Residents in San Francisco and Seattle are more likely to say they are considering moving away than any other major city in the country, likely in part due to rising crime rates and homelessness, according to a new study.
About 7.6% of people living in San Francisco say they want to move to a different city, followed closely by 7.2% of Seattle residents who say the same, according to a new study by the American Housing Survey. The latest poll asked residents in 15 of the country’s major cities if they planning on moving, with several areas led by Democrats leading the charge.
SAN FRANCISCO’S CRIME PROBLEM IS UNSUSTAINABLE
The numbers come as both San Francisco and Seattle have reported increased rates of crime over the last two years, with the former reporting the highest overall crime rate of America’s 20 largest cities, according to data from the FBI Unified Crime Report.
Crime has emerged as a top concern among San Francisco voters, with 65% of voters saying they avoid going into the city’s downtown areas because of crime, according to a poll by the Bay Area Council. More than half (52%) of Bay Area residents say they don’t consider it a safe place to live.
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Crime in Seattle has also increased over the last few years, with police reporting 47,733 crimes in 2021 — a 10% increase from the year before and nearly a 13% jump from 2019.
Elsewhere, residents in Washington, D.C., and Detroit are also seeking to move, with 6.8% and 6.6% of residents considering leaving, respectively, according to the data. Only 3.2% of residents in New York City say they would consider leaving.
