It’s common knowledge that in the last couple of years, the populations of Florida and Texas have exploded, while those in California, New York, and Illinois are dropping.
The phenomenon is a political science case study of people voting with their feet, as they flee blue-state madness for the sanity and serenity of red states — in this case, run by GOP Govs. Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, respectively.
But one state has been largely overlooked in keeping score on the population shift.
Minnesota.
According to the website Alpha News, at the end of 2022, nearly 20,000 people now call themselves former Minnesotans.
In the news: Nearly 2 Years After The Capitol Riot, Ray Epps Story Still Doesn’t Add Up, As Deposition Shows
That may not seem like a big number.
But Alpha News quotes the analysis of a Minnesota-based think tank called the Center of the American Experiment, which declared the 19,400 people who left the state in 2022 was “by far the highest number in at least three decades.”
Coupled with the 2021 departures, almost 32,900 people have bid Minnesota farewell in 2021 and 2022.
That would be about the equivalent of 223,000 people leaving California over the same time span.
For comparison, about 343,000 people have actually left California over the past two years.
In the news: Former President Trump’s Tax Returns Released By House Committee
American Experiment economist John Phelan blamed the high-tax policies of Democratic Gov. Tim Walz for the exodus.
Alpha News noted that Minnesota was the eighth-worst state for individual income tax levels, running in the same high-tax circles as the Democratic paradises of New Jersey, New York, and California.
“Once again Minnesota experienced an alarming loss of people to other states,” Phelan told Alpha News.
“These numbers ought to wake Gov. Walz up to the scale of the problem and underline the need for bold measures. We should use the forecast budget surplus to cut tax rates, which research shows influence where people locate.”
And as Alpha News noted, Census Bureau data indicate that the most popular destinations for interstate migration are Texas and Florida — which, by the way, have no state income tax rate.
In the news: Long Ignored By Dad And Grandpa, Hunter Biden’s Love Child May Soon Carry His Name
Minnesota actually gained population despite the outflow, growing by about 1%.
But that was attributable to more births than deaths and the addition of foreign migrants.
Alpha News noted that since 2001 there have only been two years (2017 and 2018) when more Americans relocated to Minnesota than its residents moved out.
Republicans have held the governor’s office for just 20 of the last 51 years, with former wrestling superstar Jesse Ventura of the Reform Party serving four years as governor.
Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here. Signup for our free newsletter by clicking here.