A new study by the Citizens’ Budget Commission has revealed that New York City lost 114,000 more residents than it gained during 2025—a net population decline. This trend continues a pattern of outmigration driven by escalating affordability challenges.
Published Monday, the report from the nonpartisan watchdog organization shows people are leaving New York City at a faster rate than they are arriving, with the exodus affecting all income levels. The data also indicates significant departures among low and middle-income residents between 2023 and 2024.
Despite Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pledge to address affordability through measures such as rent freezes, rising property taxes, electricity costs, and water bills have become major barriers for potential residents.
“Across all income levels, more people moved out of New York City than moved in last year,” the report states.
The city’s population loss underscores its high cost of living and growing intolerance toward social issues including crime, homelessness, and drug use. Similar patterns are emerging in other major cities like San Francisco, where rising costs and declining quality of life have prompted even long-term residents to relocate. This data adds to concerns within the Trump administration about the state of cities governed by Democrats, following last year’s report that suggested Republican-controlled municipalities often experience better quality of life metrics.
