One in three New York residents plan to flee the Empire State within the next five years — with most citing the cost of living and declining quality of life as their driving factors, according to a new poll.
In a landslide majority — more than eight in 10 New Yorkers (86%) who responded to the Marist poll — believe that the state is no longer affordable for an average family, up from 82% in 2025.
Those high prices fueled 40% of the New Yorkers lining up to leave for greener pastures, while 21% cited quality of life; 15% said taxes; and 10% said politics, according to a Marist Poll conducted this month.
Another 7% are fed up with the weather.
NYC residents were outraged after the recent winter storms as piles of dog poop littered the sidewalks like landmines and massive mountains of uncollected garbage piled up on the city streets.
More than half of New Yorkers (51%) griped that the quality of life is getting worse, according to the survey.
The shocking new survey comes as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has proposed a controversial 9.5% property tax increase — which has been slammed by black homeowners in the city.
And experts have warned the measure could lead to rent increases for already struggling tenants.
Mamdani framed the proposal as a “last resort” for raising revenue for his mammoth $127 billion budget if Albany and Gov. Kathy Hochul refused to approve the income tax hike he wants on New Yorkers making $1 million or more.
While Hochul sports a 46% approval rating, her highest since Oct. 2021, 56% of registered voters still think Albany is taking the state in the wrong direction.
She currently holds a commanding 17% lead over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman — 50% to 33% — months ahead of November’s gubernatorial election.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saw his support plummet 34 points in his home state over the last year to an all-time low of 27%.
The Democrat, who has represented New York in the senate since 1999, is now viewed negatively by 50% of voters in his own party, the survey shows.
