Recent statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau highlight a notable geographic shift in population movement within the United States. Last year, North Carolina led the nation in attracting new residents moving from other states, receiving 84,000 people — more than any other state. This surpasses Texas, which had held the number one position for domestic migration in 2024, after Florida dominated this category in the two years prior.
Meanwhile, South Carolina posted the highest overall growth rate among all states at 1.5 percent last year. This is a new distinction, as Florida held this title in 2024. Together, these figures place the two Carolinas at the forefront of domestic population growth trends.
Despite Texas maintaining a large influx of new residents—with 67,300 domestic migrants last year—its growth from internal U.S. migration has slowed. This downward trend allowed South Carolina, which attracted 66,600 new domestic migrants, to closely approach Texas in this category, ranking third nationwide.
The changing migration patterns suggest an evolving landscape in terms of preferred states for relocation within the country. The Carolinas, positioned in the Southeast, now stand out as significant growth centers, challenging the long-standing attractiveness of states such as Florida and Texas that previously dominated the domestic migration scene.