California, Oregon, and Texas are the states that sent the most new residents to Washington in 2025, but state data shows that fewer people are moving here than before the pandemic.
According to the Washington Department of Licensing, the top five states from which people moved to Washington last year are:
- California
- Oregon
- Texas
- Arizona
- Florida
The data isn't exact migration -- it's the count of people getting new driver's licenses and ID cards here after living in another state. Still, it's useful to get a sense of where people are coming from when they move here.
Overall, as the Seattle Times reports, net migration added about 9,000 people to Washington's population count. But that's only about 25% of what it was in 2019.
Even though California was the biggest source of new Washington residents in 2025, its total of inbound movers was down about 30% compared to 2019. Texas, Arizona, and Maine are the only three states sending more newcomers to Washington than before the pandemic.
If you're considering a move, don't miss my article with local insights on the 10 best places in Washington to live.
-Cari
