We Always Hear People Are Leaving New York

Is Everyone Really Fleeing New York?

It seems like we've all heard it a bunch of times: Everyone is leaving New York!

And I'll admit, I personally know plenty of people who have packed up and left the Empire State over the years. Florida, the Carolinas, Texas...we've all got friends, family, or former neighbors who decided they'd had enough and headed elsewhere.

But...here's what the actual data says.

SmartAsset recently analyzed the latest U.S. Census Bureau population estimates, comparing state populations from July 2024 to July 2025.

And despite what you might assume, New York's population actually increased.

New York Actually...Gained People

According to the study, New York's estimated population went from 20,001,419 in 2024 to 20,002,427 in 2025.

That's a gain of 1,008 people, or just 0.01% growth. In a state of roughly 20 million people, our population essentially stayed flat.

But here's what's interesting: New York wasn't one of the states that lost population.

5 States That Lost Population

Five states did: Vermont, Hawaii, West Virginia, New Mexico and California.

Meanwhile, some of the places we often hear about New Yorkers moving to continue to grow. South Carolina's population increased 1.46%, North Carolina grew 1.32%, Texas grew 1.25%, and Florida increased 0.85%.

So are some New Yorkers leaving? Of course. I personally know quite a few who have.

But according to the latest numbers analyzed by SmartAsset, the idea that New York's overall population is currently in free fall doesn't match the data.

We actually gained people last year.

Have a news tip, correction, update, or story you think we should know about? Email me at brian@wgna.com.