2023 Study: 3 US Towns Have Dropped to 0 Citizens Since 2010, Which Ghost Town Is Next?

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Key Findings

  • Well over half (61%) of America’s “small towns” (<10,000 in population) have seen a drop in population since 2010
  • 82% of larger cities with >100,000 people saw their population increase over the same time period
  • Three towns with registered residents in 2010 declined to a population of 0: Mustang, TX, South Park View, SD, and Hoot Owl, OK
  • 39 American towns have fewer than 10 residents, according to the most recent population estimates
  • Corning, MO had the greatest percentage drop in population (-93%, 15 people in 2010, just 1 person in 2022)

ghost townsThe debate about the existence of ghosts is neverending, but here’s an easier question to answer: are ghost towns real?

In other words, are there places where people once lived, but today lack any citizens? In fact, three places in America have become ghost towns since 2010, and another 39 saw their population dip to below 10 people, according to the latest population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.

And these aren’t just outliers, but the mark of a trend. In America, as of 2010, 61% of towns with fewer than 10,000 residents have had a population decline. (Meanwhile, 82% of cities with at least 100,000 residents had increased their population during that same time period.)

Given this asymmetrical growth and decline, we are taking a closer look at America’s smallest cities, towns and communities to see what may have contributed to their decline, as well as highlight the fastest-emptying towns for every state.


Three New Ghost Towns, More in the Making: America’s Smallest Towns

Three towns have officially reached a population of 0 as per the most recent Census estimates. They are Hoot Owl, Oklahoma, South Park View, Kentucky, and Mustang, Texas.

While Hoot Owl, OK and Mustang, TX were incorporated with a very specific purpose (to prevent trespassing and to sell alcohol, respectively), South Park View, KY actually began as a “proper” town in 1961.

 

“As many as 92 towns in the United States have lost at least 50% of their population since 2010.”

 

After reaching a population of 196 in 2000, the town’s growth was hampered by the expansion of the Louisville International Airport, leading to serious noise pollution in the area. This development led most residents to relocate, leading the town to become virtually empty.

Apart from these three towns that have ceased to exist, a further 39 are close to disappearing off the map. Of these small towns, 32 have declined in population since 2010, with just five seeing an uptick in the number of residents.

Check out this interactive map to see the locations of America’s smallest towns.

Most of these almost-ghost towns are scattered around states in the middle of the country, forming a belt pattern from North Dakota to Oklahoma. North Dakota and South Dakota alone account for 15 of America’s towns which house fewer than 10 people. Six more such places exist in Missouri, while Oklahoma currently has five. 


Disappearing Fast: Towns With the Biggest Percent Declines in Population Since 2010

As many as 92 towns in the United States have lost at least 50% of their population since 2010. 

Leaving aside the towns where the population has officially gone to 0, the town with the steepest drop in population by percentage is Corning, MO (-93%), which by the books only has one official resident remaining, compared to 15 residents in 2010. 

Echoing the map of America’s smallest remaining towns, the states of Oklahoma (3) Missouri (2), and North Dakota (2) account for the majority of towns with the biggest population declines.
Little is known about most of these towns and why exactly their population declined in such dramatic fashion, but it’s likely a mixture of demographic, economic, and housing-related factors.

 

“…the town with the steepest drop in population by percentage is Corning, MO (-93%), which by the books only has one official resident remaining, compared to 15 residents in 2010.”

 

Why are people leaving these places?

Put simply, “fewer births, more deaths, and more people leaving than moving in” are key factors in population decline in rural areas, according to a 2022 study from the University of New Hampshire. 

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin point to the lack of housing in small towns, while an economist at Iowa State University highlights that bigger cities continue to have more and better-paying jobs, making small towns lose out in comparison.

To see all the towns and cities that lost at least 50% of their population since 2010, have a look at our interactive map. You can also see which town or city saw the highest percentage decline in population in your state by toggling “In Each State” on the interactive map.


See For Yourself: What Does Population Decline Actually Look Like?

Using statistics to describe cities, towns, and communities that see a decline in population is important, but numbers alone don’t tell the whole story.

Losing a significant share of the population has a tangible impact on a town, especially if it wasn’t that big to begin with. To capture some of those visible changes we used Google Street View to create visual comparison sliders

Granted, these are only singular street corners that may or may not capture the essence of a given town. Still, there is something eerie and unsettling about seeing such dramatic changes in these small towns that are similarly reflected throughout different parts of the country. Which town will cease to exist next?


Sources and Methodology
Population data was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates series and Decennial Census collection. Town coordinates were taken from the TIGER/Line Shapefiles available from the U.S. Census Bureau website.
Towns with the greatest percentage decline in the population between 2010 and 2022 (the most recent data available) were deemed “fastest disappearing” overall. For each state, a town with the greatest percentage decline in population among towns in the same state was selected as the “fastest disappearing” in that state.
Images of 10 towns were taken from Google Streetview from the nearest years to 2010 and 2022, respectively. Images are used for illustrative purposes only and do not represent a given town or city in its entirety.
Illustrations by Maria Trigueros

2020 Study: Where Do Americans Who Leave the USA Go?

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Key Findings

  • 10 million Americans are living outside the United States
  • Almost 40% of those living abroad never left the North American content. 28% live in Canada, 10% live in Mexico
  • Israel has 2.5% of all U.S. citizens living abroad
  • Luxembourg (+155%) and Qatar (+86%) saw the greatest net gains since 2017
  • Singapore (-18%) and Mali (-12%) registered greatest net losses
  • Between 17% to 39% of Americans moved abroad for love
  • 40% more Americans choose to retire abroad
  • 16% Americans keen to leave the U.S., 65% would do it for a better salary

According to the State Department, there are around 10 million Americans living outside the United States. 

What do we know about where they move? What are the top destinations for Americans moving abroad? Does Europe have the strongest pull? Do many Americans move to Africa?

There are lots of answers: hundreds of thousands of citizens leave the United States every year to pursue their careers, education, or, indeed, love. They also seek a lower cost of living, a better climate, or simply a fresh start by making a home for themselves in various corners of the world. Key trends in Americans moving overseas—backed up by research and statistics—are all below.

More Americans Move Abroad Every Year

How many Americans are there outside the United States? It’s a question that’s a lot more difficult to answer than it may seem.

The U.S. State Department estimates that number to be around 10 million in 2020, which is more than double the number of Americans residing overseas in 1999, when the same department reported it to be 4 million. Based on the statistics out of the United Nations, which are based on the foreign-born or foreign citizen population in each country of the world, the most recent estimate is 3.2 million.  While the actual number is likely to be somewhere in between, there’s one feature both of these sets of numbers sharethere’s been a steady increase in the number of Americans living overseas.

North of the Border and Down in Mexico: Where Most Americans Abroad Currently Live

One way to answer the questions of where Americans leave to when they move abroad is to, well, look at where most overseas Americans live right now. But that number varies.

These breakdowns, as well as most others that appear in this post, are based on the data from the United Nations, as the U.S. State Department doesn’t publish data on the distribution of Americans across the world. More than one-third (38%) of U.S. citizens living abroad live in either Canada (10%) or Mexico (28%) – of course, the only two countries with whom the United States has a land border.

“The American population of Singapore shrank by more than 17% between 2017 and 2019.”

Following that, nearly 8% live in jolly old Britain, around 4% each in Germany and Australia, and nearly 3% in Israel. Rounding up the top 10 are South Korea, France, and Japan – all home to about 2% of Americans residing overseas. Check our handy map below and see which other countries are popular (or not so popular) with American citizens living abroad. On a regional level, a few interesting patterns emerge. 

With Canada and Mexico being countries with the highest population of Americans, it’s not that surprising that 42.4% of all U.S. citizens overseas stay in North America. What is surprising, however, is that nearly one in six Americans that live abroad live in Asia more than in Australia & Oceania and South America combined.

Top Countries By Continent

Taking this regional view further, let’s look at the top countries in each of the world continents. While we have all the usual suspects coming out top in North America and Europe, two entries stand out elsewhere. Of all Asian countries, the relatively small state of Israel is in the number one spot with over 76 thousand Americans, accounting for 2.8% Americans worldwide. Although we can’t be sure, it’s likely down to strong cultural and economic ties between the U.S. and Israel.

“More than one-third (38%) of U.S. citizens living abroad live in either Canada (10%) or Mexico (28%)…”

In South America, curiously enough, it’s the smaller countries of Ecuador and Peru that attracted more Americans than any other country on the continent23,386, or 1% of all U.S. citizens living overseas.  Again, we don’t know whether this is down to the beautiful landscapes and beaches Ecuador and Peru are known for, but they managed to beat the region’s economic powers of Brazil and Argentina to the top of American relocation preferences in South America. Now that we know – more or less – where in the world Americans live, which countries are Americans moving to?  

Goodbye Economic Uncertainty, Hello Tax Holidays: Where Are Americans Moving To?

While the number of Americans living in each country varied greatly over the last few years, we only considered countries, where there were at least 1,000 Americans, to ensure that the figures weren’t skewed by a dozen of Americans moving in or out.

Countries with Largest Net Gains 

Four of the top 10 countries that saw the highest % upswing in the # of U.S. citizens moving in are on the list of biggest corporate tax havens.

While Luxembourg does impose taxation on both personal and corporate income, Qatar and Cayman Islands do not, while Hong Kong’s personal income tax is capped at 17%.  Considering that Americans are obliged to file taxes even if they live outside the U.S., it seems logical that many would be keen to minimize the tax burden in their new home country.  Other than looking for a tax break, Americans seem to also seek out beautiful landscapes, with countries Iceland, Peru, and Czechia (formerly known as Czech Republic) all in the top ten having gained between 15% and 19% of American residents since 2017. On the regional level, it’s South America that saw the greatest % increase in new residents from the U.S. – 25% more Americans now live on the continent than in 2017.

Countries with Greatest Net Losses 

Looking at the countries that saw the biggest drop in the number of Americans living in them, Singapore is at the top of that list. The American population of Singapore shrank by more than 17% between 2017 and 2019. Other countries among the top 10 net losers include Tanzania, Mali, and Venezuelacountries whose political situation took a turn for the worse in recent years.

The three countries on the Mediterranean – Italy, Albania, and Greece – also have been going through economic difficulties in recent years.  The overall region with the biggest decline in transplants? Well, it’s the rest of North America. Maybe Americans aren’t as keen on moving to Canada or Mexico as they used to be.

To see how many Americans all the world’s countries gained or lost, check our map below. Countries that saw a net gain are shaded blue, and those that saw a net decline are shaded yellow.

Love, Languages, and Low Cost of Living: Why Americans Move Abroad

Okay, so why are people moving out of the country? In another parallel to how Americans move within the country, love tends to play a big part in the decision to move abroad.

“Four of the top 10 countries that saw the highest % upswing in the # of U.S. citizens moving in are on the list of biggest corporate tax havens.”

While our very own study from last year found that around a quarter (24%) moved to pursue a romantic relationship, a survey by the global expat site InterNations in 2018 found that 17% of Americans who moved abroad did so to join their romantic partner. Another 13% – to improve their language skills, while 44% noted that they enjoyed the lower cost of living in their new home country. A similar 2019 study by the American Expat Finance found that 39% moved abroad for romantic reasons, while 28% did so for professional opportunities, with a further 8% simply decided to go on an adventure. 

Retirement abroad also seems to be fast becoming a popular choice. The Social Security Administration noted a 40% increase in the number of retirees drawing their social security overseas, according to CNBC report, which cites affordable healthcare and better weather as key factors for those retiring abroad. According to the report by Randstad – a global HR consultancy – the top reasons for Americans to move to a different country were: better salary (66%), better work-life balance (64%), and to search for a more meaningful career (58%).

Do Americans Really Leave for Political Reasons?

What about the political discontent? Did many Americans move abroad due to the political situation in the country since the last election?

The studies of Americans abroad certainly don’t show it, although the impetus appears to be there. As evidenced by this Gallup survey, for example, 16% would prefer to permanently leave the U.S. rather than staying in America. That said, one study out of Kent University in the UK registered “leaving a bad or disappointing situation in the U.S.” as one of the top motivations for potentially moving abroad, noted by 49% of respondents.

One way to explain this is the discrepancy between aspirations and means. As Gallup’s survey points out, the interest to leave the country is highest among America’s poorest residents – those least financially capable of making such a radical change. Another way to explain the lack of politically motivated moves among expats is the role politics plays in their lives. While the situation in the country might be of concern to some, factors like relationships, family, career, and education play a much bigger part in a serious decision that is moving abroad.


Whether seeking for more sunshine, following their loved ones, or pursuing their career passions, millions of Americans have been moving abroad in the last few years. Sure, most of them only went just north or just south of the border, but many others traveled further, and now there are anywhere between 6 and 10 million Americans living in over 160 countries of the world.

Thinking of making a big leap? Consider your options, do your research, and make sure to weigh up all the pros and cons of changing countries. We at HireAHelper might not be able to help with that part, but can certainly help ensure that the stateside part of your move goes smoothly. 


Sources and Methodology
Unless otherwise stated, all the visualizations appearing in this post are made on the basis of the “International migrant stock 2019” statistics series produced by the United Nations. While its estimates of Americans residing abroad are likely conservatively low, it remains the only detailed source of such data.
As the U.S. doesn’t track the # of its citizens moving abroad and the United Nations producing data based on # of people with certain citizenship living in a given country, there are not deterministic figures on the number of Americans leaving the country each year. 
Countries with the biggest net gains and losses in the number of Americans living there were determined based on the change in the number of U.S. citizens in that country, as it appears by the United Nations statistics.
Countries for which there is no data, aren’t necessarily countries where no Americans live. These gaps in the data are likely down to peculiarities of local statistics on foreign citizen population, or simply lack thereof.
Illustrations by Deborah Lee

The Stuff That’s Illegal to Bring Into Texas

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Regardless of whether you’re moving from out of state to San Antonio, Dallas, or somewhere else in Texas, like relocating anywhere using long distance moving services, you’ll hold the responsibility of needing to know the laws of the land. Every state differs, and some states are stricter than others. But when it comes to what you can and cannot transport across state lines – and what you can or can’t possess once you’re there – we are sure there is no state quite like Texas.

Here are all the things that are illegal to bring into Texas, broken down by type. Welcome to the wild, mild west.

Fruits and Vegetables

While Texas may have a reputation for oil wells and football teams, the state also boasts a humongous $100 billion agriculture industry. It is no surprise then that they have more than a few rules regarding what fruits and vegetables can’t be brought over state lines.

The good news is the Texas Department of Agriculture spells out all the rules right here in this document. The bad news is this document is 21 pages long and uses a lot of big words. If you’re the type to snack on exotic fruit with hard-to-pronounce names, you may want to read carefully over the TDA’s rules. For the rest of us, here are the basics:

Of particular interest is the citrus fruit family. As the Southwest Farm Press states, “With very few exceptions, no citrus plants, or even pieces of citrus plants are allowed into the state from anywhere.” The National Plant Board gets a bit more technical, explaining (on page seven) that, “any living or non-living rootstock, leaf, root, stem, limb, twig, fruit, seed, seedling or other part of any plant in the botanical family Rutaceae, subfamily Aurantioideae.” As citrus is a huge part of the Texas economy, even one bad plant could potentially ruin entire crops.

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In addition to citrus fruits, Texas has plenty of prohibitions in place. If you’re coming from Florida or Puerto Rico, these things are some of the major items prohibited:

  • Apples
  • Avocados
  • Bell peppers
  • Blackberries

There are more than 50 kinds of fruits, vegetables, berries and spices that Texas prohibits coming from down south, due to Caribbean Fruit Fly infestation.

If you’re coming from anywhere in the US (except California, Arizona and parts of New Mexico), Texas also prohibits:

  • Hickory trees
  • Pecan trees
  • Walnut trees

As well as “…(any) parts thereof, except extracted nut meats”, thanks to the never-popular pecan weevil.

Finally, these vegetable plants are not restricted but heavily regulated coming from anywhere, due to a whole host of diseases and pests:

  • Tomatoes
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli
  • Collards
  • Peppers
  • Onions
  • Eggplants

It’s all right here in this exhaustive “Summary of Plant Protection Regulations from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Give it a read if you have the time and the will. Or just play it simple and leave every last lemon, walnut and berry behind.

Pets

We have some good news for all you Texas-bound pet owners. The Lone Star State merely requires that all dogs and cats be certified as rabies-vaccinated.

The bad news is that something as simple (and responsible) as keeping Rover on a legal leash requires a watch, a map, a thermometer, a tape measure and a weather forecast. According to Texas statute “§ 821.077. Unlawful Restraint of Dog” :

  • (a) An owner may not leave a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint that unreasonably limits the dog’s movement:
  • (1) between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.;
  • (2) within 500 feet of the premises of a school; or
  • (3) in the case of extreme weather conditions, including conditions in which:
  • (A) the actual or effective outdoor temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit;
  • (B) a heat advisory has been issued by a local or state authority or jurisdiction; or
  • (C) a hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued for the jurisdiction by the National Weather Service.
  • (b) In this section, a restraint unreasonably limits a dog’s movement if the restraint:
  • (1) uses a collar that is pinch-type, prong-type, or choke-type or that is not properly fitted to the dog;
  • (2) is a length shorter than the greater of:
  • (A) five times the length of the dog, as measured from the tip of the dog’s nose to the base of the dog’s tail; or
  • (B) 10 feet;
  • (3) is in an unsafe condition; or
  • (4) causes injury to the dog.

Considering all this, it might just be easier to get a tiger.

We’re not kidding. Reading the Texas laws regarding owning exotic animals – including lions, tigers, bears and gorillas (seriously) – it seems only as difficult to register a “dangerous wild animal” as it does a pickup truck.

(While we’re at it, we’ll mention that it is legal in Texas to own flamethrowers, venomous snakes and, for the truly under-stimulated, military-grade tanks.)

But back to the world most of us inhabit. If you are relocating to Texas, you should know that certain species of fish and other aquatic life are prohibited. Despite their lengthy explanation on the environmental and economical destruction wreaked by the lionfish, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department doesn’t list this non-native critter among their outlawed types of marine life. Here are just a few of the fish that are prohibited:

  • Tilapia
  • Piranhas
  • Freshwater Stingrays
  • Freshwater Eels
  • Temperate Basses
  • Oysters

All resources and information considered, it seems reasonable to believe you’re okay bringing your parakeet with you to your new home in Texas. But we strongly recommend checking with your local authorities as to what laws apply to your pets. As an example, in Waco, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies; all pets must be spayed/neutered and microchipped; dog houses must have at least three walls in addition to a roof and a floor that is not the ground; and no, you cannot give your pet its rabies shot yourself.

Alcohol

The good news here is that Texas puts no limits or taxes on any alcoholic beverages you are transporting into the state, as long as you are in the process of relocating to Texas and the alcohol in your possession is intended for personal consumption only.

The bad news is that the Texas heat will skunk your swill faster than you can say “Lone Star Lager”. So you better hope that your’s isn’t a long distance move in the heat.

Keep in mind, however, that once you are actually settled in the Lone Star State, you’ll be subjected to fines and/or jail time if you fail to declare that case of tequila on your way home from Mexico, or any other alcohol you bought out of state and are transporting back into Texas.

As for figuring out the laws in your particular municipality for purchasing beer, wine or liquor, good luck.

Plants

Texas has no apparent problems with houseplants that are grown indoors in a commercially-prepared potting mix (rather than in soil) and are free of pests and diseases. These may enter Texas without certification.

However, according to the same “Texas Dept. of Agriculture Summary of Plant Protection Regulations” we saw earlier, “houseplants grown or kept outdoors require a phytosanitary certificate from the department of agriculture of the origin state indicating freedom from pests and diseases.”

We’ll be blatantly honest here. There seems no guarantee that your word will be good enough if someone wearing a TDA uniform asks if you’ve ever put your rubber tree plant out on the patio or the front porch, and you say no.

And just in case you were wondering, you can’t bring all that firewood for your backyard chiminea. Texas doesn’t even like Texans moving firewood from one part of the state to another, for fear of spreading potential or active infestations. Check out the Texas info on DontMoveFirewood.org – and consider giving that chiminea a good washing too before trying to carry that across the border into Texas.

Firearms

And what would Texas be without guns? In keeping with their wild, wild west reputation, the state makes it easy for lawful firearms carriers from other states to legally carry in Texas, either through reciprocal or unilateral agreements with those other states. In other words, just like having a driver’s license from another state allows you to legally drive in Texas, having a permit to carry a firearm in another state allows you to legally carry your firearm in Texas.

The analogy is not perfect, of course. Texas has no firearm-carry agreements with Oregon, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Maine, Vermont or New Hampshire. And while you have 90 days upon relocating to Texas to switch your driver’s license over, there is no requirement whatsoever to register your firearm in the State of Texas.

None.

How’s that for wild?

It’s not complete anarchy, of course. “Texas requires any individual in possession of a handgun to inform a law enforcement officer of their permit or license to carry if an officer asks them for identification.” Texas also spells out restrictions and requirements regarding carrying in vehicles, open carry and places where carrying is illegal.

As far as transporting your firearm from your old state to your new home in Texas, your most pressing concern might be following the laws of the various states you may be passing through along your way.

In some ways, Texas seems like an almost lawless land. In others, the laws can seem unduly convoluted. You can have a gun. You can get a tiger. Just be sure to leave the tangerines behind!


Illustrations by Subin Yang

Is Your Move Tax-Deductible? It Might Be for Almost 8 Million Americans

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Did you move for work last year? Did you pay for any of it yourself?

If you answered yes to both these questions, Uncle Sam wants to help!

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What’s it Like to Pack Up the President?

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January may be slow for many of us, but for one company things could hardly get any more hectic – particularly on January 20th every four to eight years.

CNN reports that while Trump is down in front of the capitol building taking the oath of office, a team of around one hundred movers were at the White house, involved in a sort of “organized chaos”: six hours to move all the Obamas’ belongings out and, from the other side of the circular driveway, hauling in all the belongings of whoever from Trump’s family is moving in.

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How to Move to Canada

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The maple leaves are calling. You have found yourself singing, “Oh Canada,” and watching hockey (with actual interest). Now, you’re ready to douse yourself in real maple syrup and get stuck on your neighbor to the north. But before you get yourself into a sticky situation, recognize that Canada is actually not part of the United States, so moving there requires some serious effort. In fact, it can take up to two years to file all the correct paperwork and get approval.

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