A survey conducted by Manhattan Institute found that at least 244 thousand New Yorkers filed for a change of address between March and July this year. That number represented almost double the usual number filed in previous years.
The study found that among the main reasons for people leaving New York were potential exposure to coronavirus, cost of living, and the increased crime rate.
“The cost of living, more than any other factor, contributes to the likelihood of leaving New York City (see Figure 5). A total of 69% of respondents cite the cost of living as a reason to leave the city; that figure is even higher among black (77%) and Hispanic (79%) respondents. Other reasons cited by respondents considering leaving New York City include crime (47%), desire for a nonurban lifestyle (46%), and the ability to work from home (30%),” the survey found.
“Turning to challenges for New York City, 75% of respondents cited income taxes as a problem, while 72% pointed to traffic and 68% to the reliability of public transportation. The greatest concern of all was the likelihood of coronavirus spread, with 90% saying that it posed a problem for them.”
