Are Taxes Driving Americans to Pack Up and Move?

by | May 26, 2026

ARTICLE | May 26, 2026

New IRS migration data for 2022-2023 confirms what many tax professionals have long observed: Americans are increasingly relocating to states with lower tax burdens -- and taking their income with them. According to a recent analysis by the Tax Foundation, states with no individual income tax, such as Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, dominated the list of top gainers, while high-tax states like California, New York, and Illinois saw significant population and revenue losses.

The fiscal consequences are striking. California lost nearly $12 billion in net adjusted gross income, while Florida gained over $20 billion. Perhaps most telling, it is not just any residents leaving -- it is higher earners. Massachusetts lost an estimated $141,672 in AGI per departing resident, compounding the long-term budget pressure on states already struggling to retain their tax base.

While taxes are not the only reason people move, this data makes clear that tax competitiveness matters -- especially for high-net-worth individuals and business owners. 

 

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