Half of all New Yorkers expect to fle city in next five years

A recent poll conducted by The Citizens Budget Commission has uncovered a dramatic decline in resident satisfaction and a looming exodus from the city.

The survey, released Tuesday, paints a troubling picture of discontentment among New Yorkers, with only 30% expressing happiness with their quality of life and a mere 37% considering public safety in their neighborhood as excellent or good—a notable drop from six years ago.

The survey, which encompassed 6,600 households, revealed that just half of New Yorkers plan to remain in the city over the next five years—a significant decrease from 58% in 2017.

This mass exodus is attributed to a variety of factors, including rising concerns about safety, declining quality of public services, and a pervasive sense of lawlessness permeating the streets.

Deteriorating conditions

According to Queens Councilman Robert Holden, residents are increasingly fed up with deteriorating conditions, citing instances of shoplifting in stores and vandalism of personal property as common occurrences.

The sentiment of unease extends to public transportation, with half of the respondents expressing feeling unsafe riding the subway during daylight hours—a marked decrease from previous years.

The dissatisfaction is not uniform across demographics.

The poll highlighted that white residents, those living in Manhattan, and individuals with higher incomes reported higher levels of satisfaction compared to other groups.

However, even in affluent neighborhoods, there has been a notable decline in contentment over the past six years.

The pervasive discontent is further compounded by a surge in crime rates.

NYPD statistics indicate a significant increase in all major crime categories between 2017 and 2023, contributing to a growing sense of insecurity among residents.