Illinois, New York and California continued their streak as the nation's biggest losers of residents and their wealth to other states, according to a Wirepoints analysis of newly-released Internal Revenue Service migration data. 

Texas and Florida continued to be the nation's big winners.

The latest IRS state-by-state migration data is based on tax returns filed in 2020 and 2021, covering taxpayers (tax filers and their dependents) who moved from one state to another between 2019 and 2020 (see appendix for changes in our reporting methodology). 

Florida, the nation's perennial winner, gained in 2020 the most net people, 256,000, and the most net Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), $39 billion. Texas followed with a gain of 175,000 people and $10.9 billion in AGI.

In contrast, states like California, New York and Illinois once again experienced some of the nation's biggest losses. California lost more people than any other state, with more than 332,000 net movers taking $29 billion to other states.

Wirepoints' accompanying Illinois analysis includes a long-term look at out-migration from the state.

The IRS migration report provides hard, indisputable data on the movement of Americans between states. The agency reviews tax returns annually to track when and where tax filers and their dependents move. It also aggregates the ages, income brackets and adjusted gross incomes of filers.