Last year, counties including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York experienced the largest exodus of people in the country — meanwhile tens of thousands poured into counties in Arizona, Texas and Florida.
Los Angeles County, still the most populous county in the United States, saw an average of 143,000 people leave for other places in the country between July 2021 and July 2022, according to the latest US Census Data.
It was followed by Cook County, home to Chicago, which lost about 94,000 people in other parts of the country. Three New York City counties — Kings, Queens and the Bronx — were among the first five counties to face an exodus.
On the other hand, Maricopa County in Arizona, home to Phoenix, has seen the largest influx of domestic immigrants, around 33,000.
It was followed by Collin County in Texas, and Polk County in Florida, which is located between Orlando and Tampa.
Last year, counties that include Los Angeles, Chicago and New York experienced the largest passive migration of people in the country. Maricopa County in Arizona, home to Phoenix, experienced the largest influx
About a third of the total homeless population in the United States – 171,521 people – are in California and Los Angeles is the hotspot in the state, with a population of 65,111.
The five counties that lost the most population in other areas of the country are each located in the high-tax states, namely California, Illinois, and New York.
By contrast, the counties with the largest influx of people were in Arizona, Texas and Florida, where taxes are much lower.
Population change is driven by immigration, both within the United States and due to the arrival of people from abroad. It also depends on whether births outnumber deaths. Domestic immigration figures are only concerned with internal migrants.
Although L.A. County lost people to internal migration, it also saw a number of people arriving from abroad, gaining nearly 34,000 last year.
California is by far the state most affected by homelessness, and Los Angeles is the epicenter of that crisis. About a third of the homeless population in the United States – 171,521 people – are in California and Los Angeles hosts about 65,000 of them.
Overall, county populations in Florida and Texas increased significantly by percentage between July 2021 and July 2022
Homelessness on First Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets in Manhattan, New York
Chicago followed a very similar trend to Los Angeles. While it lost out significantly to internal migration, it regained some of its numbers via international migration – it was the fifth most popular destination for people coming from other countries.
The city’s residents’ problems could get worse if Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s proposals become a reality, Illinois politics mentioned.
One of Johnson’s main campaign platforms is to dramatically raise taxes on what he calls “the suburbs, the airlines and the wealthy.” It could mean more businesses and people fleeing the city.
Kings County in New York, which includes Brooklyn, lost nearly 47,000 people, but the decline was half the size of the previous year.
The province of 2.5 million people has seen a strong natural increase and healthy international migration, but more than 77,000 residents have left.
In contrast, Phoenix has retained its popularity with both domestic and international immigrants. Maricopa County has grown with about 57,000 new residents and now has a population of 4.5 million.
