The Bay Area had a net out-migration of about 5,600 people from 2024 to 2025
Net out-migration from 2024 to 2025 equaled 0.07% of the region's 2024 population
moved from the Bay Area to San Joaquin County from 2022 to 2023, the region's top domestic destination county
Introduction
Where are people moving into and out of the Bay Area?
Migration has shaped the Bay Area since the Gold Rush. Domestic and international migration have contributed to the region's economic opportunity, innovation and cultural diversity. Understanding migration trends helps explain how the Bay Area is changing over time.
Regional Performance
Net international in-migration has offset net domestic out-migration in the Bay Area for decades. From 2024 to 2025, the two were nearly balanced.
Since 1991, most years have seen more people move from the Bay Area to other parts of the United States than move into the region from elsewhere in the country. The exceptions were 2007 to 2009 and 2010 to 2014. From 2020 to 2021, about 201,000 more people moved from the Bay Area to other parts of the country than moved in. That was the most since 1991. In contrast, net international migration has added residents every year since 1991, reaching a high of about 89,500 net new residents from 2022 to 2023.
In recent years, total net migration has been close to balanced. From 2024 to 2025, about 50,400 more people moved to other parts of the United States than moved in, while net international migration added about 44,800 residents.
The Bay Area had a net domestic out-migration of about 50,400 people from 2024 to 2025
The Bay Area had a net international in-migration of about 44,800 people from 2024 to 2025
Historical Trend for Migration
Regional Distribution
Domestic migration includes moves within the Bay Area and elsewhere in California and the United States.
The Internal Revenue Service Statistics of Income dataset tracks domestic migration between U.S. counties. Between 2022 and 2023, nearly half (46.7%) of people moving into a Bay Area county came from another county in the region. Similarly, 39% of people leaving a Bay Area county moved elsewhere within the Bay Area. Contra Costa County had the highest share of arrivals from within the region, at 59.5%.
Beyond the Bay Area, most domestic migration in or out of the region occurred with other states rather than another part of California. Between 2022 and 2023, 58.1% of people moving into the Bay Area came from another state, while 55.3% of people leaving the region moved to another state.
of people moving into Contra Costa County from 2022 to 2023 came from another Bay Area county, the highest share
of people moving to the Bay Area from elsewhere in the U.S. from 2022 to 2023 came from another state
Local Focus
Among domestic migration flows between counties, San Joaquin County was the top destination for people leaving the region, while Los Angeles County was the top source of people moving in.
From 2022 to 2023, about 15,100 people moved from the Bay Area to San Joaquin County, followed by Los Angeles County (about 12,300) and Sacramento County (about 12,200). Over the same period, about 12,000 people moved from Los Angeles County to the Bay Area, followed by Sacramento County (about 7,100) and San Joaquin County (about 6,900).
King County, Washington, had the largest domestic migration flows with the Bay Area among counties outside California. About 5,600 people moved from the Bay Area to King County, while about 4,500 moved from King County to the Bay Area. Other leading out-of-state destinations included New York County, New York and Clark County, Nevada.
moved from the Bay Area to San Joaquin County from 2022 to 2023, more than to any other U.S. county
moved from Los Angeles County to the Bay Area from 2022 to 2023, more than from any other U.S. county
County-To-County Migration Flows
Top 5 Net In-Migration Counties
Top 5 Net Out-Migration Counties
Click any flow line on the map to see details for that county pair.
Equity Lens
Most Bay Area residents stay in the same home from year to year, and the share who move differs little by income or race.
In 2024, 87.6% of Bay Area residents lived in the same house as the previous year, up from 84.5% in 2010. Differences across income groups are small. Among people 15 years and over, 87.4% of those earning less than $35,000 lived in the same house, compared with 87.8% of those earning $35,000 to $75,000 and 86.7% of those earning $75,000 or more.
Differences across racial and ethnic groups are also small. In 2024, Black or African American residents (86.0%) and Asian American and Pacific Islander residents (86.6%) were slightly more likely to have moved than white non-Hispanic (88.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (88.3%) residents.
of Bay Area residents earning $35,000 to $75,000 lived in the same house from 2023 to 2024
of Black or African American Bay Area residents lived in the same house from 2023 to 2024
Migration by County and Demographic Characteristics
Sources & Methodology
Data on net migration comes from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program components of change, available for each year since 1991. Each year refers to the change from the previous year; for example, 2025 means the change from 2024 to 2025. Net domestic migration counts moves within the United States, and net international migration counts moves between the U.S. and other countries.
County-to-county flows come from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Statistics of Income (SOI) migration data, which is based on individual income tax returns. The data count only people listed on tax returns (filers and their dependents), so people who do not file are not included. The latest IRS data cover moves from 2022 to 2023, and they include moves between Bay Area counties. The IRS combines flows with fewer than 20 tax returns into "other flows" records. California counties outside the Bay Area are grouped into nine Vital Signs regions, and other states are grouped into the four Census regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.
Data on who moves come from American Community Survey five-year estimates, Tables B07010 and B07004A through B07004I. Each estimate is labeled by its last year. Income is individual income for people 15 years and over, and "Less than $35,000" includes people with no income.
U.S. Census Bureau: Population Estimates Program
County Population Totals and Components of Change
IRS Statistics of Income
SOI Tax Stats - Migration Data
U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey
Table B07010
Tables B07004A through B07004I