At least 180,000 Americans estimated to have moved abroad
Sharp increase in applications to renounce U.S. citizenship
Surge in residence permits for moves to Europe
An analysis has found that the United States, long called a "nation of immigrants," experienced net population outflow last year. It is estimated to be the first such case since the era of the Great Depression.
On the 25th (local time), the U.S. daily Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, based on an analysis of immigration and residency statistics from 15 countries including European nations, that at least 180,000 Americans moved to other countries last year. Since the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961), the United States has not compiled comprehensive statistics on population outflows to overseas destinations. However, multiple indicators, including residency and immigration statistics from other countries, show a clear trend of increasing emigration of Americans.
According to the WSJ analysis, in most of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), the number of Americans entering for the purpose of residence or employment has hit an all-time high. By country, the growth trend is even more pronounced. According to statistics from the Portuguese government, the number of Americans residing in Portugal last year reached 26,000, a surge of about 450% compared with 2020.
In Spain and the Netherlands, the number of American residents has nearly doubled over the past 10 years, and in the Czech Republic it has more than doubled. In Ireland, 9,600 Americans immigrated last year, nearly twice the previous year’s figure of 4,900. Last year, more Americans moved to Germany than Germans moved to the United States.
The overseas migration of Americans is also evident in statistics on renunciation of citizenship. According to the immigration industry, applications to renounce U.S. citizenship have recently surged due to reasons such as obtaining a foreign passport or issues related to taxation of overseas income, creating a backlog of several months’ worth of related work. The number of U.S. citizenship renunciation applications in 2024 increased by 48% compared with the previous year, and the WSJ estimated that the increase was even larger last year.
A similar analysis has been presented by the Brookings Institution, a U.S. think tank. The institute estimated that the net population outflow from the United States last year was about 150,000 people, and projected that this figure will grow further this year. The last recorded net outflow of the U.S. population in official statistics dates back to 1935. At that time, the country most frequently chosen by emigrants leaving the United States was the Soviet Union, and the number exceeded 100,000.
More recently, social-democratic countries in Europe are emerging as new destinations. Lower medical costs and housing expenses compared with the United States, walkable urban environments, English-based shared workspaces, relatively low tuition fees, and safe educational environments are cited as key attractions. Some European countries are also competing to attract high-income professionals and remote workers by easing visa requirements and adjusting their tax systems.
Experts point to gun violence, high living costs, and political turmoil as key factors behind the net outflow of the U.S. population. At the same time, they note that, conversely, the relatively high wage levels in the United States provide students, remote workers, and retirees with the financial foundation needed to settle abroad.
Caitlin Joyce, a researcher at Temple University who has studied the overseas migration of Americans, said the recent trend is "undermining the notion of American exceptionalism that 'the United States offers the highest quality of life and is the country everyone wants to move to,'" adding that "Americans who have moved abroad feel that life is better there."
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