Americans disappointed with the outcome of the U.S. election took their anguish online, with searches related to moving abroad surging following the results of the presidential race.
Google Trends showed that searches related to “leaving the country” and “how to move to …” spiked following the news that Donald Trump would be returning to the White House.
Searches for “how to move to Canada” peaked on Nov. 6, with Google Trends showing interest in the phrase highest among Democratic strongholds, like Vermont, Maine, Oregon and Washington.
Those searching for “can I move to another country” were highest in two pivotal “blue wall” swing states — Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, which NBC News has called for Trump — as well as Oregon, Minnesota and Indiana.
A survey conducted earlier this month found that 21% of Americans said they would consider moving abroad if their preferred candidate lost the race.
However, the sentiment seemed to be founded more on frustration, rather than actual intention, according to the survey conducted by Casino.org, which provides news, information and research to gamers.
Among those polled, nearly 60% said they would be “very unlikely” to move, while only 2.6% said they were “very likely” to uproot and leave.
Where Americans want to move
Canada, again, topped the list, with one in five Americans choosing it as their preferred destination following a disappointing Presidential election result.
The United Kingdom was second on the list, followed by Japan —the current darling of Asian tourism — at No. 3.
The East Asian nation is one of the most ethnically homogeneous, advanced economies in the world, with low rates of immigration. However, amid demographic shifts resulting from its aging population and shrinking workforce, the country is opening to foreigners.
Japan launched a “Digital Nomad” visa earlier this year which allows qualified foreigners to stay in the country for up to six months. The program is open to those who work for non-Japanese companies and make at least 10 million Japanese yen per year ($65,330).
Here are the top countries where respondents indicated interest in moving, should their preferred candidate lose the election:
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- Australia
- Italy
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- Spain
- France
- Sweden
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Costa Rica
- Mexico
South Korea also made the list at No. 21, followed by the Philippines at No. 22 and Thailand at No. 23.
Reasons for moving abroad
Among those who indicated interest to move abroad, “culture” was cited as the top reason, according to the report, followed by jobs and healthcare.
Taxes and education were each cited by roughly 3% of respondents as reasons to move overseas following a loss by their preferred candidate, the survey showed.
The survey polled more than 4,000 Americans, aged 18-65, about their feelings about moving abroad following the outcome of the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.
An NBC News national poll in September showed nearly two-thirds of Americans said that the country is on the “wrong track,” down from 73% who indicated the same in January of 2024.
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