Former Pennsylvanians Voted with their Feet

Residents continued their exodus from Pennsylvania in 2014.

The latest Census population estimates, released last month, show that Pennsylvania gained 5,913 in total population between July 2013 and July 2014. This increase was driven by natural causes—13,400 more births than deaths—and international migration (a net of 29,000).

However, on the negative side, the state lost 31,400 residents to other states in net domestic migration. Only New York, Illinois, New Jersey and California lost more.

United Van Lines data supports this, putting Pennsylvania among the top 10 “outbound states” (again, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois top the list).

This is the continuation of a long-term trend: Pennsylvania lost 89,000 to other states since 2010, more than 40,000 from 2000-2009 and more than 250,000 during the 1990s in net state-to-state moves.

But it’s part of a larger trend as well. State residents have been fleeing from high tax states to lower tax states. Indeed, while a net loser on the whole, Pennsylvania has gained population from residents fleeing higher-taxed New York, New Jersey, and Maryland.

That residents “vote with their feet” must be considered in any discussion of increasing Pennsylvania’s tax burden.