State Aussies are leaving – and where they’re moving to

New data reveals more than 30,000 Australians fled one state in particular in the last 12 months – and where most of them have gone.

Australians are leaving NSW in droves in search of new lives interstate, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed.

In the 12 months to December 31, saw a whopping 121,071 people fleeing for another state and less than 90,000 moving in from around the country to take their place.

Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT also recorded falls in net interstate migration, with Victoria seeing a drop of nearly 10,000 and Tasmania only losing 941 people once arrivals were taken into account.

NSW saw the largest drop in interstate migration last year, with Queensland recording the biggest rise. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Only three states saw a net increase in interstate migration over the same time period, with South Australia recording an extra 670 people, Western Australia gaining 10,593 and Queensland recording a whopping increase of 34,545.

While Australians were leaving NSW, the state saw a massive influx of overseas migrants, with a net increase of 134,602.

Victoria saw a net increase of 120,460 overseas mirgrants, while Queensland recorded just over 58,000.

The huge boost in overseas migration saw every state and territory record an increase in its total population, with only the Northern Territory citing natural increase as the source of its rise.

The numbers were released as the ABS handed down new data findings on interstate migration from the 2021 Census.

According to the Census, those aged 18-40 made up more than half of all interstate movers, despite making up only one third of the population.