When you live in one of the most recognizable cities in the world, it’s almost unthinkable to consider the possibility that people might be leaving it at a staggering rate, but thanks to a report by the NY Post, we know it’s happening.
Jostled on a busy subway train, damp and cold, getting berated by a random stranger; we all have those moments when we indulge the fantasy of living somewhere else. Somewhere warm, less crowded, somewhere you can have a taste of that small-town hospitality. How close have you come to leaving NYC?
Whether you’ve entertained the idea of leaving the city or not, many of those around you have. According to a report be NY Post, citing U.S. Census records, over 1 million people have fled the NT area since 2010. The NY Post goes as far to say that it is “highest negative net migration rate among the nation’s large population centers.” To put that statement into perspective, in 2015, 187,034 people are known to have left the NY area, last year that number grew to 223,423.
Before you let panic sink in, put down that “go bag”, the city is still growing in population. You won’t wake up one morning to find yourself in a ghost town, the population is up 2.7 % from 2010 to 2016, but that growth has slowed down significantly.
E.J. McMahon, Research director at Empire Center for Public Policy told the NY Post:
The historical trend is that out-migration grows when the economy is getting better, […] as the economy gets better, there are more jobs outside the region and by the same token . . . more people to buy your house if you’re a baby boomer looking to move to Boca Raton or Myrtle Beach.”
Whether people are leaving to escape higher taxes, in search of warmer climes or for opportunities in a more competitive job market, NYC is still growing, albeit slowly. We’re in no danger of becoming a ghost town for the foreseeable future.