Young people are fleeing Boston because of the high cost of rent and concern over safety, a new survey shows.
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, an institution that “represents the collective voice of the business community,” polled 600 people aged 20 to 30 living in Plymouth, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk counties. The survey was conducted between Feb. 27 and March 20.
The survey showed that 26% said they are likely to leave greater Boston in the next five years. Among those planning to move out of greater Boston, the majority are looking to move to states in the Southwest and the Southeast.
The survey was conducted by the chamber three years ago and showed similar results.
“Just like in 2023, about a quarter of young residents are planning to leave Massachusetts,” the chamber noted.
Among the top issues the people surveyed cared about were “housing that is affordable, health care accessibility, availability of quality jobs, and crime and public safety.”
The report on Boston’s population shifts comes after New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles also reported downward trends.
New York City lost more residents than those that moved in last year, according to a new study from the Citizens’ Budget Commission released Monday. The Citizens Budget Commission reported that the city’s overall population declined in 2025. The study explained further that the decline in population is due to the 70% drop in New Yorkers moving to other areas and international migration.
NEW YORK CITY LOST RESIDENTS ACROSS ALL INCOME LEVELS LAST YEAR, STUDY FINDS
San Francisco’s population experienced a similar decline, in which it had not recovered since pandemic levels, The San Francisco Chronicle reported in March.
The blue cities’ losses underscore a broader national trend where taxpayers are increasingly fleeing high-tax, high-cost states.
South Carolina is officially the fastest-growing state in the nation, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
TEXAS EMERGES AS THE TOP DESTINATION FOR COMPANIES LEAVING BLUE STATES
New data released this month by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, which analyzed the latest available IRS tax filing information from 2022, further affirmed this trend.
The study found that while Texas and Florida remain top targets, the overall shift of residents from high-tax states to more tax-friendly environments — including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — shows no signs of slowing.