One in Three Americans Considers Packing Up and Leaving
According to a recent survey by TransferWise, a U.K. based money transfer service, 35 percent of American-born citizens have considered leaving the U.S.
This percentage greatly increases for those age 18 to 34. More than half of millennials (55 percent) said that they would consider leaving the U.S. for foreign shores.
Although expatriating is by no means common, is it that surprising?
As shown in a graph included in the results of TransferWise’s survey, most U.S. residents only remain in America because “it is home” and their families are there.
The lack of interest in other reasons could foretell a future problem. For instance, the job prospects, affordable housing, good future for children and culture were ranked relatively low. If citizens are only staying here for their families, how long will they stay?
Until 2010, the recorded number of annual expatriates was well below 1,000.
But, that number continues to rise. In the first quarter of 2015 alone, 1,336 individuals chose to renounce citizenship, another record high reported by the department.