Before the pandemic, Washington state’s population growth was rapid — during the 2010s the population increased by nearly a million. However, after 2020 the pace slowed, and while natural increase and international migration remain positive, the state has begun losing people to moves to other parts of the U.S.
From 2020 to 2024 the net outflow of Washington residents to other states exceeded 20,000 people. But the situation is uneven: some states actively attract new Washington residents, while others are, conversely, sources of new arrivals.
California has been the largest “donor” for Washington. About 51,000 Californians move here each year, while 33,000 move back. The net gain is about 18,000 people per year — mainly because of astronomical housing prices in California, which make even comparatively pricey Washington seem more affordable. The median home price in Seattle is about $850,000, roughly 30–40% lower than in San Francisco (about $1.4M), and 10–15% lower than in Los Angeles (about $1M). At the same time, salaries in tech and other industries in Seattle are comparable to those in California, making the move financially attractive.
Oregon is second: 29,000 moves into Washington versus 21,000 in the opposite direction. The net gain is nearly 8,000 people per year. A significant share of these moves are short relocations within the Portland metro area, where the Columbia River marks the border between the states — and with it tax differences. Washington has no personal income tax, like Texas and Florida, which attracts migrants from California, where the rate reaches 13.3%. In return, the state relies on a higher sales tax (an average of 8.9% versus 6.3% in California) and property tax (about 0.9% of a home’s value per year, higher than California’s ~0.7%). Oregon, by contrast, has an income tax but almost no sales tax.
The third spot is occupied by a surprising state — Maryland. Although the flow between it and Washington is small (about 3,000 a year), it is nearly twice the reverse. Nevada and Illinois also rank among the top five sources of in-migration — each has provided Washington with a net gain of roughly 1,100 people per year.
Washington’s largest losses have been to Arizona. Nearly 19,000 residents move there each year, while only 8,800 move back. The net outflow is 10,200 people — unsurprising, given Arizona’s more affordable housing and year-round sunshine.
It is nearly matched by Idaho (also about a 10,200 annual net outflow). Moves there are explained by lower cost of living, proximity to nature, and a more conservative political climate. In third place is Texas (net outflow 6,400 people), which attracts with sunshine and no personal income tax.
Oklahoma and Tennessee are also in the top five recipient states. The latter could climb the rankings in coming years: Starbucks, whose headquarters are in Seattle, recently announced construction of a $100 million office in Nashville that will serve the Central and Southern U.S. regions. However, this is an expansion, not a relocation: the headquarters and main operations remain in Seattle, in the SoDo area. The new center will create about 200 jobs and, although the loss of some administrative functions may slightly reduce demand for downtown Seattle office space, the company continues to invest in its primary base — a new innovation center was opened in 2023. For now, Tennessee draws about 2,000 Washington residents annually.
Based on: Which states WA is gaining and losing residents from