A Gallup survey released Thursday reveals that the proportion of adults worldwide who would choose the United States as their preferred permanent destination has dropped to a historic low, even as the country retains its status as the most sought-after relocation spot globally.
The 2025 poll shows that 15 percent of respondents across 140 countries named the US as their top choice, a significant decline from the 24 percent recorded between 2007 and 2009. The previous low was 18 percent in 2017. The findings mark a sharp reversal of the long-term trend of rising global migration aspirations.
Despite the downturn, the US remains the leading destination for residents of Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa. Canada ranked second overall at 9 percent, followed by Germany at 5 percent. Australia, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan each drew 4 percent of respondents.
Latin America saw the steepest erosion in US appeal, with the percentage of adults naming the US as their top choice falling from 33 percent in 2024 to 28 percent in 2025. Seven of the 16 countries where the preference dropped by at least 10 percentage points were in that region. Mexico experienced one of the largest declines, falling by double digits to 21 percent, matching its lowest point in the 2017–2018 period.
“For years, the dominant story in global migration data was a rising desire to move across nearly every region,” Gallup stated. “The 2025 data suggest that pattern is shifting. The declines are widespread and concentrated in the regions that have historically driven global migration.”
The survey also highlights a growing interest among Americans in leaving the country. The desire to move abroad is concentrated among women under 45, with 40 percent expressing that wish, up from just 10 percent in 2014. “The trend first rose sharply in 2016 and continued across multiple years, suggesting a broader shift in outlook rather than a short-term political effect,” Gallup noted.
The poll, conducted September 12–15, included more than 144,000 respondents from 140 countries. Despite the declines, an estimated 900 million people worldwide still wish to relocate permanently, including about 134 million who would pick the US. The findings come amid broader shifts in public sentiment, as reflected in other recent surveys: a Gallup poll earlier this year found congressional approval plummeting to near-record lows, and a Federal Reserve survey documented historic lows in worker satisfaction under economic strain.
The data underscore a notable change in global migration patterns, with the US losing ground in regions that have long been its strongest sources of potential immigrants. The trend raises questions about the country's enduring appeal as a destination for those seeking opportunity abroad.
