A bigger portion of people fled New York than any other state last year — with nearly 1% of the entire Empire State heading to other parts of the country, according to newly released US Census data.
More than 480,000 New Yorkers left last year — and only 300,000 new residents came in to replace them, for an overall migration loss of 180,000 people, according to the figures.
That’s a smaller figure than in 2022, when net flight was 244,000 — but it shows that the state continues to hemorrhage residents in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That amounts to more than 900 fewer people in the state per 100,000 residents.
The biggest destination is likely no surprise — Florida, with more than 71,000 New Yorkers moving there last year.
The Sunshine State, meanwhile, had more than 636,000 residents move in — 550 people per 100,000.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said in a statement the Democrat is working to make the Empire State more attractive to residents.
“Gov. Hochul knows the cost of living remains one of the top issues facing New Yorkers — and the data shows more families are staying in New York as we continue making communities more affordable, safer, and more livable,” the office said to The Post.
“Our work is far from over, and the governor will never stop fighting to put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, drive down crime and create more housing and good jobs statewide.”
Lawrence Levy, who heads the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, told Newsday that the smaller loss of population is a “positive sign for New York with a caveat.
“It doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot of work to do to make the state more affordable, more livable in terms of traffic and pollution and other issues that people have with the metro area,” he explained.
“But clearly, at least in this latest accounting, things are going in the right direction.”
The states that absorbed the most now ex-New Yorkers after Florida were New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California and Texas, according to the Census Bureau.
New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, Florida and Massachusetts sent the most residents to the Empire State.
The Census data revealed other states struggling with population loss while detailing states that took in the most people.
States with the fastest rates of residents leaving
Per 100,000 people
- New York – 913
- New Jersey – 745
- Illinois – 743
- Alaska – 699
- Louisiana – 693
States gaining residents
Per 100,000 people
- North Dakota – 1,735
- South Carolina – 1,278
- Vermont – 1,173
- North Carolina – 984
- Delaware – 958
The Census data accounts only for residents moving around the country — it doesn’t include births or deaths.
