A new Gallup survey reveals a significant rise in the number of young Americans — especially women — who say they would like to move abroad for good.
For the second consecutive year, Gallup found that roughly one in five Americans wishes to permanently relocate to another country. But interest is sharply increasing among younger women: 40% of women ages 15 to 44 now say they would leave the U.S. if they could. A decade earlier, only about a quarter as many women in that age group felt the same.
By comparison, 19% of men in the same age range expressed a desire to move abroad, creating the widest gender gap Gallup has measured since tracking began globally in 2007.
The shift began noticeably in 2016, near the end of President Barack Obama’s second term. That year’s polling took place during the presidential campaign season, after both parties had selected their presumptive nominees. While the timing suggests a political backdrop, Gallup stated that the trend reflects a broader cultural change rather than a solely partisan reaction.
The latest findings arrive shortly after an election where young women played a decisive role. In Virginia’s gubernatorial race, Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears with the help of a substantial gender divide among voters. A Fox News survey reported that 65% of women supported Spanberger, compared to 35% backing Earle-Sears. Among men, the race was nearly even, with Spanberger trailing by only four points.
Spanberger’s campaign focused heavily on abortion rights. In an ad released weeks before Election Day, she criticized Earle-Sears for calling abortion “wicked” and opposing Virginia’s proposed constitutional protections for reproductive rights.
The political landscape has continued to shift since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Democratic leaders — including former Vice President Kamala Harris — have made reproductive rights a central message. While national outcomes have varied, that strategy proved successful in Virginia, where Spanberger is now set to become the state’s first female governor.
