Where Are People Moving in Philadelphia, PA?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
33,406
People moving out
38,492
Net migration
-17,781
Philadelphia, PA is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 33,406 people moved in and 38,492 moved out, for a net loss of -17,781. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Philadelphia, PA’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Philadelphia, PA from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, PAPennsylvania | 3,939 | 5,450 |
| Delaware, PAPennsylvania | 3,007 | 4,819 |
| Bucks, PAPennsylvania | 2,178 | 3,080 |
| Kings, NYNew York | 1,198 | 2,026 |
| Camden, NJNew Jersey | 1,119 | 1,655 |
| Chester, PAPennsylvania | 1,032 | 1,218 |
| New Castle, DEDelaware | 881 | 1,299 |
| New York, NYNew York | 877 | 1,144 |
| Burlington, NJNew Jersey | 737 | 962 |
| Queens, NYNew York | 490 | 759 |
Top counties people left Philadelphia, PA for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, PAPennsylvania | 5,924 | 10,283 |
| Delaware, PAPennsylvania | 4,471 | 8,248 |
| Bucks, PAPennsylvania | 3,391 | 6,267 |
| Camden, NJNew Jersey | 1,980 | 3,502 |
| New Castle, DEDelaware | 1,201 | 2,129 |
| Chester, PAPennsylvania | 1,096 | 1,718 |
| Burlington, NJNew Jersey | 988 | 1,592 |
| New York, NYNew York | 976 | 1,107 |
| Gloucester, NJNew Jersey | 769 | 1,388 |
| Kings, NYNew York | 721 | 951 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Philadelphia, PA or leaving?
Philadelphia, PA had a net loss of -17,781 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 33,406 people moving in and 38,492 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Philadelphia, PA from?
The largest sources of new Philadelphia, PA residents are Montgomery, PA, Delaware, PA, Bucks, PA. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Philadelphia, PA go?
People leaving Philadelphia, PA most often move to Montgomery, PA, Delaware, PA, Bucks, PA. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Philadelphia, PA migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Philadelphia, PA's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Philadelphia, PA migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.