Who moves to San Diego, 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 San Diego County, CA, home of San Diego, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 105,675from other US counties
- Moved out
- 124,400to other US counties
- Net
- −18,725more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 4,459tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 9,296 |
| Riverside County, CA (Riverside) | 8,425 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 5,810 |
| San Bernardino County, CA (San Bernardino) | 2,928 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 2,636 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 2,368 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 1,829 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 1,719 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 1,592 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 1,498 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 1,201 |
| San Francisco County, CA (San Francisco) | 1,189 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Riverside County, CA (Riverside) | 12,708 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 6,906 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 4,787 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 3,877 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 3,142 |
| San Bernardino County, CA (San Bernardino) | 2,303 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 1,655 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 1,591 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 1,529 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 1,292 |
| Bexar County, TX (San Antonio) | 1,201 |
| Onslow County, NC | 1,098 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 44,138 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in California and 61,537 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 9,296 |
| San Bernardino County, CA (San Bernardino) | 2,928 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 2,636 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 2,368 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 1,829 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 1,719 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 1,592 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 1,498 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 6,906 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 3,877 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 3,142 |
| San Bernardino County, CA (San Bernardino) | 2,303 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 1,655 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 1,591 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 1,529 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 1,292 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to San Diego come from?
Most people moving into San Diego County, CA come from nearby counties, led by Los Angeles County, CA (9,296 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Los Angeles County, CA.
Where do people leaving San Diego move to?
The top destination is Riverside County, CA (12,708 people). Farther away, the most popular is Los Angeles County, CA.
Are more people moving to San Diego or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 105,675 people moved into San Diego County, CA from elsewhere in the US and 124,400 moved out, a net loss of 18,725 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare San Diego with any city it trades people with, like San Diego vs Los Angeles, San Diego vs San Bernardino, San Diego vs Phoenix, San Diego vs San Jose.
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 San Diego.