Americans Abandon Ship as 150K More Citizens Leave For Greener European Pastures

America’s most famous export used to be culture — now it’s citizens. In 2025, the US recorded a net negative migration of roughly 150K residents, the first decline since the Great Depression. Deportations account for part of the shift, but many Americans are leaving the shores in search of a better standard of living. A WSJ review of 15 countries found at least 180K US citizens relocated abroad last year alone.

• A Gallup poll found 1 in 5 Americans want to leave permanently, up from 1 in 10 during 2008, including 40% of women ages 15–44.
• Portugal’s US population has surged 500% since COVID, rising another 36% in 2024, while Ireland welcomed 10K Americans, about double the prior year.

Exit strategy: Europe is rolling out the red carpet with tax breaks and streamlined visas as more Americans cite school safety, healthcare costs, and political turbulence as push factors. Remote workers keeping their Silicon Valley salaries are stretching that income across European capitals, effectively turning where they live into a financial strategy. As relocation firms scramble to keep up with demand, it seems the land of opportunity has some competition.