MovingPlace Study Reveals 164,000 Lower-Income New Yorkers Left City Following Mamdani’s Election
Lower-Income Families Leading Migration Wave
A November 2025 report by MovingPlace reveals that New York City is experiencing an “affordability exodus” primarily affecting lower-income residents, contradicting predictions that wealthy New Yorkers would flee following democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral election. Between May 2024 and October 2025, approximately 164,249 lower-income earners making under $200,000 annually left the city, compared to just 15,552 high-income earners making over $201,000.
Florida Emerges as Top Destination
Nearly 17% of departing New Yorkers moved to Florida, more than any other state. Miami ranked second among all destination metros with 10,030 New Yorkers relocating there, while Orlando received 4,361 and Tampa attracted 4,191, according to MovingPlace research. “The appeal is obvious: no state income tax, lower cost of living, warm weather, and increasingly, a robust job market in cities like Miami,” the report notes.
Contradicting Wealthy Flight Predictions
When Mamdani announced proposals to tax high-income earners and provide services like fare-free buses, critics predicted wealthy resident exodus. However, data shows fewer high-income residents left after Mamdani’s primary win than before, roughly a 1% difference year-over-year. “This disparity raises important questions about who can actually afford to stay in New York City, regardless of political leadership,” researchers stated.
Economic Implications for NYC
The migration pattern creates concerning fiscal challenges as lower-income residents move out while high-paying jobs also relocate. “If lower-income residents are moving in while high-paying jobs are moving out, New York City may face an increasingly challenging fiscal equation,” the report warns. “More residents who need services, fewer businesses generating the tax revenue to fund those services, and a shrinking middle class to bridge the gap.” Philadelphia ranked first overall as the top destination with 12,989 New Yorkers, followed by Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, Connecticut with 6,730. The findings arrive as Mayor-elect Mamdani prepares his administration’s affordability initiatives, including universal child care estimated to cost $6 billion annually.
Mamdami: His administration may redefine what effective leadership looks like.
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