Which counties in the U.S. are people leaving?

827 of the 2,407 U.S. counties with at least 10,000 residents had more residents move away to other U.S. counties than move in during 2025. Vernon Parish, LA had the largest net outflow for its size: 30.5 per 1,000 residents (−1,377 people). In people, Los Angeles County, CA had the largest net outflow (−105,471).

Net out-migration does not always mean fewer residents: 344 of these 827 counties still had more residents in 2025 than in 2020.

Data as of 2025 · updated November 5, 2026

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The 100 largest net outflows among 827 U.S. counties

Counties with the most out-migration in the U.S.
Rank	County	Per 1,000 residents, 2025	Net movers 2025	Residents	Population change 2020–25
1	Vernon Parish, LA	−30.5	−1,377	45,091	−7.3%
2	Christian County, KY	−26.1	−1,828	70,115	−3.6%
3	Miami-Dade County, FL	−25.8	−72,254	2,802,029	+4.0%
4	Monroe County, FL	−24.0	−1,931	80,406	−3.0%
5	Curry County, NM	−21.6	−1,010	46,655	−3.5%
6	Texas County, OK	−21.4	−435	20,322	−4.6%
7	Ford County, KS	−20.9	−711	33,993	−0.6%
8	Taylor County, FL	−20.8	−442	21,210	−2.5%
9	Phillips County, AR	−20.0	−285	14,255	−13.0%
10	Buena Vista County, IA	−19.3	−395	20,449	−1.7%
11	Colfax County, NE	−19.2	−210	10,934	+3.6%
12	Mono County, CA	−18.9	−236	12,505	−5.4%
13	Charlottesville (city), VA	−18.5	−819	44,388	−4.4%
14	Union County, KY	−18.3	−235	12,839	−5.9%
15	Clay County, IA	−18.0	−292	16,202	−0.9%
16	Jefferson County, NY	−18.0	−2,009	111,540	−3.9%
17	Lassen County, CA	−17.9	−502	28,117	−13.1%
18	Dallas County, TX	−17.4	−46,226	2,661,397	+1.9%
19	Moffat County, CO	−17.0	−223	13,122	−1.1%
20	Harrisonburg (city), VA	−17.0	−862	50,839	−1.7%
21	Finney County, KS	−16.9	−634	37,505	−2.1%
22	Hall County, NE	−16.9	−1,075	63,633	+1.4%
23	Jefferson County, IA	−16.7	−256	15,291	−2.5%
24	Washington County, MS	−16.7	−677	40,446	−9.4%
25	Dawson County, NE	−16.6	−406	24,452	+1.5%
26	Manassas (city), VA	−16.5	−730	44,332	+3.8%
27	Suffolk County, MA	−16.4	−12,966	791,891	+0.1%
28	Queens County, NY	−16.3	−38,449	2,358,182	−1.1%
29	Leflore County, MS	−16.1	−414	25,686	−9.4%
30	Clarke County, GA	−16.0	−2,084	129,921	+1.0%
31	Box Butte County, NE	−15.6	−164	10,494	−3.0%
32	Coahoma County, MS	−15.6	−309	19,849	−6.5%
33	Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK	−15.4	−1,447	93,972	−1.4%
34	Broward County, FL	−14.7	−29,517	2,013,317	+3.6%
35	Kings County, NY	−14.6	−38,847	2,653,963	−2.5%
36	Arapahoe County, CO	−14.6	−9,859	673,820	+2.8%
37	Tuolumne County, CA	−14.6	−775	53,160	−4.0%
38	Fremont County, ID	−14.5	−206	14,208	+5.9%
39	Hudson County, NJ	−14.3	−10,518	735,033	+1.8%
40	Summit County, CO	−14.2	−448	31,517	+0.9%
41	Lafayette County, MS	−14.2	−844	59,597	+6.6%
42	Pecos County, TX	−14.1	−205	14,560	−4.1%
43	Madison County, ID	−14.0	−775	55,172	+4.2%
44	Del Norte County, CA	−14.0	−370	26,410	−4.4%
45	Moore County, TX	−14.0	−306	21,891	+2.9%
46	Maui County, HI	−13.9	−2,226	160,592	−2.5%
47	Alexandria (city), VA	−13.6	−2,187	160,662	+1.0%
48	Beadle County, SD	−13.5	−265	19,624	+2.4%
49	St. Louis (city), MO	−13.5	−3,749	278,144	−7.4%
50	Bronx County, NY	−13.3	−18,685	1,406,332	−3.8%
51	Orange County, FL	−13.3	−20,271	1,528,002	+6.7%
52	Seward County, KS	−13.1	−276	21,073	−3.6%
53	Pointe Coupee Parish, LA	−13.1	−255	19,520	−5.6%
54	Louisa County, IA	−13.0	−135	10,416	−3.8%
55	Jefferson Parish, LA	−12.9	−5,553	431,398	−1.9%
56	Shelby County, TN	−12.8	−11,670	910,226	−2.1%
57	Oglala Lakota County, SD	−12.7	−170	13,338	−2.3%
58	Cross County, AR	−12.5	−202	16,186	−3.7%
59	Bethel Census Area, AK	−12.5	−229	18,391	−1.5%
60	Dallas County, AL	−12.4	−434	35,140	−8.0%
61	Blaine County, ID	−12.3	−314	25,517	+4.8%
62	Imperial County, CA	−12.3	−2,228	181,411	+1.0%
63	Platte County, NE	−12.2	−436	35,649	+3.9%
64	Yazoo County, MS	−12.2	−280	22,947	−14.0%
65	Eagle County, CO	−12.2	−662	54,291	−2.5%
66	Garfield County, CO	−12.1	−770	63,474	+2.7%
67	Clay County, SD	−12.1	−182	15,031	+0.2%
68	Petersburg (city), VA	−12.0	−406	33,734	+1.0%
69	Crittenden County, AR	−12.0	−555	46,210	−3.9%
70	Pitkin County, CO	−11.9	−198	16,625	−4.3%
71	Owyhee County, ID	−11.8	−149	12,661	+5.6%
72	Cass County, IL	−11.7	−146	12,463	−4.0%
73	Centre County, PA	−11.6	−1,824	157,393	−0.4%
74	Kodiak Island Borough, AK	−11.5	−143	12,387	−5.1%
75	Big Horn County, MT	−11.5	−147	12,752	−2.5%
76	Assumption Parish, LA	−11.5	−226	19,720	−5.9%
77	Howard County, AR	−11.5	−141	12,306	−3.6%
78	Iberia Parish, LA	−11.4	−765	66,846	−4.6%
79	Routt County, CO	−11.4	−289	25,329	+2.0%
80	Hardee County, FL	−11.4	−295	25,932	+2.4%
81	Dukes County, MA	−11.4	−241	21,219	+3.1%
82	Elmore County, ID	−11.3	−334	29,465	+2.8%
83	Passaic County, NJ	−11.3	−5,989	531,624	+1.6%
84	Arkansas County, AR	−11.1	−176	15,836	−7.4%
85	Rockland County, NY	−11.0	−3,926	357,397	+5.9%
86	Marin County, CA	−10.9	−2,764	253,694	−2.9%
87	Los Angeles County, CA	−10.9	−105,471	9,694,934	−3.0%
88	Teton County, WY	−10.8	−253	23,333	−0.2%
89	Denver County, CO	−10.8	−8,023	740,613	+3.2%
90	Wapello County, IA	−10.8	−381	35,210	−0.4%
91	Mississippi County, AR	−10.8	−408	37,828	−6.7%
92	Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK	−10.8	−146	13,549	−2.6%
93	Zapata County, TX	−10.8	−148	13,753	−0.9%
94	Roosevelt County, NM	−10.7	−200	18,615	−2.8%
95	Marion County, IN	−10.7	−10,653	992,196	+1.6%
96	Champaign County, IL	−10.7	−2,247	209,972	+1.8%
97	Hale County, TX	−10.6	−337	31,819	−2.0%
98	North Slope Borough, AK	−10.6	−112	10,582	−3.8%
99	DeKalb County, GA	−10.6	−8,187	774,394	+1.3%
100	Santa Cruz County, CA	−10.4	−2,701	258,852	−4.7%

How this is ranked

Counties where more residents moved away to other U.S. counties than moved in (negative net domestic migration in the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025), per 1,000 residents, largest net outflow first. Moves from and to other countries, births and deaths are not counted. Only counties with at least 10,000 residents are listed here (the first 100 of 827). Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are left out, as on every ranking.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

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Questions

Which county in the U.S. are the most people leaving?

For its size, Vernon Parish, LA: net domestic migration of −30.5 per 1,000 residents in 2025 (−1,377 people; Census Bureau population estimates). Next: Christian County, KY (−26.1) and Miami-Dade County, FL (−25.8).

How many counties in the U.S. have more people moving out than in?

827 of the 2,407 U.S. counties with at least 10,000 residents had more residents move away to other U.S. counties than move in during 2025.

Does net out-migration mean a county is losing population?

Not always. Net domestic migration counts moves between U.S. counties only; births, deaths and international migration also change the total. 344 of these 827 counties still had more residents in 2025 than in 2020.

Which counties in the U.S. are people leaving?

The 100 largest net outflows among 827 U.S. counties

How this is ranked

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Questions

More county rankings for the U.S.

Counties with the most out-migration in other states