For a growing number of people, the American Dream is to get the heck out.

According to estimates cited by a new Wall Street Journal deep dive, the U.S. experienced net negative migration in 2025. In other words, more people left than arrived — an unprecedented development in modern history outside of the Great Depression.

Because Washington hasn’t systematically tracked outbound migration since the 1950s, the full scope is difficult to measure. But data from residence permits, foreign property purchases, and university enrollments across dozens of countries show a clear pattern.

An estimated 4 to 9 million Americans now live abroad, with at least 180,000 relocating to 15 tracked countries in 2025 alone. Mexico remains the largest destination, with 1.6 million Americans as of 2022, followed by Canada, the U.K., and growing communities across Europe.

Portugal has seen one of the sharpest increases, with its American population rising more than 500% since the pandemic. Ireland welcomed roughly 10,000 Americans in 2025, double the prior year.

In Germany and Ireland, more Americans moved in than locals moved to the U.S. Applications for British and Irish citizenship have surged to record levels, while requests to renounce U.S. citizenship jumped 48% in 2024 amid tax and residency considerations.

One especially shocking statistic comes from Norway, where U.S.-born residents now outnumber Norway-born residents of America!

More than 100,000 Americans are enrolled in universities overseas, drawn by lower tuition costs. Retirees are settling in Mexico for affordable healthcare.

A Gallup poll found that one in five Americans would like to move abroad permanently — double the share during the 2008 recession.

Governments have eased residency rules and, in some cases, created tax structures designed to attract foreign earners. Meanwhile, relocation firms report surging demand from middle-class professionals, not just the wealthy.

What is clear is that a growing share of Americans see their future not as immigrants to the United States, but as expats building new lives elsewhere.

If you decide to join the ranks of those leaving the U.S. (or you already made the move), you might want to think about your banking situation. How do you plan to keep or open a U.S. bank account while living overseas?

Over the last few years, many U.S. banks have cracked down on expat and nomad customers living overseas.

The reason? No physical residential address in the U.S.

In our latest video, we explore why U.S. banks are changing their policies after 20 years of leniency. We also discuss several options for getting around the address requirement, so you can reduce your chances of losing access to your accounts while living abroad.

Save an extra 4%-14.8% of your annual income with tax-savvy strategies. Change your domicile in the US: let Savvy Nomad help with the hassle.