Special Report

50 ‘Blue State’ Cities People Are Absolutely Fleeing

Blue state populations are declining fast. New Jersey, Illinois, New York, and California are among the top states losing population. In fact, most of the states losing people are predominantly blue-leaning. Certainly, there are various reasons why individuals relocate to…

By Kristin Hitchcock

Published February 13, 2024, 12:50pm ET · 4 min read

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Alaska+state+skyline | Downtown Seattle, Washington from Seattle-Bremerton Ferry, Seattle, Washington — Seattle is a coastal seaport city and the seat of King County, in the U.S. state of Washington. With an estimated 652,405 residents as of 2013, Seattle is the largest city in both the State of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America and the fastest-growing major city in the United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of around 3.6 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the United States. The city is situated on a narrow isthmus between Puget Sound (an inlet of the Pacific Ocean) and Lake Washington, about 100 miles (160 km) south of the CanadaâUnited States border. A major gateway for trade with Asia, Seattle is the 8th largest port in the United States and 9th largest in North America in terms of container handling. The Seattle area had previously been inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers. Arthur A. Denny and his group of travelers, subsequently known as the Denny Party, arriv... © Downtown Seattle, Washington f... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund

Certainly, there are various reasons why individuals relocate to another state. Some may relocate due to milder weather, although that doesn’t entirely explain why states like California are experiencing a population decline. On the other hand, some colder states like Montana and Utah have also gained people, indicating that climate isn’t the sole determining factor.

There are links between poor economic freedom and population decline, too. In states with stricter laws, people generally have less freedom to get ahead, leading to stagnating wages and eventual migration. Because these blue states tend to have more economic regulation, they may inadvertently push people out.

Either way, almost all blue-state cities are experiencing a decline. Here are some of the cities with the fastest declining population:

1. Los Angeles

27 Floors Of Unfinished L.A. Luxury Skyscraper Tagged With Graffiti — Currently, many apartments are being left incomplete in L.A. due to the quickly declining population.

Population Decline Rate: 2% from 2020 to 2023
Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 76,529
Current Population: 3.82 million
Area: 501.89 km²

2. San Diego

San+Diego+California | San Diego High Rises 1 — San Diego is another Californian city with a declining population.

Population Decline Rate: 0.4% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 5,798
Current Population: 1.42 million
Area: 1,223 km²

3. San Jose

San Jose was once a thriving cultural center, but now the city is declining.

Population Decline Rate: 4.1% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 41,988
Current Population: 1.03 million
Area: 460.5 km²

4. San Francisco

Famous Lombard Street, San Francisco, California, USA — San Francisco may have many unique features, but it is currently declining.

Population Decline Rate: 7.5% from 2021 to 2022
Population Loss, 2021 to 2022: 65,522
Current Population: 873,965
Area: 121.4 km²

5. El Monte

California is known for its long beaches, but many people are leaving despite the great views.

Population Decline Rate: 3.8% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 4,125
Current Population: 105,312
Area: 274.2 km²

6. Pasadena

Population Decline Rate: 3.3% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 4,508
Current Population: 134,211
Area: 259.3 km²

7. Long Beach

Long Beach is best known for its beaches, but it’s also home to the Walter Pyramid.

Population Decline Rate: 3.3% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 15,468
Current Population: 451,307
Area: 130.8 km²

8. Oakland

Oakland may not be as big as L.A., but it is still a sizable city.

Population Decline Rate: 2.3% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 10,107
Current Population: 440,647
Area: 202.5 km²

9. California City

This “quint” city is home to nearly 380,000 people but is declining like much of the state.

Population Decline Rate: 1.1% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 6,864
Population: 379,540
Area: 341.1 km²

10. Anaheim

Anaheim isn’t a huge city in California, but it is still declining.

Population Decline Rate: 0.07% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 2,364
Current Population: 346,824
Area: 138.1 km²

11. Honolulu

Storm chasing surfers and body boarders enjoy the waves kicked up by Hurricane Lane — While this city is known for being a tropical paradise, it’s experiencing a decline of around 0.75%.

Population Decline Rate: 2.1% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20,868
Population: 995,638
Area: 305 km²

12. Hilo

Hilo, Hawaii, may not seem that large. However, compared to other areas of Hawaii, it is.

Population Decline Rate: 0.44% from 2020 to 2021
Population Loss, 2020 to 2021: 824
Current Population: 44,108
Area: 51 km²

13. Kalihiwai

Hawaii is a beautiful place, but it has a very high cost of living.

Population Decline Rate: 57.32% since 2000
Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 550
Population: 306
Area: 2.65 sq mi

14. Kaneohe

Like much of Hawaii, this small town is also decreasing in size.

Population Decline Rate: 4.1% since 2000
Population Loss, 2000 to 2023: 493
Current Population: 11,342
Area: 51 km²

15. Omao

Largely due to the cost of living, this small town is also decreasing in population.

Population Decline Rate: 3.03% since 2000
Population Loss, 2000 to 2023: 41
Current Population: 1,184
Area: 1.27 sq mi

16. Chicago

Chicago+Illinois | Chicago, Illinois, USA — Chicago is a massive city, but its population has decreased for years.

Population Decline Rate: 3% from 2020 to 2023
Population Lose, 2020 to 2023: 81,313
Population: 2,746,388
Area: 277.1 km²

17. Aurora

While much smaller than Chicago, this city has also been decreasing in population for years.

Population Decline Rate: 10% from 2017 to 2022
Population Loss, 2017 to 2022: 19,789
Current Population: 197,899
Area: 89.5 km²

18. Naperville

Naperville may not be nearly as famous as Chicago, but it is a sizable town.

Population Decline Rate: 0.001% since 2017
Population Loss, 2017 to 2023: 80
Current Population: 149,540
Area: 129.5 km²

19. Joliet

With a population of over 140,000, this sizable down has also been decreasing.

Population Decline Rate: 0.2% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 341
Current Population: 148,405
Area: 66.4 km²

20. Rockford

Rockford is one of the smaller cities in Illinois, but it has also been experiencing population decline.

Population Decline Rate: 1.3% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,949
Current Population: 95,840
Area: 148.8 km²

21. New York City

New York is a historic city, but it has been declining for decades.

Population Decline Rate: 5.3% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 468,297
Population: 8,804,397
Area: 833 km²

22. Buffalo

Looking southward along Main Street from just before Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo, New York, on the first day of a two-day November 2022 winter storm — Buffalo is much smaller than New York City, but it is also experiencing population decline.

Population Decline Rate: 0.7% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,815
Current Population: 278,349
Area: 422.8 km²

23. Rochester

Smaller still is Rochester. This city will likely get even smaller over the next few years.

Population Decline Rate: 0.9% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,969
Population: 211,088
Area: 106.7 km²

24. Yonkers

Yonkers is a lesser-known city in New York.

Population Decline Rate: 1.6% from 2020 to 2023
Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 3,464
Population: 201,000
Area: 18 km²

25. Syracuse

Syracuse may not be as large as other cities on this list, but it is going to get even smaller over the next decade.

Population Decline Rate: 2.8% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 4,157
Current Population: 145,170
Area: 61.0 km²

26. Portland

Portland+Oregon | Portland — As one of the bluest cities around, Portland is decreasing in population very quickly.

Population Decline Rate: 2.7% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 17,451
Current Population: 654,762
Area: 376.6 km²

27. Union County

Salem, OR | Salem, Oregon, USA downtown city skyline — Union County has experienced quite the huge decline that Portland has, but it is stagnating in population.

Population Decline Rate: 0.1% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20
Current Population: 26,177
Area: 105.4 mi²

28. Pendleton

Pendleton is a quaint town that is declining despite the state’s slight rebound in 2023.

Population Decline Rate: 0.8% from 2022 to 2023
Population Loss, 2022 to 2023: 134
Current Population: 16,785
Area: 98.9 km²

29. Gresham

Population Decline Rate: 2.3% from 2020 to 2023
Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 2,634
Current Population: 111,621
Area: 50.6 km²

30. Beaverton

Beaverton isn’t nearly as well-known as some of the other cities on this list, but it is home to its famous farmers’ market.

Population Decline Rate: 0.5% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 480
Current Population: 96,121
Area: 54.6 km²

31. Philadelphia

While this city is historic, Covid-19 had a huge impact on its population.

Population Decline Rate: 2.3% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 36,541
Current Population: 1,567,442
Area: 349.9 km²

32. Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania+state+skyline | Downtown Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh is absolutely a city, but its population is surprisingly small and stagnated.

Population Decline Rate: 0.01% from 2020 to 2023
Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 200
Current Population: 302,898
Area: 88.0 km²

33. Allentown

Allentown is a quaint city, and it will likely remain that way for some time.

Population Decline Rate: 0.6% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 764
Current Population: 73,037
Area: 46.5 km²

34. Erie

Pennsylvania is experiencing an overall population decline, which is affecting many of its cities.

Population Decline Rate: 1.4% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,338
Current Population: 96,894
Area: 99.2 km²

35. Reading

Reading, PA | Autumn in Reading, Pennsylvania — Reading is declining at a slower rate than in other cities, but it is still declining.

Population Decline Rate: 0.3% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 242
Current Population: 95,092
Area: 21.3 km²

36. Detroit

Michigan | Detroit Aerial Panorama — Detroit may only be marginally left-leaning, but its population is dropping faster than most.

Population Decline Rate: 2.9% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 18,739
Population: 620,376
Area: 142.9 mi²

37. Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs is a beautiful town that draws many tourists, but the town is losing people like the rest of New York.

Population Decline Rate: 0.38% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 150
Current Population: 28,375
Area: 66.3 km²

38. Cooperstown

Cooperstown is home to the National Baseball Museum.

Population Decline Rate: 1.08% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20
Current Population: 1,834
Area: 21.3 km²

39. Astoria

Astoria Oregon — Astoria is declining at a slightly lower rate than other cities.

Population Decline Rate: 0.1% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20
Current Population: 10,182
Area: 33.5 km²

40. McMinnville

Despite being lesser-known than other cities, McMinnville is declining pretty quickly.

Population Decline Rate: 1% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 346
Population:34,120
Area: 29.7 km²

41. Gettysburg

This historic town is declining like much of the state.

Population Decline Rate: 3.4% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 261
Current Population: 7,423
Area: 8.0 km²

42. Lancaster

Lancaster is pretty large these days, but its population has stagnated and started to decline.

Population Decline Rate: 2.17% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,287
Current Population: 58,034
Area: 20.7 km²

43. Providence

Providence+Rhode+Island | Providence, Rhode Island — Providence typically has population growth. However, the last few years have seen a steep decline.

Population Decline Rate: 0.07% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,369
Current Population:189,563
Area: 53.1 km²

44. Warwick

Warwick is the second-largest city in Rhode Island and is also declining (though not at the same rate).

Population Decline Rate: 0.01% from 2020 to 2021
Population Loss, 2020 to 2021: 146
Current Population: 82,783
Area: 98.7 km²

45. Cranston

Cranston has a large Italian-American community, but it has been in decline for several years.

Population Decline Rate: 0.22% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 757
Population: 82,691
Area: 58.1 km²

46. Pawtucket

Pawtucket used to be very large. However, it has declined sharply since its glory days.

Population Decline Rate: 1.11% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 836
Current Population: 75,176
Area: 24.5 km²

47. East Providence

East Providence is technically different from Providence, but it is also declining in population.

Population Decline Rate: 0.9% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 442
Current Population: 46,691
Area: 35.5 km²

48. Baltimore

Baltimore has been declining almost every year for the last two decades, with some declines reaching almost 2% – and growths being much smaller.

Population Decline Rate: 2.7% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 15,762
Current Population: 569,931
Area: 501.89 km²

49. Columbia

Columbia may be known for its organized, planned nature. However, its population has been decreasing over the last few years.

Decline Rate: 0.309% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 326
Current Population: 105,086
Area: 140.7 km²

50. Santa Ana

Population Decline Rate: 0.8% from 2020 to 2022
Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 2,366
Current Population: 308,189
Area: 90.4 km²

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Kristin Hitchcock

Kristin Hitchcock is a financial expert who has been writing on topics related to retirement for over eight years. Her knowledge spans a wide range of areas, including navigating the complexities of Social Security, developing sustainable investment strategies, and helping individuals achieve their retirement goals.
Throughout her career, she has written for various platforms, including several retirement communities, to ensure that seniors have access to clear and actionable financial advice.

Kristin is also an active investor with more than ten years of experience in a diverse range of investment strategies, including short-term trades, dividend stocks, and options. She enjoys simplifying complex trading concepts by writing easy-to-follow guides that help readers meet their investment goals.

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