Where Americans Are Actually Moving in 2026: An Interactive State-by-State Guide

On November 6, 2024, something remarkable happened. Google searches for “how to move out of the country” spiked 854% in a single day. Visits to articles about countries that pay you to relocate surged over 800%. And unlike previous election cycles where the interest faded in weeks, this time the searches kept climbing through 2025 and into 2026.

But here is the part nobody talks about: Americans do not all want to move to the same place. Where you live right now is the single strongest predictor of where you want to go next. A moveBuddha analysis of millions of Google searches revealed that geography, heritage, and proximity create distinct migration corridors that look more like rivers than random scattering.

Vermonters search for Canada. Hawaiians eye Japan. Floridians look to Costa Rica. New Yorkers dream of Lisbon. These patterns are not random — they are deeply logical, and understanding them can help you make a better decision about your own move.

Find Your State's Top Destinations

We compiled data from Google Trends, moveBuddha's migration research, State Department records, and visa application statistics to map where residents of every US state (plus DC) are most interested in moving. Select your state below to see the results.

The Six Migration Corridors

When you zoom out from individual states, six distinct migration corridors emerge. Each region of America has its own set of preferred destinations, driven by a mix of proximity, cultural heritage, economic motivation, and political sentiment.

The Data: Where Americans Want to Go Most

Looking at raw search volume data, Portugal has dethroned Canada as the most-searched relocation destination for Americans for the first time ever. This represents a seismic shift — Canada dominated this list for over a decade due to proximity and cultural familiarity.

Portugal's rise is driven by its digital nomad visa, extremely low cost of living compared to US coastal cities, and a rapidly growing American expat community in Lisbon and Porto.

Why This Time Is Different

“I'm moving to Canada” has been an American catchphrase after every contentious election since 2004. But the data shows 2024–2026 is fundamentally different from previous cycles:

The key difference: in 2016, it was primarily a political reaction that faded. In 2024, Americans are leaving for a cocktail of reasons — healthcare costs, housing affordability, work-life balance, personal safety, and yes, politics. That multi-factor motivation creates durable demand.

The Heritage Pipeline: Citizenship by Descent

One of the most overlooked migration corridors runs through family history. An estimated 40 million Americans may qualify for citizenship in an EU country through ancestry — particularly Ireland and Italy, which have generous descent-based citizenship laws.

This explains why Massachusetts (huge Irish diaspora) searches Ireland at 3x the national average, and why New Jersey and Connecticut (Italian heritage) have outsized interest in Italy. These are not just vacation fantasies — they are people discovering they may already be eligible for an EU passport.

Learn more in our guide to citizenship by descent countries.

The Proximity Factor

Geography still matters enormously. States bordering Canada search Canada at 2-3x the national average. Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico show disproportionate interest in Mexico. And Hawaii's Pacific Rim orientation means residents look toward Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines rather than Europe.

This is not just about short flights home — it is about cultural familiarity, time zone alignment for remote work, and the psychological comfort of being “close enough” to return quickly if needed. For first-time expats, proximity reduces the anxiety of the unknown.

The Remote Work Catalyst

The states with the highest per-capita emigration interest — Oregon, Washington, California, New York — are also the states with the highest remote work rates. This is not a coincidence.

Remote workers earning US salaries in countries with 50-75% lower costs of living are essentially giving themselves a massive raise. A software engineer earning $150,000 in San Francisco has roughly $45,000 in discretionary income after rent, taxes, and living costs. That same person in Lisbon keeps about $105,000. In Chiang Mai, closer to $120,000.

This “geo-arbitrage” explains why digital nomad destinations dominate the search rankings from tech-heavy states.

The Southern Healthcare Exodus

One of the most striking patterns in the data: states with limited Medicaid expansion show significantly higher “leave America” search rates. Oklahoma (#1), South Carolina (#3), Iowa (#4), and Alabama (#5) are all among the top searchers.

The motivation is overwhelmingly healthcare-related. Americans in these states are discovering that countries like Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama offer quality healthcare at a fraction of US costs — often with universal coverage for legal residents.

A hip replacement costs $40,000–$55,000 in the US. In Costa Rica, it is $12,000–$15,000 with comparable outcomes. For uninsured or underinsured Americans, the math is impossible to ignore. See our detailed healthcare comparison guide.

What the Data Tells You About Your Move

If you are reading this article, you are likely in the research phase. Here is how to use these state-by-state patterns productively:

1. Start Where Your Neighbors Are Going — Then Expand

The destinations popular with your state are popular for good reasons: shared cultural expectations, existing support networks, and proven visa pathways. Use them as starting points, not final answers.

2. Understand Your Primary Motivation

Is it cost of living? Healthcare? Safety? Politics? Career opportunity? Each motivation leads to a different optimal destination. Our WhereNext quiz helps you weight these factors against 95 countries simultaneously.

3. Do Not Follow Trends Blindly

Portugal is trending hard, but it may not be right for you. If you need Spanish-language immersion for your kids, Mexico or Spain may be better. If you need to maintain East Coast working hours, only European destinations work. If proximity to aging parents matters, Canada or Mexico beats anything across the Atlantic.

4. Check Your Heritage

Before you start a visa application, check if you qualify for citizenship by descent. Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Germany, and several other countries offer citizenship through grandparents or even great-grandparents. An EU passport changes the calculus entirely.

5. Test Before You Commit

Spend 2-4 weeks in your top choice before signing a lease. Every country looks different from the inside. The seasonal planner can help you pick the right month to visit, and our moving abroad checklist covers everything you need to prepare.

The Big Picture: America's Outbound Migration Moment

What we are witnessing is not a momentary reaction. It is a structural shift in how Americans think about where to build their lives. The combination of remote work normalization, rising domestic costs, political polarization, and an increasingly connected world has created the conditions for sustained outbound migration at a scale America has never seen.

The State Department estimates over 9 million Americans now live abroad — and that number is likely an undercount since registration is voluntary. If current trends continue, we could see 12–15 million by 2030.

Whether you are in Oklahoma researching Costa Rica or in Brooklyn dreaming of Lisbon, you are part of a movement that is reshaping not just American demographics, but the global expat landscape. The data says you are not alone — and increasingly, the practical barriers to moving abroad are lower than they have ever been.

Explore all 95 countries in our database, or compare any two countries side by side to start narrowing down your options.