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40% of younger American women want to permanently leave the country

November 14, 2025

Recent Gallup polling reveals a dramatic shift in American women's desire to relocate internationally, with 40 percent of women and girls aged 15-45 now wanting to permanently move abroad, compared to only 19 percent of men in the same age group. This represents a significant increase from 2008, when just 17 percent of younger women expressed this desire, nearly matching the 16 percent of men at that time. The gender gap in relocation desires appears closely tied to political satisfaction, with Americans disapproving of current leadership being 25 percentage points more likely to want to leave permanently.

Who is affected

  • American women and girls ages 15 to 45 (40% want to permanently relocate)
  • American boys and men ages 15 to 45 (19% want to permanently relocate)
  • American women ages 45 and up (14% interested in moving)
  • American men ages 45 and up (8% interested in moving)
  • Gen Z and millennial women (encompassed in the 15-44 age range)
  • Americans who disapprove of the country's leadership

What action is being taken

  • The 19th is conducting an annual survey to gather thoughts from readers as they plan for 2026
  • Gallup is asking people about their relocation desires as part of the ongoing Gallup World Poll (which has been conducted since 2008)

Why it matters

  • This polling data reveals a significant and growing gender divide in how young Americans view their future in the country, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. The widening gap—from nearly equal percentages in 2008 to a 21-point difference today—reflects deeper divisions between younger women and men, with Gen Z women representing one of the most liberal demographic groups in the United States. The correlation between disapproval of national leadership and desire to relocate suggests that political dissatisfaction is driving emigration interest, marking a departure from historical patterns where American women were less likely than their international counterparts to want to leave.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The 19th

40% of younger American women want to permanently leave the country