Who moves to Boston, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Suffolk County, MA, home of Boston, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 44,421from other US counties
- Moved out
- 56,149to other US counties
- Net
- −11,728more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 495tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 9,405 |
| Norfolk County, MA (Quincy) | 5,512 |
| Essex County, MA (Lynn) | 2,736 |
| Plymouth County, MA (Brockton) | 1,592 |
| Worcester County, MA (Worcester) | 1,125 |
| New York County, NY | 844 |
| Bristol County, MA (New Bedford) | 821 |
| Providence County, RI (Providence) | 618 |
| Barnstable County, MA | 523 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 497 |
| Capitol Planning Region, CT (Hartford) | 471 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 464 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 13,242 |
| Norfolk County, MA (Quincy) | 9,272 |
| Essex County, MA (Lynn) | 4,352 |
| Plymouth County, MA (Brockton) | 2,958 |
| Bristol County, MA (New Bedford) | 1,444 |
| Worcester County, MA (Worcester) | 1,438 |
| New York County, NY | 1,361 |
| Providence County, RI (Providence) | 1,016 |
| Kings County, NY | 690 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 640 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 576 |
| Barnstable County, MA | 560 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 22,358 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Massachusetts and 22,063 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| New York County, NY | 844 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 497 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 464 |
| Kings County, NY | 351 |
| Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT (Stamford) | 318 |
| Philadelphia County, PA (Philadelphia) | 297 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 292 |
| South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT (New Haven) | 273 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| New York County, NY | 1,361 |
| Kings County, NY | 690 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 640 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 576 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 443 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 370 |
| District of Columbia, DC (Washington) | 359 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 340 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Boston come from?
Most people moving into Suffolk County, MA come from nearby counties, led by Middlesex County, MA (9,405 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is New York County, NY.
Where do people leaving Boston move to?
The top destination is Middlesex County, MA (13,242 people). Farther away, the most popular is New York County, NY.
Are more people moving to Boston or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 44,421 people moved into Suffolk County, MA from elsewhere in the US and 56,149 moved out, a net loss of 11,728 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Boston with any city it trades people with, like Boston vs Los Angeles, Boston vs Chicago, Boston vs Stamford, Boston vs Philadelphia.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Boston.