Share this article!

High-earning American households are saying farewell to California and New York and relocating to Florida and Texas, according to a new study from SmartAsset.

For this study, SmartAsset examined the inflow and outflow of tax filers making at least $200,000 in each state between 2020 and 2021. There were 8.68 million tax returns indicating annual earnings exceeding $200,000 in 2021, up from 8.57 million returns just a year earlier. Needless to say, the population loss of these households can have a significant impact on a state’s tax base and finances.

SmartAsset found Florida led the nation in welcoming high-earners, adding 27,500 well-paid new residents during this period, with Texas coming in second with 9,000. Meanwhile, California and New York lost more than 45,000 and 31,000 high-earners, respectively – more than any other states.

Regionally, the Northeastern states lost the most high earners year-over-year, while seven of the top 20 states adding high-earners were in the Southeast. On a percentage basis, the greatest exodus occurred in Washington, D.C. – a net total of 2,009 high-earning households moving out between 2020 and 2021.

“It’s impossible to overlook the role of state income tax on these trends,” said Jaclyn DeJohn, managing editor of economic analysis for SmartAsset. “Four of the 10 states with the largest net influxes of high earners in 2021 do not levy a state income tax. Meanwhile, New Hampshire, which had the 11th largest net inflow of taxpayers earning $200,000 or more, does not tax earned income but taxes interest and dividends.”