While France’s most famous actor, Gerard Depardieu, is now the latest in a wave of tax refugees to flee the country before a new wealth tax kicks in in 2013, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests that ordinary Americans with average incomes continue to flee high-tax states like California for low-tax states like Texas.
Reports say that Depardieu was likely motivated by tax avoidance considerations in moving to a small town in Belgium adjacent the French border city of Lille. The move comes after French luxury magnate Bernard Arnault made a similar cross-border move.
Depardieu was famous for representing the French “everyman” so it is no surprise his moving has set off both introspection and fury among your average Jacques.
Meanwhile, your average American Joe, with far less in earnings than French millionaires and billionaires, continues his migration from places like New York and California.
The Census Bureau reports that the most common state to state moves in 2011 were New York to Florida (59,288), California to Texas (58,992) and California to Arizona (49,635).
Notably, the Census Bureau data shows that job-related factors such as a new job or transfer were most commonly cited reason for moving among the top two income categories ($85,000 to $99,999 and $100,000 and above).