It’s Irish-American Heritage month and to celebrate BetMGM Casino have produced a new study. This study investigates which states have the highest interest in moving abroad to live the Irish Dream with a fresh start in Ireland.
A growing number of Americans are searching for a fresh start overseas—Google Trends data reveals that United States searches for “move abroad” surged 71% YoY in January 2025, with most searches split between popular European countries including Italy, Spain and the UK. But which U.S. states are most willing to give up the American Dream to gamble on a new life in Ireland?
Key Findings:
- Washington scores highest for desiring the Irish Dream – The state ranks highest overall across all three categories (intent to move, interest in quality of life, and retirement) with a record score of 1441, followed by Massachusetts at #2, Virginia at #3, North Carolina at #4, and Colorado at #5.
- The West Coast hints at a reverse migration trend – Washington and Oregon dominate moving to Ireland searches, suggesting a potential shift away from traditional East Coast migration patterns.
- Over half the U.S. shows above-average interest in Ireland – 54% of U.S. states (27 out of 50) show higher-than-average search interest in moving to, quality of life available, and retirement in Ireland.
Lifestyle in Ireland is the biggest appeal for Americans – Searches related to jobs, schooling, healthcare, and community life in Ireland are the most popular, followed by searches on how to move here, and finally, retirement plans.
| Ranking | Region | Overall Irish Dream Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 1441 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 1402 |
| 3 | Virginia | 1172 |
| 4 | North Carolina | 1137 |
| 5 | Colorado | 1078 |
| 6 | Oregon | 1065 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 1021 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 981 |
| 9 | Connecticut | 940 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 929 |
The Top 10 States Most Interested In Moving To Ireland
The Top 10 States Most Interested In Ireland’s Quality of Life
The Top 10 States Most Interested in Retiring in Ireland
Methodology:
A total of 30 search queries were analyzed on Google Trends from the U.S. over the past 12 months. These queries were categorized into three key areas that together provide a framework for the “Irish Dream”:
- Clear intent to move – Searches indicating a direct interest in relocating, such as “move to Ireland”, “live in Ireland”, and “immigrate to Ireland from US”.
- Lifestyle and dream living – Searches related to career opportunities, quality of life, and daily living, including “jobs in Ireland”, “Ireland opportunities”, “schools in Ireland”, and “quality of life in Ireland”.
- Retirement & long-term stay – Searches focused on retiring or staying in Ireland long-term, such as “retire in Ireland”, “retirement visa Ireland”, and “retirement in Ireland”.
Data for each U.S. state was exported, and search interest scores (0-100) were extracted for each query. After analyzing all 30 search queries, the total search interest for each state was calculated by summing the scores across all queries.
Irish-Themed Game Recommendations
If you love Irish culture, here are some Irish-themed slot games that you can enjoy:
