The new Okaloosa County residents who came from across the U.S. in 2019

By Emerald Coast Times

Apr 12, 2023

In 2019, 6,444 people moved to Okaloosa County from elsewhere in the U.S., according to migration data from the Internal Revenue Service.

This is an increase over the year before, when 6,105 people migrated to Okaloosa County from across the U.S.

The number of people moving to Okaloosa County is offset by the 9,561 residents who left the area during the same year.

There were 8,926 people who left the year before.

Migration data for the U.S. is based on year-to-year address changes reported on individual income tax returns filed with the IRS.

Analysis from the Tax Foundation found that U.S. residents are flocking within the country to states with lower taxes. Florida and Texas, which don't have income tax, saw the highest migration rates in 2021-2022.

The study also showed that high-tax states, such as New York and California, are suffering from diminishing populations. A separate report from the Fiscal Policy Institute reported that more than 300,000 people alone left New York state in 2021 and 2022.

Total Migration to Okaloosa County From Across the U.S.