The United States remains the most desired destination for people looking to move abroad, but global interest in relocating there has fallen to its lowest level in nearly 20 years, according to new Gallup data.
In 2025, 15% of adults worldwide who said they would like to move permanently to another country named the U.S. as their top choice, down from about 24% in the late 2000s and hovering near or below 18% since 2017.
Despite the decline, the U.S. still ranks well ahead of other destinations, with Canada second at 9%. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia, drew smaller shares of interest, generally ranging between 3% and 5%.
The data also show a broader shift beyond destination preferences. Overall global desire to migrate fell to 15% in 2025, down from a recent high of 16% between 2021 and 2024, marking the lowest level in about a decade.
Gallup researchers said the drop was driven largely by declining interest in regions that have historically produced the highest number of migrants, including Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. In Latin America, for example, the share of people wanting to leave their home country fell to 25%, down sharply from pandemic-era highs.
At the same time, the U.S. saw declining appeal in several regions, including Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, though it remains the top destination in many of those areas.
The report also highlights a contrasting trend within the U.S., where interest in leaving the country has risen among certain groups. Among women ages 15 to 44, 40% said they would move abroad permanently if given the opportunity — a sharp increase from a decade earlier.
Gallup noted that migration desire does not necessarily translate into actual movement, but the data point to shifting attitudes about where people see opportunity and stability around the world.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].