AmerExit by the Numbers: How Many Americans Are Actually Leaving? (2026 Data)

“AmerExit” entered the mainstream lexicon after the 2024 presidential election, when Google searches for “how to leave the US” spiked over 1,000% in a single week. But the data tells a story that started well before any single election cycle. The underlying drivers — healthcare costs, housing affordability, political polarization, remote work normalization — have been building pressure for years. The election was not the cause. It was the valve that finally popped.

The numbers that followed were staggering. In 2025, for the first time since the Great Depression, more people left the United States than entered it — a net outflow of roughly 150,000 people. Citizenship renunciations surged 102% year over year. Passport applications hit all-time records. Immigration attorneys reported waitlists for consultations stretching months into the future.

But how much of this is real, and how much is noise? How many Americans are actually packing their bags versus simply doom-scrolling? This article cuts through the headlines and looks at what the data actually says about the AmerExit phenomenon — who is leaving, where they are going, and whether the trend has legs.

The Numbers: What the Data Actually Shows

Let us start with the hard data. The picture is a composite drawn from Federal Register renunciation lists, Census Bureau migration estimates, State Department passport data, and multiple survey sources. No single number tells the full story, but together they paint a clear trend.

Citizenship renunciations: 1,285 US citizens formally renounced their citizenship in Q1 2025 alone, a 102% increase compared to Q1 2024. This is the highest quarterly figure since FATCA reporting began driving renunciations among dual citizens in 2014. The full-year 2025 figure is projected to exceed 6,000, which would be an all-time record.

Net migration: For the first time since the 1930s, the United States recorded a net negative migration figure — approximately 150,000 more people left than arrived. This reversal is driven by a combination of reduced immigration inflows and increased emigration outflows.

Survey data: A 2025 Gallup/Monmouth composite survey found that 42% of Americans have considered leaving the country within the next two years. Among Gen Z respondents (ages 18–30), that figure rises to 63%. Among LGBTQ+ Americans, 61%. Among Hispanic Americans, 61%. Two-thirds of Americans already living abroad say the 2024 election reinforced their decision to stay overseas.

Passport applications: The State Department processed a record number of passport applications in 2025, surpassing the previous high set in 2023. While a passport does not equal emigration, it is a leading indicator of intent to travel — and potentially relocate.

The trend lines are unmistakable. Renunciations are climbing toward all-time highs, net migration has collapsed from nearly half a million positive in 2020 to negative territory in 2025, and passport demand continues to break records. The question is no longer whether Americans are leaving. It is where they are going.

Where Are They Going?

The destinations are not random. Americans are clustering in countries that offer some combination of affordability, visa accessibility, cultural familiarity, and quality of life. Based on visa application data, expat community growth, and real estate trends in receiving countries, these are the top destinations for Americans moving abroad in 2025–2026.

Portugal and Mexico dominate for different reasons. Portugal offers the full EU package — Schengen access, path to citizenship in five years, excellent healthcare — at a fraction of Western European prices. Mexico wins on sheer proximity: same time zones, cheap flights home, and no visa required for stays up to 180 days. Spain is surging thanks to its digital nomad visa and the fact that it simply scores highest on lifestyle in our entire database. France is the surprise mover, with American applications tripling in the past two years.

For a deeper comparison of these destinations, explore our full ranking of the best countries for Americans or use the country comparison tool to put any two head to head.

Who Is Leaving?

The stereotype of the AmerExit emigrant — a young, politically frustrated liberal fleeing to Canada — is outdated. The demographic picture is far more diverse than the memes suggest.

Remote workers (30s–40s, tech and creative fields): This is the largest and fastest-growing segment. They are not fleeing anything — they are optimizing. A senior developer earning $150,000 from a US company can live like royalty in Lisbon or Mexico City while banking the difference. The math is simple: cost arbitrage plus lifestyle upgrade equals a rational economic decision.

Retirees (60s+): Healthcare costs are the primary driver. A retired couple on $3,000/month in Social Security can barely afford a one-bedroom apartment in most US cities after factoring in Medicare supplemental premiums and out-of-pocket medical costs. That same $3,000 buys a comfortable life with quality healthcare in Costa Rica, Malaysia, or Spain.

Gen Z (18–30): Political frustration plays a larger role here, but so does economics. With student debt, unaffordable housing, and a general sense that the social contract is broken, 63% of Gen Z respondents say they have considered leaving. Many are pursuing working holiday visas or citizenship by descent through European ancestry.

LGBTQ+ community: With 61% considering leaving, this group is motivated by both policy concerns and personal safety. They are seeking countries with stronger legal protections, marriage equality, and cultural acceptance. Our LGBTQ+ expat rankings cover the best options.

Families: Education quality, safety, and healthcare are the drivers. The cost of raising a child in the US has climbed past $310,000 (before college), and school safety concerns have pushed many families to explore countries where those fears simply do not exist. See our guide for American families moving abroad.

Across all groups, the motivations converge on a few core themes: 49% cite lower cost of living as their primary motivator, while a broader 86% say affordable living is among their top reasons. Healthcare, safety, and quality of life round out the list.

The Reality Check

Before the AmerExit narrative runs away with itself, some important caveats. The gap between “considering leaving” and “actually leaving” is enormous.

Most AmerExit searches do not convert to actual moves. The 42% who say they have “considered” leaving includes everyone from serious planners to people who Googled it once at 11 PM after watching the news. Search volume for “how to move abroad” spikes around every major political event and then fades. Talking about leaving and doing it are very different things.

Visa requirements are the number-one barrier. Most countries do not make it easy for Americans to immigrate. You cannot just show up and stay. You need either a specific visa category (work, retirement, investment, digital nomad), a second citizenship (through ancestry or naturalization), or an employer willing to sponsor you. Our visa accessibility guide breaks down which countries are genuinely open.

US citizenship-based taxation follows you everywhere. The United States is one of only two countries in the world (the other is Eritrea) that taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they live. Moving abroad does not eliminate your US tax obligation. The FEIE and FTC can help, but the filing requirements are real and ongoing.

The commonly cited “9 million Americans living abroad” statistic also deserves scrutiny. That figure, from the State Department, includes military personnel, government employees, and their families stationed overseas. The number of Americans who have independently chosen to live abroad is likely closer to 4–5 million. Still significant, but context matters.

Actually leaving requires: a valid visa or second citizenship, serious financial planning, tax compliance strategy, healthcare coverage, and often years of preparation. It is not a weekend decision. Read our guide to what nobody tells you about moving abroad for the unvarnished reality.

Will the Trend Continue?

Arguments for acceleration: Remote work normalization is the single biggest structural enabler. In 2019, fewer than 15 countries offered digital nomad visas. Today, 73 countries have formal programs, and more are launching every quarter. This means the legal infrastructure for Americans to live abroad while keeping US-based income has never been more accessible. Add to that rising US housing costs (median home price now exceeds $400,000), healthcare inflation that outpaces wages every year, and a generational shift in attitudes toward geographic flexibility, and the conditions for continued outflow are firmly in place.

Arguments for slowing: The most popular destinations are tightening their doors. Portugal ended its Golden Visa for real estate in 2023. Spain terminated its Golden Visa entirely in 2024. Housing crises in Lisbon, Barcelona, and other expat-heavy cities are generating local backlash against foreign residents — particularly Americans perceived as driving up rents. Some destinations may raise digital nomad visa income thresholds or cap the number of permits. There is also the phenomenon of “AmerExit fatigue” — as the term becomes a meme and the novelty wears off, casual interest may subside even as serious movers continue.

The most likely outcome is bifurcation: the number of Americans seriously relocating will continue to climb, driven by structural economic factors, while the broader cultural buzz around AmerExit fades from peak intensity. The trend is real. The hype cycle has its own timeline.

Start With Data, Not Headlines

Whether you are seriously considering a move abroad or just exploring the idea, the worst thing you can do is make a life-altering decision based on a trending hashtag or a viral TikTok. Start with data. Look at cost of living, visa pathways, healthcare quality, safety, and tax implications for your specific situation. The countries that top the headlines are not always the countries that top the rankings.

Here is where to start:

• Leaving the US hub — our comprehensive resource center for Americans exploring a move abroad.
• Take the 2-minute country quiz — get a personalized ranking based on your priorities, budget, and lifestyle preferences.
• Compare countries side by side — put any two destinations head to head on seven dimensions.
• Use the tools — tax comparison calculator, visa checker, cost of living explorer, and more.

The AmerExit numbers are real and they are growing. But the most important number is the one that applies to your life: how much further your money goes, how much safer your family feels, how much better your quality of life could be. That is what the data is for.