Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record Numbers.

WASHINGTON — For the first time since the height of the Great Depression, more people are leaving the United States than moving in.

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau and a landmark report by The Wall Street Journal reveal that 2025 marked a historic pivot in American migration. The U.S. recorded its first period of negative net migration since 1935, a shift driven by a “perfect storm” of skyrocketing domestic costs, the normalization of remote work, and a tightening of immigration pathways.

While precise figures are difficult to pin down—as the U.S. does not officially track citizens who depart—Brookings Institution analysts estimate a national headcount deficit of approximately 150,000 people last year.

Breaking a 90-Year Streak

The 2025 shift represents a seismic departure from the “migrant invasion” rhetoric that dominated the early 2020s. According to the Census Bureau’s January 2026 update, net international migration plummeted from a peak of 2.7 million in 2024 to just 1.3 million in 2025. By the end of last year, the combination of increased voluntary departures and decreased arrivals tipped the scales into the negative.

“The slowdown in U.S. population growth is largely due to a historic decline in net international migration,” said Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections at the Census Bureau.

The last time the U.S. saw more departures than arrivals was 1935, when thousands of Americans fled the economic wreckage of the Dust Bowl and the Depression to seek work in European and Soviet manufacturing sectors. Today’s emigrants, however, are fueled by a different set of pressures.

The “Quality of Life” Equation

While high-net-worth individuals have long sought tax havens, the current exodus is being led by middle-class families, retirees, and “laptop nomads.”

1. The Financial Push

Rising housing costs and healthcare premiums are the primary “push” factors. In popular expat hubs like Mexico City, Lisbon, and Bangkok, Americans find their U.S. dollar salaries or Social Security checks stretch significantly further.

• Housing: Average rent in major U.S. metros has outpaced wage growth for four consecutive years.
• Healthcare: Many expats cite the high cost of American medical care as a deciding factor, opting instead for countries with robust public health systems.

2. The Remote Work Revolution

The “laptop nomad” culture, once a pandemic-era novelty, has matured into a permanent lifestyle. Digital nomad visas in countries like Portugal and Spain have made it legally seamless for Americans to keep their U.S. salaries while living in lower-cost regions.

3. Safety and Social Stability

For many families, the decision is visceral rather than financial. “You don’t face the prospect of your 5-year-old doing an active shooter drill in Berlin,” one American expat told the WSJ.

A Demographic Tipping Point

The surge in departures coincides with the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. The January 2026 Census report suggests that the combination of strict deportation policies and a voluntary “brain drain” of U.S. citizens could fundamentally alter the nation’s labor market.

In states like California and New York, which saw the highest outbound activity, the loss of taxpayers is already straining local budgets. Conversely, countries like Czechia and the Netherlands have seen their American resident populations more than double in the last decade.

Looking Ahead

As 2026 progresses, demographers expect the trend to accelerate. The Census Bureau projects that if current levels of emigration and restricted entry continue, net international migration could drop to as low as 321,000 by July—further tightening the U.S. labor supply and challenging the long-held narrative of “American Exceptionalism.”

For many, the “American Dream” is no longer something to be found at home, but something to be exported.