No wonder everyone is leaving New York. Honestly, who can actually afford to live here anymore?
Between skyrocketing rents, insane property taxes, mandatory all-electric homes, and utility bills climbing by $600 a year, it’s like the state is daring you to stay.
All Electric Buildings & EVs
If you’re building a new home, forget about gas stoves, gas furnaces, or anything remotely traditional—everything has to be electric under Governor Kathy Hochul‘s All-Electric Buildings Act.
Want a weekend road trip? Better trade in that gas-powered car for an EV and hope your electricity bill doesn’t give you a heart attack.
Jupiterimages/Think Stock
Jupiterimages/Think StockCost of Living
It’s frustrating because policies like these—while “green” and forward-thinking—hit everyday residents right in the wallet.
Families juggling bills, renters trying to save, or small business owners and farmers all see costs climbing faster than the electricity meters themselves. And let’s not forget the normal cost-of-living nightmares: rent, groceries, insurance, taxes… the list goes on.
New York is seeing a steady stream of people packing up and leaving. Between 2022 and 2023, the state lost around 217,000 residents, marking one of the highest population drops in the country. And this isn’t a new trend—since 2020, over 631,000 people have left the Empire State.
READ MORE: One CNY City Among Top 10 Gen Z Population is Moving To
It’s no wonder people are moving to states where they can actually afford a roof over their heads and dinner on the table.
doble-d/Think Stock
doble-d/Think StockExpensive to Survive
New York has a lot going for it—culture, jobs, natural beauty—but all those perks come with a price tag that keeps rising while the average paycheck barely moves.
Meanwhile, the people calling the shots pat themselves on the back for “clean energy” and “progress.” For the rest of us, it’s just shocking how expensive survival in New York has become.
READ MORE: Top Two New York Cities Everyone is Moving Out of
At this point, staying in New York feels like a financial endurance test. Who’s winning here? Certainly not the everyday residents.
LOOK: Here’s where people in every state are moving to mostStacker analyzed the Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey data to determine the three most popular destinations for people moving out of each state.
Gallery Credit: Amanda Silvestri