Moving Trends Report

New York is a dream destination for many people. It’s a unique city of tremendous opportunities and offers a mix of world cultures. A recent survey of search engine data found that more residents of large American cities are looking to move to New York than any other city.

But what about New Yorkers themselves? Many are choosing to move out of the city for other destinations. Over the past decade, almost a million people have left New York and surrounding areas. About 300 people per day move out of the area.

This post will describe why New Yorkers are moving and where they are going. If you live in New York or are thinking of moving there, this information may be of interest. And it will give you some insight into overall U.S. migration patterns.

Where Are New Yorkers Moving To?

New York lost the most residents of any state during the pandemic. According to U.S. Census population estimates, 319,020 people left the Empire State between April 2020 and July 2021.

Some former New Yorkers have moved back. Melissa, a global data analytics company, found that more households moved to Manhattan in 2022 than in years before the pandemic.

But New York still has significantly more people leaving than moving in. It ranks fourth in annual net population loss, behind New Jersey, California, and Illinois. 

According to moveBuddha, the top moving destinations for New Yorkers are Florida, California and Texas. These three states account for over 40 percent of all moves out of New York. Georgia and North Carolina together account for another 10 percent of moves. But not all New Yorkers are moving far: five percent move to New Jersey.

According to the real estate website Redfin, the top city destinations for people leaving New York are:

  1. Philadelphia, PA
  2. Miami, FL
  3. Boston, MA
  4. Los Angeles, CA
  5. Orlando, FL
  6. Atlanta, GA
  7. Houston, TX
  8. Hartford, CT
  9. Tampa, FL
  10. Allentown, PA

Hartford and Allentown are the smallest towns on this list. One reason New Yorkers are moving to less populated areas is the lower cost. The median home sale price is $248,000 in Hartford and $210,000 in Allentown, versus $820,000 in New York. Small towns like Hartford and Allentown also offer increasing employment opportunities and many local amenities and entertainment options.

Why Are New Yorkers Leaving?

The reasons New Yorkers choose to leave are as diverse as New York itself, but here are the most common motivations.

Weather

Climate is one big factor in the decision to leave. Florida, California and Texas have much more mild winters than New York.

Cost

Another reason, as mentioned earlier, is cost. New York is known as one of the most expensive cities in the world: it has high real estate prices, high cost of living, and high taxes. The total cost of living in the Empire State is around 150 percent higher than the national average.

Many New York residents are looking to improve their financial situation by heading to other regions of the country. Florida and Texas are known for having no income tax, which may appeal to those with higher incomes. Many parts of Florida and Texas are also less expensive than New York. In Miami, the median home sale price is $475,000, which is just over half the price in New York.

Peace and Quiet

New York is known as the “city that never sleeps.” While the constant hustle and bustle, crowds and noise can be invigorating, at some point many people long for a quieter, slower pace. This is particularly true if they are older or have young children. A study by MagnifyMoney found more seniors are leaving New York than any other metro area. 

New Yorkers are known for being workaholics and constantly in a hurry. The continual busyness of New York living, combined with the high costs, makes it hard to balance work and personal life. Many people desire to live in a place where they can shop or walk in the park without being stuck in traffic or a crowd of people. Picking up kids from school can be an ordeal if you’re always having to fight traffic.

Furthermore, the New York population tends to be transient: people are constantly coming and going. This makes it hard to form close connections. Many people want to live in a neighborhood where they can have lasting friendships.

Employment

New York has an abundance of job opportunities in multiple fields; it’s home to many well-known corporations. But sometimes it can be hard to land a position that affords a comfortable lifestyle in New York, and the competition for higher-paying jobs can be fierce. Many are searching for a better-paid job in a place with more affordable living expenses.

Safety

The New York crime rates are higher than the national average. Also, there are many homeless people on the streets, which contributes to the feeling of being unsafe. The subways have become a frequent location for criminal activity, so many people don’t feel safe taking the subways or allowing their children to ride the New York subways.

Air Quality

While no densely populated city is really clean and healthy, New York is often considered particularly dirty. A lot of New Yorkers long to live in an environment that’s healthier for themselves and their families.

Politics

New York has an incredibly diverse population, and this includes political views. The voting is dominated by New York City, but many in outlying areas aren’t happy with the political leanings of typical New York city-dwellers and desire to live where people’s views are more aligned with theirs.

Living in New York offers many benefits and opportunities that are hard to find anywhere else. Sometimes it’s hard to pull up stakes and move from such an exciting place. However, there are many good reasons why New Yorkers decide to move. 

Relocation is a major life experience, and many people do it multiple times in their lifetimes. Making a decision to leave your home and start a new life somewhere else is not easy, but lots of people make the effort to improve their situations.

Moving to another state can be stressful and taxing. If you’ve decided to leave New York for another locale, and you want to make things easy on yourself and your family, call All Around Moving today. We’re the New York-based specialists in local and long-distance moves and will be glad to make your move go smoothly.

We hope you found this post, 2022 Moving Trends Report: Where Are New Yorkers Moving Right Now? useful. Be sure to check out our post, Top 6 Places to Relocate to Outside of New York for more great information.


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