Study: Poughkeepsie Near Top of America’s Metro Areas People Are Leaving

It's long been known that thousands of residents are leaving New York every year. The high cost of living, high taxes, retirement, and a lack of jobs that pay well have driven New Yorkers to look elsewhere to live. Once again, studies show that many from the Empire State are either heading south or west to start a new life.

But a new study has shed some more light on the large number of outbound residents, including which metro areas most people are moving from. It may surprise you what areas in New York people are fleeing from. Or, maybe it won't.

Study: Poughkeepsie Near Top of America's Metro Areas People Are Leaving

The results, posted at PIX11, report that the 48th United Van Lines National Movers Study says that New York was third in the country for residents leaving. The report says that that 59% of the total New York migrations were outbound, and 41% were inbound. It should be noted that over half of those moving to New York state have an annual income of over $150,000, according to the study's findings.

See Also: Alarming Study Shows New York State's Predicted Huge Population Drop By 2030

New Jersey topped the list for the seventh straight year of states people are leaving.

Are People Really Leaving (Or Moving To) the Hudson Valley Area?

But what may surprise some is just how many are fleeing New York's Hudson Valley region? When United Van Lines broke down the info for metro areas, Poughkeepsie ranked 4th in the country for resident leaving, with 73% of the moves being outbound.

Bergen-Passaic, NJ, and Nassau-Suffolk, NY were 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

The latest findings may go against data from other studies that found places like Poughkeepsie were growing? In 2024, the website Insider Monkey, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, found that Poughkeepsie was one of the state's fastest growing areas. 

See Also: What State, Aside From Just Florida, Are New Yorkers Moving To?