Young U.S. Women Seeking New Beginnings Abroad: A Growing Trend

Sat Dec 20 2025 14:07:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

An increasing number of young American women are contemplating life beyond the U.S. due to political, economic, and social pressures, signaling a significant shift in migration aspirations.

Recent data reveals that 40% of American women aged 15 to 44 are considering moving abroad, driven by concerns over safety, discrimination, economic challenges, and the desire for a better work-life balance. Personal stories highlight this trend, as women from diverse backgrounds evaluate their futures in the face of diminishing trust in institutions and rising political tension. This movement reflects not only individual reactions to U.S. societal issues but also parallels a broader global trend among women seeking more supportive living conditions.

Aubrey and her wife are preparing to leave the United States for Costa Rica in January - a decision they haven't taken lightly, after building a life as homeowners in upstate New York.

Aubrey says months of unease about the political climate in the United States - from debates over LGBTQ rights to concerns about basic safety - finally tipped them into making a plan to leave.

We're very concerned about the legality of our relationship and the overall tone of safety, not only as members of the LGBTQ community but also as women entirely, she says.

Aubrey's story is far from unique, according to a survey that made headlines earlier this month. New data from US analytics firm Gallup showed 40% of American women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity - four times higher than a decade ago. The rise has also created the largest gender gap in migration aspirations that Gallup has ever recorded, with only 19% of younger men saying they want to leave the US.

These figures reflect aspirations rather than intentions, but they appear to highlight a growing number of younger American women reassessing where they see their futures.

Despite the non-political nature of decisions made by Kaitlin, a 31-year-old who moved from the US to Portugal four years ago, the trend illustrates how personal and political pressures are intertwining. Kaitlin described her previous 9-to-5 job as monotonously unfulfilling, noting the lack of work-life balance in the U.S.

I wanted to live somewhere with a different pace, different cultures, and learn a new language, she says, emphasizing that she now feels more like a whole person living in Lisbon.

For Alyssa, a 34-year-old mother who relocated to Uruguay earlier this year, the decision to leave was spurred by the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which she felt jeopardized women's rights. She shares her fears regarding the rhetoric surrounding immigration and how it impacted her family dynamics.

Others have expressed practical concerns over healthcare and climate change as significant factors in their decisions to move abroad. As noted by Marina, who plans to relocate for Portugal, the lack of affordable healthcare and increasing gun violence in the U.S. are considerable motivations behind her decision.

Overall, this rising trend among young U.S. women parallels a global pattern of women seeking different, more supportive environments, reflecting both their aspirations and the pressing challenges they face at home.

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