Who moves to Washington, 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 District of Columbia, DC, home of Washington, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 41,301from other US counties
- Moved out
- 43,869to other US counties
- Net
- −2,568more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 1,107tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Prince George's County, MD | 5,786 |
| Montgomery County, MD (Silver Spring) | 3,096 |
| Arlington County, VA (Arlington) | 1,991 |
| Fairfax County, VA (Reston) | 1,483 |
| New York County, NY | 887 |
| Alexandria city, VA (Alexandria) | 753 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 654 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 591 |
| Kings County, NY | 559 |
| Baltimore city, MD (Baltimore) | 546 |
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 518 |
| Anne Arundel County, MD (Annapolis) | 421 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Prince George's County, MD | 6,849 |
| Montgomery County, MD (Silver Spring) | 5,079 |
| Fairfax County, VA (Reston) | 2,572 |
| Arlington County, VA (Arlington) | 2,445 |
| Alexandria city, VA (Alexandria) | 1,608 |
| New York County, NY | 1,324 |
| Kings County, NY | 784 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 682 |
| Baltimore city, MD (Baltimore) | 680 |
| Charles County, MD | 666 |
| Anne Arundel County, MD (Annapolis) | 646 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 595 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| New York County, NY | 887 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 654 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 591 |
| Kings County, NY | 559 |
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 518 |
| Philadelphia County, PA (Philadelphia) | 396 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 365 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 364 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| New York County, NY | 1,324 |
| Kings County, NY | 784 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 682 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 595 |
| Philadelphia County, PA (Philadelphia) | 405 |
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 380 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 338 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 321 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Washington come from?
Most people moving into District of Columbia, DC come from nearby counties, led by Prince George's County, MD (5,786 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is New York County, NY.
Where do people leaving Washington move to?
The top destination is Prince George's County, MD (6,849 people). Farther away, the most popular is New York County, NY.
Are more people moving to Washington or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 41,301 people moved into District of Columbia, DC from elsewhere in the US and 43,869 moved out, a net loss of 2,568 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Washington with any city it trades people with, like Washington vs Chicago, Washington vs Los Angeles, Washington vs Cambridge, Washington 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 Washington.