WASHINGTON, D.C. — The number of young American women who want to leave the United States permanently has quadrupled in the past decade, reaching a record high of 40% in 2025, according to new data from Gallup. The polling, conducted in June and July, shows a profound demographic shift. While one in five Americans overall expresses a desire to emigrate, the sentiment is overwhelmingly driven by women aged 15 to 44, creating the largest gender gap in migration aspiration that Gallup has recorded globally. Experts cite a sharp decline in confidence in national institutions, major political shifts, and pressing lifestyle and safety concerns as key factors fueling this trend.

The data reveals that a seismic 21-point gap now exists between younger women (40%) and their male counterparts (19%) who want to emigrate. Gallup notes that since it began measuring this question globally in 2007, few countries have shown a gender gap this wide. The trend marks a stark reversal from 2014, when only 10% of younger women shared this desire, a figure that was in line with other groups.

A Decade-Long Erosion of Trust

Analysts point to a sustained collapse in confidence among younger women in core American institutions as a central driver of this outlook. Since 2015, younger women’s scores on Gallup’s National Institutions Index—measuring trust in government, the judiciary, the military, and election integrity—have fallen by 17 points, the steepest decline of any demographic group. Confidence in the judicial system, in particular, plummeted from 55% in 2015 to 32% in 2025.

"The Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision [overturning Roe v. Wade] may have contributed to the drop... particularly the steep decline in their confidence in the judicial system," Gallup reported. For some women, this was a breaking point. "I felt like women's rights were being stripped away in real time," said Alyssa, 34, a mother who moved from Florida to Uruguay in early 2025.

Politics, Safety, and Quality of Life

The desire to migrate is heavily politicized. In 2025, a 25-point gap exists between Americans who approve of the country's leadership and those who disapprove. Younger women are also far more likely to identify as or lean Democratic (59%) than younger men (39%). However, Gallup emphasizes the trend began in 2016 and has persisted across presidencies, suggesting "a broader shift in opinion... rather than a solely partisan one".

This shift is compounded by practical concerns about safety, healthcare, and work-life balance. Women interviewed by the BBC cited gun violence, the high cost of healthcare, and a lack of support for families as motivating factors. "Healthcare not being a human right in this country is a huge part of why we're leaving," said Marina, who plans to move to Portugal. Others, like Kaitlin who moved to Lisbon, sought a different pace of life, noting, "There's not a strong work-life balance in the U.S.".

A Unique American Phenomenon

This trend sets the United States apart from its peers. In other advanced economies within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the share of younger women wanting to migrate has remained steady between 20% and 30% for years. American women, who were once less likely to want to leave than their international peers, are now significantly more likely to do so.

The aspiration extends across traditional family boundaries. Among younger women, the desire to leave is nearly identical for those who are married (41%) and single (45%), as well as for those with children at home (40%) and without (44%), indicating that family ties are less of a deterrent than in the past.

Imagined Futures and Potential Destinations

Gallup stresses that these figures reflect an aspiration, not a concrete plan, and that not everyone who wants to move will do so. Yet, they represent a significant shift in how millions of younger American women envision their futures.

If they were to move, Canada is the clear top destination, named by 11% of younger women since 2022. It is followed distantly by New Zealand, Italy, and Japan. These choices point to a search for countries perceived as offering greater social stability, safety, and public services.

The data presents a stark picture of generational discontent. As Nadia E. Brown, a professor of government and gender studies at Georgetown University, explained, women feel caught between competing expectations. "Neither path guarantees autonomy or dignity, and that leaves women considering alternatives like moving abroad".

Key Takeaways

1. Record-High Aspiration: 40% of American women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if given the chance, a fourfold increase since 2014.
2. Historic Gender Gap: This creates a 21-point gender gap with younger men (19%), the widest Gallup has recorded in any country.
3. Collapsing Institutional Trust: A major driver is a severe, 17-point decline in younger women's confidence in U.S. institutions like the government and judiciary since 2015.
4. Beyond Partisan Politics: The trend began in 2016 and spans multiple administrations, driven by issues like reproductive rights, safety, healthcare costs, and work-life balance.
5. A U.S.-Specific Trend: Young women in other wealthy nations do not share this rising desire to emigrate, highlighting a unique American dynamic.