Young adults remain the largest group leaving the Isle of Man, according to the government’s 2025 Population Report.
The report highlights ongoing concerns about the island’s ability to retain people aged 20 to 24.
The age group accounted for 41% of all departures in 2024, continuing a long-term pattern of young residents moving away for education, career progression, or better opportunities elsewhere.
Island’s Population
Despite this sustained outflow, the island’s overall population is still growing.
The report estimates the population reached 84,975 in early 2025, an increase of more than 900 since the 2021 Census.
This growth is driven almost entirely by inward migration, which has remained consistently strong at roughly 2,200 new arrivals annually for the past three years.
Young Adults Arriving
Revised data also shows that fewer people left the island in 2023 than previously estimated, strengthening overall population growth trends.
Most new arrivals are aged between 25 and 44, while retirees make up only a small minority.
The Medical and Health sector continues to be the largest employer of new residents, while Douglas and the island’s southern communities remain the most common destinations for people settling on the island.
The full report can be found here.
