Western States Top Migration to Washington

0:00I'm Corey with The Story, and this is your Pulse of the City, Canada News today. California sends the most new residents to Washington each year, based on raw numbers, with 26,500 people getting new, drivers licenses, or state ID cards there in 2025. But that changes when you adjust for each state's population size. Looking at movers per 100,000 residents paints a different picture, with neighboring states leading the pack instead. Oregon tops the list at around 378 movers per 100,000 people. Thanks to its close ties and shared metro areas, like Portland and Vancouver. Idaho comes in second with 255, while Alaska ranks third at 240, even though it's farther away as Washington's nearest neighbor. Proximity clearly drives these moves, as all top 10 states are in the west, with urban areas often blending across borders. This shift highlights how regional connections matter, more than sheer population, when people pick up and relocate.

1:00California drops to 11th place, with just 67 movers per 100,000 still notable, but far from the top. Meanwhile, New Mexico lags among western states at 50th per 100,000, ranking 14th overall. Southeast states bring up the rear, like West Virginia, with only 9 movers per 100,000, followed by Mississippi at 13th and Kentucky at 14th. This data shows migration patterns cluster close to home, shaping Washington's growth one license at a time.