States With the Most Born-and-Bred Residents

Americans are creatures of comfort and habit—and that couldn't be more evident than a look at the latest report on U.S. migration patterns released by the U.S. Census Bureau in July 2023. According to the data, about 55% of movers in 2019 moved within the same county and another 24% moved to a different county within their state. That's compared to 17% of movers who headed to a new state, and the remaining 4% who moved from abroad.

But in certain corners of the U.S., the only way you'll ever be considered a local is if you were born there.

Particularly in rural pockets, where generation after generation stays close to old family farms or businesses, even someone who moved to the area during childhood is often considered a transplant.

Elsewhere, in major metropolitan centers like New York City, it can feel like no one is originally from there. The constant influx of new businesses, college students, and families can transform neighborhoods every few years and certainly decade over decade.

Using the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey, Stacker ranked every U.S. state and Washington D.C. based on the percentage of the total population that was born in their state of residence, and the results may surprise you.

Read on to see which state has the most loyal natives and how many born-and-bred residents are in yours.

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