NYC lost 5.3% of its population — nearly a half-million — since COVID, most heading South

 New York City’s population is continuing to flounder in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic — and most city-dwellers have flocked to southern states, new data shows.

The US Census Bureau revealed Thursday that the Big Apple’s population is 5.3% lower than it was when the novel coronavirus first hit the country. Over 468,200 people fled the city between April 2020 and July 2022.

Only three other major cities suffered worse population losses — San Francisco lost a baffling 7.5% of its citizens, while Revere in Massachusetts lost 5.9% and Louisiana’s Lake Charles lost 6.9%.

New York City suffered a massive flight in the first year of the pandemic, with nearly 281,700 people ditching the five boroughs. The flight trickled in 2021, with 123,100 people moving out.

“New York remained the nation’s largest city, despite its recent population decline. At 8.3 million, its population was more than twice that of the next largest city, Los Angeles, with a population of nearly 4 million,” said Crystal Delbé, a statistician in the Census Bureau’s Population Division.

Previous Census data proved that Manhattan was the only borough to see a resurgence in its population in the last several years.

New York City’s population plummeted 5.3% between 2020 and 2022.

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While Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx lost between 40,000 and 50,000 each between 2021 and 2022, Manhattan welcomed 17,472 residents.

The entire Empire State said goodbye to approximately 431,145 people between 2020 and 2022, according to the data.

Statistically, most metropolitan fleers are finding refuge in the South.

Nine of the nation’s 15 fastest-growing cities were below the Mason-Dixon line, six of which can be found in Texas.

Georgetown, Texas — situated about 30 miles north of Austin — boasts the largest population boom for major cities of last year, with 14.4% more people living in the city.

The state of Florida gained more than 655,200 people between 2020 and 2022, the data shows.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has made many digs at the Empire State for losing a major chunk of its population since the start of the pandemic.

The potential 2024 presidential candidate has blamed the population plummet on strict Covid-19 guidelines, rampant crime and a state-wide income tax.

https://nypost.com/2023/05/18/nyc-lost-5-3-of-its-population-nearly-a-half-million-people-since-covid-with-most-heading-south/