(The Center Square) — According to new data, U.S. citizens are voting with their feet, with Florida one of the biggest beneficiaries and California losing population to other states.
Florida gained the second-greatest number of new residents in 2023, behind Texas. It was also the second fastest-growing state in the country by percentage behind South Carolina, according to recently released Vintage 2023 population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Florida was also the top destination for U.S. citizens moving from one state to another in 2023.
Nationally, the U.S. gained more than 1.6 million people, with a population growth rate of 0.5%, increasing to a total population of 334,914,895 this year. However, most of this growth was in southern states, “the nation’s most populous region,” the Census Bureau notes. The south’s total population in 2023 is an estimated 130,125,290.
The South “accounted for 87% of the nation’s growth in 2023,” according to the report. Southern states added over 1.4 million residents out of the 1.6 million added nationally.
“The South’s growth in 2023 can largely be attributed to the region’s migration patterns as 706,266 people were added via net domestic migration, while net international migration contributed almost 500,000 to the total,” the Census report states.
Four southern states — Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia — have historically seen the most growth. They accounted for 93% of the national population growth in 2022, and 67% of it in 2023.
Florida gained the second-greatest number of 365,205 residents in 2023, behind Texas. Florida was the second fastest-growing state by percentage, growing by 1.7% in 2023.
By contrast, eight states reported population losses in 2023, with California reporting the most with 75,423 fewer people. California was followed by Hawaii (lost 4,261 population), Illinois (lost 32,826), Louisiana (lost 14,274), New York (101,984 fewer residents), Oregon (lost 6,021), Pennsylvania (10,408 fewer) and West Virginia (a reduction of 3,964).
Collectively, these eight states, nearly all led by Democratic governors, lost 249,161 residents this year, according to the report.
Blue state population losses in the last few years have resulted in gains for Florida, contributing to a record number of new police recruits, record surpluses, and an expected additional three seats in Congress by the next census count.
After the 2020 Census, Florida gained one congressional seat compared to California losing one, The Center Square reported. After the 2030 Census, California is projected to lose four additional congressional seats and Florida is expected to gain three, The Center Square reported.
In a recent debate between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, DeSantis said, “You have to try to mess California up, and yet that is what Gavin Newsom has done since he’s been governor. He’s the first governor to ever lose population. They actually, at one point, ran out of U-Hauls.”
A 2022 report from U-Haul stated their outmigration numbers from California in 2021 would have been higher had they not run short on trucks to meet demand.
Other than blaming the coronavirus, Newsom hasn’t able to account for the one million people who left California in 2022 alone. The majority have said their reason for leaving is the high cost of living and increased taxes that increased under Newsom.
While Florida was the top destination for U.S. citizens moving from one state to another according to Census data, California reported the highest outmigration of any state in the country, with 338,371 Californians leaving in 2023.
In 2022, California reported a lower inbound domestic migration rate than North Dakota, The Center Square reported.
Florida’s and California’s opposite approaches to governance have also correlated with opposite national rankings. From the economy, to education, to freedom, Florida has ranked first or near first, under DeSantis; under Newsom, California has ranked last or near last in nearly every category.
