Midwest Records Positive Net Domestic Migration

The region gained 16,000 residents in June 2025, marking a shift from years of migration losses.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Regional Economics

Isometric editorial illustration featuring a geometric landform shape of the Great Lakes region in muted tones, representing regional economic shifts. — The Midwest recorded a net gain of 16,000 residents in June 2025, marking the first positive domestic migration trend in years. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you consider moving to the Midwest given recent trends in regional population growth?

As of June 2025, the Midwest experienced a gain of 16,000 residents through net domestic migration. This development follows a period of significant population outflow that saw the region lose nearly half a million people.

Why it matters

The reversal in migration trends highlights a potential shift in internal population movement across the United States. It signals a move away from the sustained population drain the region faced between 2021 and 2024.

The Census Bureau calculated net domestic migration, revealing a gain of 16,000 residents as of June 2025 following years of decline. The region previously recorded a cumulative loss of 491,000 individuals between 2021 and 2024.

The players

Census Bureau

The Census Bureau is the federal agency responsible for producing data about the American people and economy.

The details

The Midwest faced a steady decline in residents throughout recent years, including an annual loss of 180,000 in 2022 and 44,000 in 2024. The June 2025 data represents a notable change in the trajectory for the regional population.

From 2021 through 2024, the Midwest saw a net domestic migration loss of 491,000 people.
The region recorded an annual net migration loss of 180,000 in 2022.
The net migration loss for the Midwest reached 44,000 in 2024.
As of June 2025, the Midwest gained 16,000 residents through net domestic migration.

Macro View

This positive shift marks a departure from the multi-year trajectory of population decline tracked by the Census Bureau's 2021-2024 net domestic migration data. It suggests the region is currently diverging from the historical migration patterns of the early 2020s.

The change in migration can influence local housing demand and the availability of labor for regional industries. Residents may notice these shifts reflected in changing market dynamics for local goods and services over time.

The takeaway

The return to positive migration suggests that the regional demographic decline may be stabilizing or reversing. Tracking these numbers is essential for understanding how the Midwest competes for human capital on a national level.