Why Do So Many Americans Permanently Leave The U.S. Every Year?

The U.S. is supposed to be the wealthiest, greatest country in the world. Yet, many people find reasons to leave. It’s not because it’s a bad place to live. It’s just that some countries offer things that America can’t or won’t provide. 

According to international moving company, Seven Seas Worldwide, the market for internal removals is thriving. “Americans love their country, but they also see opportunities overseas. If businesses or governments in foreign countries are willing to offer a better deal, they take it. Many still feel patriotic but view moving overseas as part of their adventure as Americans. It’s not always about taking on a new identity.”

But why, specifically, are Americans moving? It’s not just about the money. There are a host of reasons why locations, particularly in Europe.

Better Quality Of Life For Retirees

One reason is that Europe and some Asian countries offer a better quality of life for retirees. Places like the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand are safe and incredibly inexpensive, helping dollars go further. Retirees can often live off savings indefinitely with small portfolios of just $300,000 to $500,000 in these locations. 

Europe is a popular destination, too, but for different reasons. While it’s not cheap, it does offer a version of civil society that’s just not available in the U.S. Public attractions, national parks, and transport are superior, on balance, freeing people up to live the way they want. Money is no longer such a restricting factor, with many affordable and free activities available. In many European cities, you don’t even need to run a car. 

Family Ties

Another reason for the big move overseas is family ties. Americans want to go home to be closer to their loved ones, usually after having made their money. 

“The international links between family members are more numerous than ever before,” Seven Seas Worldwide claims. “Aside from removal services, the demand for international parcels is growing every year. People want to feel more connected to their folks back home. It’s a major trend we are witnessing.”

Family ties can be strong, with many migrants wanting to return to the farm. Mexico is already seeing this effect, but so too are families in Southern and Eastern Europe. Many Greek Americans are looking to go back to their home country as it recovers from financial oblivion. 

Global Connectivity

The ability to go overseas and continue working is more straightforward today than ever before. Many workers require nothing more than a laptop and internet to provide employers with value, meaning they can theoretically work from anywhere. 

“The smartest digital and remote workers are going overseas,” Seven Seas Worldwide says, “and they are taking their families. Lower costs of living in places like India, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe are convincing many people that paying the high prices demanded in the West is no longer a good deal. These individuals want to expand their economic opportunities.”

Interestingly, many remote workers are going overseas to have families. This trend is particularly common in places like Thailand and the Philippines where the culture is highly family-orientated. Workers often migrate from the U.S. for economic reasons but stay because of connections and children. 

The Climate And Environment

Americans are also leaving their homeland in search of different climates and environments. While the U.S. is a continental civilisation with varied climates, the mainland doesn’t traverse all weather zones. Many residents go overseas for warmer weather or to enjoy a tropical climate. Some also want colder weather than is available in the U.S. year-round and go to places like Scandinavia. Destinations like the U.K. also offer less seasonal extremes, with milder winters and cooler summers than equivalent locations in America, thanks to the jet stream. 

The biggest change moving abroad, though, is the environment. For example, while Europeans are nominally Western, they do things quite differently from Americans. Fewer chemical additives in food and strict emissions controls often make British and French cities healthier places to live long-term. 

The Social Climate

“Many Americans are also leaving because of the social climate in the country,” Seven Seas Worldwide claims. “Citizens want to experience a more cohesive culture far from the constant left-right paradigm and political chaos.”

The social climate in countries like the UK and Denmark is certainly different. While people have opposing views, they are still willing to live and work alongside each other amicably. An election that sees the opposing party getting into government is a disappointment for many people, but not an existential crisis. 

Other locations have political problems, such as Greece and Spain. However, the clashes are over issues that are largely irrelevant to American expats. It doesn’t affect them ideologically or economically. 

Freedom And Safety

Ironically, another reason Americans are moving overseas is to increase their freedom and safety. While citizens of the country might enjoy freedom of speech rights not seen elsewhere in the world, places like New York and Los Angeles remain dangerous for the average person. 

The same is not true of most European, Japanese, and East Asian cities outside of China. Westerners can walk freely at any time of the day or night without having to worry about violent crime.

This safety can be liberating. Suddenly feeling free to plan your timetable how you want instead of needing to be home by dark changes a person’s quality of life for the better. 

“Many people are relocating to countries like Spain, Italy, and Portugal because of their café culture and relaxed nightlife,” Seven Seas Worldwide says. “These countries often have community events that go on late into the night, many of which allow children to remain present. It’s staggering to see it happening if you’ve lived in America all your life and have never seen anything like it before.”

In summary, therefore, Americans aren’t just moving abroad because of career opportunities. Individuals are also looking for a higher quality of life and wondering whether they can get it overseas. And that’s driving these migrations.