Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and by family. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state before you act.
Estate Planning Data & Research → Retirees Moving States
Wills, powers of attorney, health care proxies and deeds are written under one state’s law. When a retiree moves, some of those documents may not work the way they should in the new state, and the new state may have a different estate tax, community property rules or witness requirements.
This page shows how many people 65 and older moved in from another state, from the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, and the net movement of tax filers 65 and older and their income, from IRS migration data for 2022 to 2023.
A move is a good time to check whether a will or a trust fits the new state. See how a trust and a will differ.
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Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- 643,488 people 65+ had moved from another state in the past year (1.05% of 61,245,283), according to the ACS 2024 1-year (table B07001).
- The share was highest in Nevada (2.66%), Idaho (2.44%), Arizona (2.32%), South Carolina (1.98%) and Florida (1.85%).
- Florida had the largest net gain of income from tax filers 65+: +$5.14 billion in adjusted gross income and 8,422 more returns (IRS, 2022 to 2023). South Carolina (+$957.7 million), Arizona (+$814.1 million) and North Carolina (+$788.0 million) followed.
- New York had the largest net loss (-$2.50 billion and 13,485 returns), then California (-$2.27 billion), Illinois (-$1.18 billion), Massachusetts (-$891.2 million) and New Jersey (-$890.1 million).
- The 17 jurisdictions with a state estate or inheritance tax (16 states and D.C.) had a combined net loss of $6.88 billion in 65+ filer income and 30,143 returns. The IRS data shows where filers moved, not why.
Retirees moving states, by state
| State | People 65+ | 65+ who moved in from another state | Share (%) | IRS 65+ returns, net | IRS 65+ income (AGI), net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 575,351 | 15,311 | 2.66 | +802 | +$209.2 million |
| Idaho | 355,551 | 8,670 | 2.44 | +1,407 | +$233.0 million |
| Arizona | 1,491,158 | 34,586 | 2.32 | +3,188 | +$814.1 million |
| South Carolina | 1,082,724 | 21,389 | 1.98 | +6,562 | +$957.7 million |
| Florida | 5,094,353 | 94,365 | 1.85 | +8,422 | +$5.14 billion |
| Oregon | 850,217 | 15,139 | 1.78 | -205 | +$14.2 million |
| Delaware | 227,824 | 3,956 | 1.74 | +1,344 | +$193.9 million |
| Montana | 241,423 | 3,938 | 1.63 | +153 | +$91.1 million |
| New Hampshire | 303,232 | 4,949 | 1.63 | +638 | +$119.7 million |
| Maine | 329,926 | 5,096 | 1.54 | +727 | +$139.1 million |
| South Dakota | 175,902 | 2,652 | 1.51 | -174 | -$3.3 million |
| North Dakota | 140,295 | 2,060 | 1.47 | -200 | -$29.7 million |
| Colorado | 980,364 | 14,274 | 1.46 | -493 | -$55.7 million |
| Virginia | 1,550,385 | 22,707 | 1.46 | +993 | -$118.4 million |
| District of Columbia | 90,674 | 1,299 | 1.43 | -363 | -$68.7 million |
| North Carolina | 1,980,690 | 27,529 | 1.39 | +6,631 | +$788.0 million |
| Wyoming | 117,373 | 1,521 | 1.3 | +48 | -$26.0 million |
| Georgia | 1,765,603 | 21,952 | 1.24 | +3,146 | +$183.2 million |
| Nebraska | 348,052 | 4,253 | 1.22 | -205 | -$25.8 million |
| Tennessee | 1,273,979 | 15,481 | 1.22 | +3,555 | +$466.2 million |
| New Mexico | 429,233 | 5,007 | 1.17 | -320 | -$18.9 million |
| Oklahoma | 692,081 | 8,104 | 1.17 | +1,177 | +$75.5 million |
| Utah | 434,922 | 5,007 | 1.15 | +406 | +$66.0 million |
| Washington | 1,378,508 | 15,766 | 1.14 | -758 | -$192.2 million |
| Vermont | 148,485 | 1,676 | 1.13 | -96 | +$23.0 million |
| Kansas | 533,774 | 5,889 | 1.1 | +97 | +$3.0 million |
| Mississippi | 531,347 | 5,770 | 1.09 | +632 | +$14.4 million |
| Hawaii | 311,305 | 3,331 | 1.07 | -429 | +$6.6 million |
| Maryland | 1,099,752 | 11,145 | 1.01 | -1,316 | -$434.6 million |
| West Virginia | 386,851 | 3,877 | 1.0 | -56 | -$21.4 million |
| Arkansas | 562,707 | 5,541 | 0.98 | +865 | +$72.9 million |
| Alabama | 955,166 | 9,245 | 0.97 | +1,600 | +$123.6 million |
| Minnesota | 1,056,273 | 10,107 | 0.96 | -683 | -$287.8 million |
| Kentucky | 825,850 | 7,842 | 0.95 | +710 | -$29.9 million |
| Alaska | 109,415 | 1,027 | 0.94 | -576 | -$74.0 million |
| Wisconsin | 1,171,042 | 11,000 | 0.94 | +550 | +$47.2 million |
| Connecticut | 713,337 | 6,395 | 0.9 | -572 | -$203.9 million |
| Indiana | 1,218,401 | 10,992 | 0.9 | +125 | -$2.6 million |
| Massachusetts | 1,335,942 | 11,542 | 0.86 | -1,913 | -$891.2 million |
| Ohio | 2,271,397 | 18,961 | 0.83 | -360 | -$293.4 million |
| Texas | 4,365,469 | 36,088 | 0.83 | +4,125 | +$269.4 million |
| New Jersey | 1,706,665 | 13,643 | 0.8 | -4,397 | -$890.1 million |
| Missouri | 1,169,201 | 9,101 | 0.78 | +216 | -$69.3 million |
| Iowa | 612,603 | 4,627 | 0.76 | +185 | -$18.7 million |
| Michigan | 1,987,859 | 14,509 | 0.73 | -914 | -$178.0 million |
| Pennsylvania | 2,665,974 | 19,159 | 0.72 | -2,039 | -$405.9 million |
| Rhode Island | 220,168 | 1,429 | 0.65 | +199 | +$51.2 million |
| Illinois | 2,274,582 | 13,432 | 0.59 | -5,318 | -$1.18 billion |
| California | 6,524,861 | 32,962 | 0.51 | -15,536 | -$2.27 billion |
| Louisiana | 819,864 | 4,156 | 0.51 | -477 | -$109.8 million |
| New York | 3,757,173 | 15,031 | 0.4 | -13,485 | -$2.50 billion |
| United States | 61,245,283 | 643,488 | 1.05 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B07001 (people 65+ who lived in a different state one year earlier); IRS Statistics of Income, Gross Migration File 2022-2023, returns with a primary taxpayer 65 or older, net = inflow minus outflow. Net AGI uses the 2023 return and excludes returns with negative AGI. Sorted by the ACS share.
What to review after a move
- Your will. Most states accept a will validly signed elsewhere, but executor rules, witness rules and spousal rights differ. See estate planning when moving states.
- Power of attorney and health care proxy. Banks and hospitals in the new state may expect their own forms. See the incapacity gap.
- State death taxes. Moving can add or remove a state estate or inheritance tax. See estate and inheritance taxes by state.
- Property you keep behind. Real estate left in the old state can mean a second probate. See vacation home probate.
About the Oct. 29 update
The Census Bureau releases the 2025 ACS 1-year estimates on Oct. 29, 2026. This page uses the 2024 estimates, the latest available on publication, and will be refreshed with the 2025 figures.
Related: surviving-spouse elective share by state · turning 65 by state
Methodology
Census ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B07001 (geographical mobility in the past year by age), pulled from the Census API on Oct. 15, 2026: people 65+ are the 65-69, 70-74 and 75+ groups, and movers are those who lived in a different state a year earlier. IRS SOI Gross Migration File 2022-2023 (2223inmigall.csv), all income classes, primary taxpayer 65 and over: net returns and net adjusted gross income (in thousands of dollars in the source) are inflow minus outflow. IRS counts tax returns, not people, and includes only filers. ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error. The two sources cover different years.
What this doesn’t measure. Why people moved, moves from abroad, people who don’t file tax returns, or wealth that isn’t income.
Frequently asked questions
How many retirees move to another state each year?
About 643,488 people 65 and older had moved from another state in the past year (ACS 2024).
Which state gains the most retiree income?
Florida, with a net gain of $5.14 billion in income from tax filers 65 and older (IRS, 2022 to 2023).
Do I need a new will if I move?
Not always, but you should have it reviewed under the new state’s law, along with your power of attorney, health care documents and deeds.
Is this legal advice?
No. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-15.
Data
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B07001: https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B07001.html
- IRS Statistics of Income, Migration Data 2022-2023 (Gross Migration File): https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-migration-data-2022-2023
- IRS migration data users guide: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/2223inpublicmigdoc.pdf
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Retirees Moving States,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/retirees-moving-states-estate-plan/
You’re welcome to reuse the table with a link back to this page. The underlying government data is public.
Published October 15, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: Census ACS 2024 1-year; IRS SOI migration 2022-2023 (ACS 2025 refresh due Oct. 29, 2026). Editorial standards.