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These are the cities attracting the most people, and the cities Americans are abandoning.

Cities Americans are Abandoning

Source: Thinkstock

25. Wichita Falls, TX
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -3.8%
> July 2015 population: 150,780
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.2%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

24. Danville, IL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -3.8%
> July 2015 population: 79,282
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.0%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

23. Norwich-New London, CT
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -3.9%
> July 2015 population: 271,863
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.9%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

22. Kankakee, IL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.1%
> July 2015 population: 110,879
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.7%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

21. Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.2%
> July 2015 population: 155,854
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 8.6%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

20. Decatur, IL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.2%
> July 2015 population: 107,303
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.1%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

19. El Centro, CA
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.3%
> July 2015 population: 180,191
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 24.1%

Source: Thinkstock

18. Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.3%
> July 2015 population: 148,604
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.2%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

17. Saginaw, MI
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.5%
> July 2015 population: 193,307
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.1%

Source: Thinkstock

16. Trenton, NJ
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.6%
> July 2015 population: 371,398
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.7%

Source: Thinkstock

15. Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.6%
> July 2015 population: 274,219
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 9.2%

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Source: Thinkstock

14. Flint, MI
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.7%
> July 2015 population: 410,849
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.5%

Source: Thinkstock

13. Rockford, IL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.7%
> July 2015 population: 340,663
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.2%

Source: Thinkstock

12. New Bern, NC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -4.7%
> July 2015 population: 126,245
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.1%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

11. Albany, GA
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -5.5%
> July 2015 population: 153,526
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.9%

Source: Thinkstock

10. Fayetteville, NC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -5.9%
> July 2015 population: 376,509
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.4%

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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesduggar/

9. Lawton, OK
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -6.3%
> July 2015 population: 130,644
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.3%

Source: Thinkstock

8. Fairbanks, AK
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -6.8%
> July 2015 population: 99,631
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.3%

Source: Thinkstock

7. Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -7.0%
> July 2015 population: 126,427
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.3%

Source: Thinkstock

6. Pine Bluff, AR
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -7.2%
> July 2015 population: 93,696
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.9%

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/

5. Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -7.9%
> July 2015 population: 117,635
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.8%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

4. Hanford-Corcoran, CA
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -8.3%
> July 2015 population: 150,965
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 10.4%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

3. Hinesville, GA
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -9.4%
> July 2015 population: 80,198
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.0%

2. Jacksonville, NC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -10.0%
> July 2015 population: 186,311
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.1%

24/7 Wall St.
States Adding (and Losing) the Most Jobs

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1. Farmington, NM
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: -12.7%
> July 2015 population: 118,737
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.1%

Click here to see the cities Americans are moving to.

Cities Americans are Moving To

Source: Thinkstock

25. Raleigh, NC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.4%
> July 2015 population: 1,273,568
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.8%

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

24. Port St. Lucie, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.4%
> July 2015 population: 454,846
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.8%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

23. Coeur d’Alene, ID
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.4%
> July 2015 population: 150,346
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.0%

Source: Thinkstock

22. Auburn-Opelika, AL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.5%
> July 2015 population: 156,993
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.2%

Source: Thinkstock

21. Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.6%
> July 2015 population: 262,172
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.5%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

20. Prescott, AZ
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.8%
> July 2015 population: 222,255
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.5%

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Source: Thinkstock

19. Wilmington, NC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.8%
> July 2015 population: 277,969
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.5%

Source: Thinkstock

18. Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 6.9%
> July 2015 population: 207,413
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.2%

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/greeleygov/

17. Greeley, CO
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 7.1%
> July 2015 population: 285,174
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 3.9%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

16. Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 7.4%
> July 2015 population: 357,305
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.1%

Source: Thinkstock

15. Charleston-North Charleston, SC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 7.5%
> July 2015 population: 744,526
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.9%

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Source: Thinkstock

14. Fort Collins, CO
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 7.6%
> July 2015 population: 333,577
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 3.3%

Source: Thinkstock

13. St. George, UT
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 8.1%
> July 2015 population: 155,602
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.0%

Source: Thinkstock

12. Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 8.2%
> July 2015 population: 147,919
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.5%

Source: Thinkstock

11. Bismarck, ND
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 8.8%
> July 2015 population: 129,517
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 2.5%

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/

10. Austin-Round Rock, TX
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 9.3%
> July 2015 population: 2,000,860
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 3.3%

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Source: Thinkstock

9. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 9.6%
> July 2015 population: 768,918
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.9%

Source: Thinkstock

8. Bend-Redmond, OR
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 9.6%
> July 2015 population: 175,268
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 6.0%

Source: Wikimedia Commons

7. Odessa, TX
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 9.6%
> July 2015 population: 159,436
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.6%

24/7 Wall St.
Counties With the Worst Allergies in Every State

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/94097824@N05/

6. Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 10.1%
> July 2015 population: 203,709
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.5%

Source: Thinkstock

5. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 10.8%
> July 2015 population: 701,982
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 4.9%

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Source: Thinkstock

4. Midland, TX
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 11.1%
> July 2015 population: 166,718
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 3.5%

3. Punta Gorda, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 11.6%
> July 2015 population: 173,115
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 5.8%

Source: Thinkstock

2. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 13.9%
> July 2015 population: 431,964
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.2%

Source: Thinkstock

1. The Villages, FL
> 5-yr. population growth from net migration: 32.0%
> July 2015 population: 118,891
> July 2015 unemployment rate: 7.5%

Click here to see the cities Americans are abandoning.