Escape from New York just got real.
People have been fleeing coastal cities gradually over the past decade, but the coronavirus pandemic hastened their exit. Bad governance, made worse by a public health crisis, tends to have that effect.
States such as New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and California experienced the largest exoduses last year, while South Carolina, South Dakota, and Arizona welcomed the most newcomers, according to a recent study by United Van Lines.
The cities, specifically, lost thousands upon thousands of residents. For every person who moved into New York City in 2020, nearly three moved out. In Chicago, the ratio was also more than two leavers for every arrival.
Notice that each of the states and cities that lost residents have one thing in common: They are run by liberals who have no problem raising taxes, mandating strict coronavirus restrictions, and leashing law enforcement.
Many of the people who moved did blame the coronavirus pandemic for pushing them out the door. But pandemic restrictions were not the only factor. Out-goers also considered the ability to work from home, the desire to be closer to family, and the basic realization that living in a packed metropolis during a public health crisis might not be the best idea.
“It’s the hardest decision leaving a city you love,” Stefunny Price, 48, who left New York City this summer, told the Wall Street Journal. “It’s like breaking up with a boyfriend you love but you know is not good for you.”
However, most experts believe the urban exodus will be short-lived. Not everyone is looking to leave the cities permanently, which is why many city dwellers bought homes in neighboring suburbs instead of leaving altogether. This exact trend occurred after the Spanish flu of 1918 and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. When a crisis hits, urban residents flee for the suburbs. But then, they usually return.
Moreover, many of those who left coastal cities such as New York simply found a new city. Austin, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee, saw a lot of inbound migration last year, as did several cities in Florida. And many of the incoming residents were former coastal city dwellers in search of a new urban atmosphere.
This suggests that urban life itself is not the problem. But perhaps the rules and the people that govern city living are.
