Americans search for better life in Canada, according to study

THE BATTLEFORDS — A new study reveals the top relocation-related search terms across the United states and which states want to relocate the most.

The research conducted by luggage shipping experts, MyBaggage.com analyzes all 52 states based on the number of times per month each Googles a term related to moving abroad.

The data includes 285 keywords, such as “best countries to move to,” “best European countries to live,” “minimum wage by country 2024,” “how to move to USA from UK,” “should I move to Australia,” and “legal requirements to move to Portugal.” 

The number of searches for each term was then added to give a total for each state. This was then compared to the population to calculate the number of searches per 100,000 people. 

Wyoming is the state most eager to relocate, with a total average of 115 searches per 100,000 residents and a total of 672 per month on average.

Among Wyoming's top search terms are “best countries in the world,” “best countries to live in,” “countries that speak English,” “best countries for Americans to move to,” and “move to Canada from USA.”

Vermont is the second state where people want to move the most, with an average of 725 monthly searches and 112 per 100,000 residents.

Vermont residents are searching for the following phrases: “countries that speak English,” “move to Canada from the USA,” “how to move to Canada,” and “best countries for Americans to move to.”

Alaskans are the third most eager to move, with 101 searches per 100,000 residents and an average of 738 searches per month.

“Cost of living in Japan,” “best countries to live in,” and “ move to Canada from USA” are among Alaska’s top search terms.

North Dakota takes fourth place in the study, generating an average of 706 monthly searches and 90 searches per 100,000 residents.

“Countries that speak English,” “how to move to Canada from the USA,” and “best countries for Americans to move to” are North Dakota’s top search terms.

Hawaii landed in fifth place, with a total average of 1,156 searches per month and 81 per 100,000 residents. 

Hawaii’s top search terms are “cost of living in Japan,” “move to New Zealand,” and  “cost of living in Dubai”.

The top ten states are Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, Oregon, and Colorado.

Mississippi is the state least interested in moving abroad, with just 50 searches per 100,000 residents. 

The data also highlights the top relocation-related search terms across the US, with “best countries to live in" being the top term, with an average of 21,698 searches per month.

Paul Stewart, Managing Director of MyBaggage.com, comments on the study findings,

“Wyoming has been ranked the fifth best place to live, according to a recent study. However, Wyomingites seem most eager to leave the state and settle elsewhere.

“Americans leave the U.S. for a number of factors, including better job prospects, a lower cost of living, better quality of life, studying abroad, better healthcare, marriage and relationship, or just travel and adventure.

“If you are considering moving elsewhere, it is important to consider several factors.

“Understanding your tax responsibilities in both the U.S. and your destination country is recommended, as depending on the destination, you may need to file taxes in both places.

“Legal and immigration requirements are also important, as you need to determine what type of visa or residence permit you need and the process for obtaining long-term residency or citizenship if that’s your goal.”