About 1.11 million children ages 1 to 17 moved to a new state in a single year, according to the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. That works out to roughly 3,000 kids a day switching states, and usually switching schools, doctors, and friends along with them. This report tracks where those children, and the households raising them, are going: which states gain the most kids from domestic migration, which ones lose them, and what the numbers suggest for parents planning a move in 2026.
Quick answer: Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona, Maryland, and Nevada posted the largest statistically reliable net gains of children from other states in the 2024 ACS. California lost the most (a net 49,375 children), followed by New York (28,363) and Illinois (10,317). Young children under five move across state lines at a higher rate than school-age kids.
How Many Children Move Across State Lines?
The ACS asks everyone age one and older where they lived a year earlier. Table B07001 breaks the answers down by age, which lets us isolate kids. In the 2024 survey, the most recent 1-year release available (the Census Bureau says the release date for the 2025 ACS 1-year estimates is still being determined), the numbers looked like this:
| Age group | Total population | Moved from a different state in past year | Interstate move rate |
| 1 to 4 years | 14,890,525 | 349,648 | 2.35% |
| 5 to 17 years | 54,564,265 | 763,056 | 1.40% |
| 25 to 29 years | 22,323,951 | 1,012,323 | 4.53% |
| 30 to 34 years | 23,874,454 | 749,832 | 3.14% |
| 35 to 39 years | 23,255,856 | 545,623 | 2.35% |
| 40 to 44 years | 22,701,029 | 392,731 | 1.73% |
| 45 to 49 years | 20,348,201 | 283,324 | 1.39% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-Year Estimates, Table B07001. Rates calculated from published counts.
Two patterns jump out. First, toddlers and preschoolers move between states at a higher rate (2.35%) than school-age children (1.40%). Parents of very young kids tend to be younger themselves, are more likely to rent, and haven’t yet tied the family to a school district. Once children start school, families move less.
Second, the move rate for kids closely tracks the rate for adults in their late 30s and 40s. Children aged 1 to 4 move at exactly the same rate as adults aged 35 to 39 (2.35%), and school-age children move at about the same rate as adults aged 45 to 49. That is roughly what you’d expect, since kids move when their parents do.
For context, 37.8 million U.S. households, about 28.5% of all households, included at least one person under 18 in the 2024 ACS.
States Gaining the Most Children From Other States
To measure net movement, we compared two ACS tables for each state. Table B07001 counts children now living in a state who moved there from another state. Table B07401 counts children who lived in that state a year earlier and have since moved to a different state. Subtracting the second from the first gives a net domestic migration figure for ages 1 to 17. International moves aren’t included.
ACS state-level age estimates come with sizable margins of error, so the table shows the combined 90% margin for each net figure. Where the margin is larger than the estimate, the gain is not statistically reliable.
| State | Children moved in (1–17) | Children moved out (1–17) | Net gain | Approx. margin of error | Net per 1,000 children |
| Georgia | 55,440 | 40,565 | +14,875 | ±8,626 | +6.2 |
| Texas | 102,719 | 90,184 | +12,535 | ±12,765 (not significant) | +1.7 |
| Michigan | 26,913 | 15,095 | +11,818 | ±5,772 | +5.9 |
| Oklahoma | 23,119 | 12,413 | +10,706 | ±3,897 | +11.7 |
| Arizona | 35,178 | 25,912 | +9,266 | ±7,250 | +6.1 |
| Maryland | 27,989 | 19,615 | +8,374 | ±5,924 | +6.4 |
| North Carolina | 50,573 | 42,419 | +8,154 | ±8,933 (not significant) | +3.7 |
| Florida | 92,676 | 84,922 | +7,754 | ±13,907 (not significant) | +1.8 |
| Nevada | 21,885 | 14,330 | +7,555 | ±5,325 | +11.5 |
| Nebraska | 9,915 | 5,830 | +4,085 | ±2,621 | +9.0 |
Sources: ACS 2024 Table B07001 (moved in) and ACS 2024 Table B07401 (moved out). Net figures, margins (square root of summed squared MOEs), and per-1,000 rates are our calculations from published estimates.
What stands out:
- Georgia leads in raw numbers. It posted the largest net gain of children, about 14,900, with a margin comfortably smaller than the estimate. The Atlanta metro remains a major draw for young families.
- Oklahoma and Nevada lead on a per-child basis. Both gained more than 11 children per 1,000 already living there. New Hampshire’s rate was even higher (+12.4 per 1,000), though its small sample makes that estimate less precise.
- Michigan is the surprise. Its net gain of children (+11,818) was almost double its net gain across all ages (+6,121). In other words, Michigan’s domestic inflow in this survey leaned heavily toward families.
- Texas and Florida are big but balanced. Both states see enormous two-way flows of children. Texas took in more than 102,000 kids from other states, but lost about 90,000, so its net number isn’t statistically different from zero.
States Losing the Most Children
The outflow side is more concentrated. A few high-cost states account for most of the net loss of children.
| State | Net change, children 1–17 | Approx. margin of error | Net per 1,000 children | Median gross rent | Median home value |
| California | -49,375 | ±11,279 | -6.2 | $2,104 | $759,500 |
| New York | -28,363 | ±7,907 | -7.5 | $1,634 | $449,800 |
| Illinois | -10,317 | ±6,278 | -4.0 | $1,322 | $280,700 |
| Virginia | -8,332 | ±9,276 (not significant) | -4.7 | $1,646 | $403,500 |
| Colorado | -7,236 | ±5,971 | -6.3 | $1,822 | $574,600 |
| District of Columbia | -4,945 | ±2,787 | -40.3 | $1,931 | $733,400 |
| New Jersey | -4,775 | ±5,869 (not significant) | -2.5 | $1,800 | $496,000 |
| New Mexico | -4,313 | ±3,764 | -10.2 | $1,117 | $279,900 |
Sources: net figures calculated from ACS 2024 Tables B07001 and B07401; median gross rent (B25064) and median home value (B25077) from the ACS 2024 1-year estimates.
California’s net loss of about 49,400 children is by far the largest, and the margin of error doesn’t come close to erasing it. New York is second. Together they account for roughly 78,000 fewer children through domestic migration in one year.
Housing costs explain part of the pattern. California’s median home value of $759,500 is more than double the national median of $360,600, and its median rent of $2,104 is well above the U.S. median of $1,487. Colorado also shows high costs and a clear net loss of kids.
But cost isn’t the whole story. Illinois and New Mexico have home values below the national median and still lost children on net. Meanwhile, Maryland, with a median home value of $436,300, gained them. Jobs, family ties, and school and neighborhood preferences all feed into these decisions.
Family Flows vs. Overall Migration
Comparing each state’s net change in children with its net domestic migration across all ages (from the same two ACS tables) shows whether a state’s migration story is family-driven or adult-driven. Children ages 1 to 17 make up about 20.6% of the population age one and over, so a state where kids account for a much larger or smaller share of net movement is worth a closer look.
- California and New York lose families roughly in proportion. California’s net domestic loss across all ages was about 254,300 people, and children were 19.4% of that. In New York, children were 21.8% of a net loss of about 130,100. Families are leaving these states at about the same pace as everyone else.
- Illinois loses adults faster than kids. Its all-ages net loss was about 82,500, but children made up only 12.5% of it. That points to working-age adults and retirees driving most of the outflow.
- Michigan, Louisiana, and Minnesota gain kids despite weak overall numbers. Michigan’s net gain of children was nearly double its all-ages gain. Louisiana (net loss of about 12,200 people overall) and Minnesota (about 6,700) both posted small net gains of children, although those child estimates are within their margins of error.
- Virginia and Colorado lose kids faster than they lose adults. Virginia gained about 1,600 people overall but lost an estimated 8,300 children (not statistically significant). Colorado lost about 24,200 people, and children made up 29.9% of that, above their share of the population.
Why Families Move: What the Research Says
The ACS tells us where kids go, not why. Industry and survey data fill some of that gap.
Being near family is the top reason
In the United Van Lines 49th Annual National Movers Study, moving closer to family was the most common reason for interstate moves in 2025, cited in 29% of cases. A new job or company transfer came second at 26%. For parents, living near grandparents can mean free or low-cost child care, which is a big deal given the numbers below.
Child care costs rival housing
Child Care Aware of America’s 2025 Price and Supply report put the national average annual price of child care at $13,184. That equals about 10% of median income for a two-parent household and 33% for a single parent. The report also found that center-based care for two children costs more than median rent in every state with data. For a family weighing a move, child care prices in the destination can matter as much as the rent or mortgage.
Housing cost and space
Families need more space, and space is where the cost gap between states is biggest. The state table above shows that the largest losses come from states where the typical home costs well above the national median. A family selling or leaving a rental in a high-cost state can often afford a larger home in Georgia, Oklahoma, or Michigan, where median home values are $343,300, $222,100, and $254,200 respectively.
Planning a Family Move Across State Lines
The data points to a few practical steps for parents.
- Time the move around the school calendar. School-age children move far less often than toddlers, which suggests families work hard to avoid mid-year transfers. Summer is the usual window, and it is also the busiest season for interstate movers, so book early.
- Research enrollment rules before you sign a lease. Many districts require proof of residence to enroll. Line up your lease or closing date so you have the paperwork before the school year starts.
- Price child care in the destination. With the national average above $13,000 a year, a move that saves on rent but raises child care costs may not save anything overall.
- Plan for more stuff. Family homes usually mean heavier shipments: cribs, bikes, outdoor gear, extra furniture. Weight drives interstate pricing, so get an estimate based on a real inventory.
- Keep an essentials box with you. Medical records, school records, birth certificates, and a few days of clothes and favorite toys should travel with the family, not on the truck.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many children move to another state each year?
About 1.11 million children ages 1 to 17 moved from a different state in the year covered by the 2024 American Community Survey: 349,648 aged 1 to 4 and 763,056 aged 5 to 17.
Which state gains the most children from domestic migration?
Georgia had the largest statistically reliable net gain in the 2024 ACS, about 14,875 children ages 1 to 17. Texas had a similar raw gain (12,535), but its margin of error is larger than the estimate. Per child already living in the state, Oklahoma and Nevada gained the most.
Which state loses the most children?
California, with a net loss of about 49,375 children to other states, followed by New York (about 28,363) and Illinois (about 10,317). All three losses are larger than their margins of error.
Do younger children move more often than teenagers?
Yes. Children aged 1 to 4 moved between states at a 2.35% rate, compared with 1.40% for children aged 5 to 17. Families tend to move before kids start school or between school years.
What is the most common reason families move to another state?
The ACS doesn’t ask why people move, but the United Van Lines 2025 National Movers Study found that moving closer to family was the top reason for interstate moves overall (29%), ahead of a new job or transfer (26%).
How reliable are state-level numbers on child migration?
They are estimates from a large survey, and state figures by age have wide margins of error. This report shows the approximate 90% margin for each net figure and flags estimates where the margin is larger than the number itself.
Next Step: Get a Family-Size Estimate in Writing
A family move usually means a larger, heavier shipment and a tighter calendar. Before you commit to a date, get written estimates from licensed interstate movers based on a full walk-through of your home, including the garage, basement, and kids’ rooms. Ask whether each estimate is binding or non-binding; with a non-binding estimate, federal rules require the mover to release your goods at delivery if you pay up to 110% of the estimate (49 CFR 375.407). Interstate Moving and Relocation Group can put together a written estimate built around your family’s inventory and your school-year timeline.
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