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.

Although Aubrey's decision crystallised in the last few months, under the Trump presidency, the trend has been apparent for many years - starting at the end of the Obama administration, according to Gallup. Pressures have been building on women from the left and the right, says Nadia E Brown, professor of government and chair of women's and gender studies at Georgetown University.

It's not just partisan politics, says Professor Brown. Women feel caught between expectations from both sides - traditional roles promoted by conservatives and the pressures of progressive working life. Neither path guarantees autonomy or dignity, and that leaves women considering alternatives like moving abroad.

Economic reasons like student loans, the rising cost of healthcare, and the cost of home ownership are also factors in shaping young women's decisions to forge a life in another country, she adds.

A recent survey from the Harris Poll suggested 40% of Americans have considered moving abroad, with many citing lower living costs as their main reason. The largest demographic groups thinking of moving were Gen Z and Millennials.

'No strong work-life balance in US'

Kaitlin, 31, who moved from the US to Portugal four years ago, says there wasn't one big reason why she decided to move abroad but felt compelled to ditch her day job to explore a new life somewhere else.

I was working a 9-to-5 in Los Angeles, and every day felt exactly the same. There's not a strong work-life balance in the US. I wanted to live somewhere with a different pace, different cultures, and learn a new language.

She now lives in Lisbon, works remotely as a freelancer, and says the lower cost of living and strong social culture have made her feel more like a whole person again.

I can't imagine ever going back to the US, she says.

'Women's rights were being stripped away in real time'

Despite the non-political nature of decisions made by people like Kaitlin, a clear gender divide emerged in 2017, with those who disapproved of the Trump presidency far more likely to want to leave, according to the Gallup data.

For Alyssa, a 34-year-old mother who moved from Florida to Uruguay earlier this year, the decision to leave wasn't just about lifestyle - it was a response to political and social pressures that felt immediate and personal.

I have children and I don't plan on having more, but the increasing governance of women's bodies terrified me. I felt like women's rights were being stripped away in real time, she explains.

As a Latina, she felt unsafe because of rhetoric around immigration in the US, even as a US citizen. I genuinely feared being detained in front of my kids, she says.

It took around eight months. We sold everything, packed up two kids, and handled all the family logistics, she recalls.

Confidence in major US institutions drops

Another issue on which a gender divide appears to have widened is the matter of Americans' trust in institutions.

But the decline has been especially precipitous among young women. Younger women's scores have fallen by 17 points since then - the sharpest decline of any demographic. Confidence dropped during both the Trump and Biden administrations.

Some women are also weighing practical concerns like healthcare and climate - factors that can tip the balance when considering a move abroad.

Marina plans to leave the US for Portugal next May with her boyfriend. Healthcare not being a human right in this country is a huge part of why we're leaving.

Her concerns reflect a broader mix of economic, environmental, and safety pressures drawing younger women towards Europe and elsewhere.

A global trend

Professor Brown says this isn't just a US problem. Access to subsidies for childcare and healthcare, which are more common in Europe, can impact an American woman's decision to move abroad.

People don't realise how far behind the US is on maternal care, parental leave, and healthcare, Alyssa says, until they leave the country.

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