This WSJ article: More Middle-Class Americans Are Living Abroad to Stretch Their Dollars – WSJ (paywall) – and for now also: More Middle-Income Americans Are Trying to Make a New Life Overseas – uses a different estimate of Americans living abroad and arrives at 4.4 million, which is about 1.3% of the U.S. population, which is lower than other estimates of 1.6%, 2%-3%.
The article notes that obtaining a residency visa in some countries is possible, particularly if you have passive or remote income sources. The article also notes potential tax complications, but does not mention that those on Medicare do not have access to Medicare health coverage (and might pay a significant Part B premium penalty if they return to the U.S. later.)
