Who moves to San Francisco, 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 Francisco County, CA, home of San Francisco, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 40,632from other US counties
- Moved out
- 47,139to other US counties
- Net
- −6,507more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 659tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| San Mateo County, CA (San Mateo) | 5,242 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 4,335 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 3,924 |
| Contra Costa County, CA (Concord) | 2,309 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 2,162 |
| Marin County, CA | 1,035 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 973 |
| New York County, NY | 962 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 902 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 730 |
| Sacramento County, CA (Sacramento) | 729 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 680 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| San Mateo County, CA (San Mateo) | 7,071 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 5,527 |
| Contra Costa County, CA (Concord) | 3,554 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 2,813 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 2,621 |
| Marin County, CA | 2,272 |
| New York County, NY | 1,798 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 1,189 |
| Sacramento County, CA (Sacramento) | 1,063 |
| Kings County, NY | 989 |
| Sonoma County, CA (Santa Rosa) | 956 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 880 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 25,517 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in California and 15,115 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) | 2,162 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 973 |
| New York County, NY | 962 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 902 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 730 |
| Sacramento County, CA (Sacramento) | 729 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 680 |
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 412 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 2,621 |
| New York County, NY | 1,798 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 1,189 |
| Sacramento County, CA (Sacramento) | 1,063 |
| Kings County, NY | 989 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 880 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 750 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 546 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to San Francisco come from?
Most people moving into San Francisco County, CA come from nearby counties, led by San Mateo County, CA (5,242 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Los Angeles County, CA.
Where do people leaving San Francisco move to?
The top destination is San Mateo County, CA (7,071 people). Farther away, the most popular is Los Angeles County, CA.
Are more people moving to San Francisco or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 40,632 people moved into San Francisco County, CA from elsewhere in the US and 47,139 moved out, a net loss of 6,507 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare San Francisco with any city it trades people with, like San Francisco vs Los Angeles, San Francisco vs San Diego, San Francisco vs Seattle, San Francisco vs Anaheim.
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 Francisco.