A new Marist poll shows New Yorkers have a bleak view of their state, with residents saying the economy is going down the tubes, the cost of living is unaffordable, and nearly 4 in 10 say they plan to move out in the next five years.
A majority of New Yorkers, 51%, said they think the state's economy is getting worse, up from 29% in 2013. The poll found 30% of respondents say their financial picture will get worse, up from 17% in 2013.
In one important metric, 81% of New Yorkers said the cost of living in the state is either "not very affordable" or "not affordable at all," up from 77% in 2011.
While most residents said they plan to stay in New York, 37% said they would leave in the next five years, up from 26% in 2011, citing economic reasons, the cost of living, qualify of life, and taxes. Republicans and non-enrolled voters are more likely to say they will leave than Democrats, according to the poll.
"When it comes to the economy in New York State, the status quo is not acceptable," Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion said. "This translates into a continued desire to leave the state."
Respondents also had a dim view of Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose job approval rating was at 39%, with 42% disapproving, down from a 41% approval rating in November 2023.
In March, a poll released by the Citizen Budget Commission found that 50% of New Yorkers say they plan to leave New York City over the next five years.
New York has seen its population drop from 20.2 million to 19.5 million since 2020, a decrease of 3%.