PA Lost $10.4 Billion Due to Domestic Out-Migration

Member Group : Center Square

(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania, which has a flat state income tax, saw a cumulative decrease in adjusted gross income (AGI) between 2010 and 2018 of $10.4 billion, according to a new analysis of Internal Revenue Service data by the independent research website Wirepoints.

Pennsylvania ranked 36th in the study comparing the 50 states’ AGI numbers to out- and in-migration numbers. Pennsylvania reported a 3.1 percent decrease in AGI in 2018 compared to 2010, when the total AGI stood at $339.7 billion.

Overall, the 17 states with either no income tax or a flat income tax attracted a net 1.9 million residents and $120 billion in AGI from those states with progressive income tax systems during that time period, Wirepoints reported.

The study, however, did recognize that income tax systems are not the only reason people move from one state to another. Other reasons involve employment, housing, weather and corruption, Wirepoints reported.

Cumulative Gross Income Changes vs. Migration Trends

State Type of Income Tax Cumulative Net Change in AGI Due to Domestic Migration 2010-2018 (in Billions) Total AGI in 2010 AGI Gain / Loss Compared to 2010 Rank
Florida Zero $95.0 $467.5 20.3% 1
South Carolina Progressive $15.2 $94.1 16.1% 2
Nevada Zero $10.5 $66.8 15.7% 3
Idaho Progressive $4.2 $29.6 14.2% 4
Arizona Progressive $15.5 $135.8 11.4% 5
Montana Progressive $2.4 $21.6 11.1% 6
Colorado Flat $11.2 $142.6 7.9% 7
North Carolina Flat $15.8 $207.8 7.8% 8
Oregon Progressive $6.1 $88.5 7.0% 9
Washington Zero $11.8 $190.8 6.2% 10
Tennessee Zero $8.0 $136.1 5.9% 11
Wyoming Zero $1.0 $17.7 5.4% 12
Delaware Progressive $1.2 $23.9 5.0% 13
Texas Zero $30.7 $620.6 5.0% 14
Utah Flat $2.7 $58.9 4.6% 15
Maine Progressive $1.3 $30.0 4.2% 16
South Dakota Zero $0.6 $19.8 3.2% 17
New Hampshire Flat $1.3 $41.4 3.1% 18
Hawaii Progressive $0.5 $33.4 1.6% 19
Georgia Progressive $3.1 $216.0 1.4% 20
Alabama Progressive $0.8 $98.9 0.8% 21
Arkansas Progressive -$0.2 $56.0 -0.3% 22
Oklahoma Progressive -$0.6 $79.5 -0.8% 23
Kentucky Progressive -$1.0 $86.7 -1.2% 24
Vermont Progressive -$0.2 $15.7 -1.3% 25
Indiana Flat -$3.0 $143.2 -2.1% 26
Missouri Progressive -$2.9 $135.4 -2.2% 27
Mississippi Progressive -$1.2 $53.3 -2.2% 28
New Mexico Progressive -$0.9 $41.4 -2.2% 29
North Dakota Progressive -$0.4 $18.6 -2.3% 30
California Progressive -$24.6 $1,026.9 -2.4% 31
Wisconsin Progressive -$3.7 $143.8 -2.6% 32
Louisiana Progressive -$2.7 $98.2 -2.7% 33
Iowa Progressive -$2.0 $72.1 -2.8% 34
Michigan Flat -$6.6 $227.6 -2.9% 35
Pennsylvania Flat -$10.4 $339.7 -3.1% 36
Virginia Progressive -$7.8 $245.1 -3.2% 37
Minnesota Progressive -$4.9 $152.4 -3.2% 38
West Virginia Progressive -$1.2 $35.6 -3.4% 39
Nebraska Progressive -$1.7 $45.2 -3.9% 40
Massachusetts Flat -$9.0 $233.5 -3.9% 41
Rhode Island Progressive -$1.2 $28.3 -4.2% 42
Ohio Progressive -$11.5 $267.0 -4.3% 43
Kansas Progressive -$3.1 $70.7 -4.4% 44
Maryland Progressive -$10.1 $189.3 -5.3% 45
New Jersey Progressive -$21.5 $308.5 -7.0% 46
Connecticut Progressive -$12.3 $145.6 -8.4% 47
New York Progressive -$54.1 $628.4 -8.6% 48
Illinois Flat -$34.3 $362.3 -9.5% 49
Alaska Zero -$2.3 $21.5 -10.9% 50

Source: Wirepoints.org