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Perspectives

Pittsburgh Perspectives  

Archive List Link to PEQ
Monday, February 20, 2023  11:05 AM  (57)

IRS Migration Data for Pittsburgh

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, compiles annual estimates of migration based on year-to-year address changes reported on individual income tax returns. Data on population flows include the total number of filings and an estimate for the total number of individuals moving between states and between individual counties each year. The latest migration data made available by the IRS is for the 2020 filing year and reflects migration between 2019 and 2020. Here this IRS data is compiled to show the patterns of recent population migration between the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and other metropolitan and micropolitan areas (collectively known as Core Based Statistical Areas or CBSAs) across the United States. 

Regions with the largest migration flows impacting the Pittsburgh MSA are typically a combination of large metropoltian areas closest to Pittsburgh, or smaller metropolitan and micropolitan areas within, or in close proximity to southwestern Pennsylvania. For 2019-2020, the regions with the largest population inflows coming into the Pittsburgh MSA include the New York City, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia MSAs.   The largest migration outflows for the same period included the New Castle, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (which is comprised of Lawrence County, PA), and the New York City and  the Youngstown, OH Metropolitan Statistical Areas.  

Over this same period, the largest net gains from migration came from the New York City and Los Angeles MSAs area and the largest net loss was to the Youngstown, OH  MSA. Six of the ten CBSAs with the largest net outmigration Pittsburgh include areas in Florida, North Carolina, and Arizona, which likely includes significant flows retiree migration to those areas. Click on the illustration below for detailed migration flow data between Pittsburgh and CBSAs across the United States. More information on the IRS migration data is below. 

Largest Gross Migration Flows to/from the Pittsburgh MSA, 2019-2020

  Largest Inmigration Flows     Largest Outmigration Flows
CBSA Inmigration Outmigration Net Migration   CBSA Inmigration Outmigration Net Migration
New York 1,726 1,108 618   New Castle, PA 945 1,245 -300
Philadelphia 1,091 1,082 9   New York 1,726 1,108 618
Washington 1,061 1,065 -4   Youngstown 672 1,100 -428
New Castle, PA 945 1,245 -300   Philadelphia 1,091 1,082 9
Indiana, PA 898 880 18   Washington 1,061 1,065 -4
Youngstown 672 1,100 -428   Indiana, PA 898 880 18
Erie, PA 598 538 60   Tampa 311 584 -273
Los Angeles 593 421 172   Houston 401 544 -143
Chicago 574 516 58   Erie, PA 598 538 60
Cleveland 454 397 57   Chicago 574 516 58

 

Largest Net Migration Gains/Losses Impacting the Pittsburgh MSA, 2019-2020

  Largest Net Outmigration     Largest Net Inmigration
CBSA Inmigration Outmigration Net Migration   CBSA Inmigration Outmigration Net Migration
Youngstown 672 1,100 -428   New York 1,726 1,108 618
New Castle, PA 945 1,245 -300   Los Angeles 593 421 172
Myrtle Beach 52 345 -293   Johnstown, PA 404 249 155
Tampa 311 584 -273   Altoona, PA 207 143 64
Cape Coral 75 330 -255   York 150 86 64
Salem, OH 143 391 -248   Erie, PA 598 538 60
Charlotte 180 389 -209   Detroit 253 194 59
Raleigh, NC 128 306 -178   Chicago 574 516 58
Phoenix 310 487 -177   Cleveland 454 397 57
North Port 79 245 -166   Scranton 93 38 55

 

Background on IRS Migration Data

The IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) division compiles this migration data in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureay. This data is estimated to capture around 80% of population migration within the United States but is less likely to include the migration of population groups who are not required to or fail to, file tax returns with the IRS. Underrepresented groups include those in low-income households or individuals filing tax returns for the first time. More information on this migration data is available online here

The county-to-county migration data available from the IRS has been compiled here to show the geographic pattern of migration between the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and other metropolitan and micropolitan areas across the United States. The Pittsburgh MSA is currently defined as a seven-county region of southwestern Pennsylvania including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. 




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