All Over Albany

Leaving New York

New York State lost a net of 1.6 million residents to other states over the last decade, according to an analysis of Census data by the Empire Center. Among the report's findings:

+ Since 1960, New York has lost 7.3 million residents to the rest of the country. This was partially offset by an influx of 4.8 million foreign immigrants, resulting in a net decline of 2.5 million residents.

+ New York's average annual domestic migration loss - the difference between people moving in from other states and out to other states -- jumped from about 60,000 people in the 1960s to an all-time high of nearly 237,000 in the 1970s. The state's domestic migration outflows have averaged between 130,000 and 160,000 a year since 1980.

+ For a second consecutive decade, New York's net population loss due to domestic migration was the highest of any state as a percentage of population.

+ New York's net migration loss - the sum of domestic and foreign migration - increased over the last decade to its highest level since the 1970s. Thirteen states had negative net migration between 2000 and 2010, and only three (Illinois, Louisiana and Michigan) lost a bigger share of their populations to migration than New York.

The chart above is from the report. The black line tracks net migration -- the loss of people to other states has been ongoing trend for the last 50 years.

The report also breaks out migration numbers for counties. Totals for the Capital Region are after the jump.

So where's everyone going? A Pew study asked that question a few years back. The top three states for New Yorkers migrating elsewhere: Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

chart: Empire Center

Earlier on AOA: Capital Region 2010 census population totals