The largest source of new residents to the states of Florida and Texas last year was from other countries, according to recent migration data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. In Florida, with over 23 million residents, more than 45% of the nearly 634,000 residents who had moved from a different state or abroad in the previous year came from a foreign country. Texas, with a population of 30.5 million, saw 43% of the approximately 612,000 residents who had lived elsewhere in the previous year originating from another country.
While the specifics of which countries these new residents arrived from were not detailed in the data, stories like that of Priscila Coronado who relocated from Guatemala to Miami highlight the pursuit of a better future. Coronado expressed her happiness, stating, “My dream is to study, learn English, and graduate with a nursing degree. There is no crime here, and that is an achievement.”
Although Florida and Texas attracted a significant number of new residents, they also experienced outward migration. Georgia saw an influx of former Floridians last year, while California welcomed the most ex-Texans. Additionally, New York was the leading origin state for new Floridians, while California had the highest number of residents who had previously resided in Texas.
The shifting patterns of migration among these states reflect the diverse sources of population growth and movement across the United States. As more individuals seek opportunities and a better quality of life, these trends provide insight into the dynamic nature of state-to-state migration in the country.
This report includes contributions from Associated Press writer Gisela Salomon in Miami and encourages readers to follow Mike Schneider on the social platform X: @MikeSchneiderAP.