Mass. Migration: State Continues To Lose Residents, Study Finds

MASSACHUSETTS — A new study found that Massachusetts is losing tens of thousands of residents every year, with net losses particularly high among working adults ages 25 to 44.

"The population of Massachusetts has increased over the past couple of decades," the study from Boston Indicators reads. "But this overall expansion has masked a trend of growing concern: the accelerating outmigration of longstanding residents to other parts of the country. Were it not for offsetting growth from international migration, we’d have been losing population for years."

The study, titled "Mass. Migration: An Analysis of Outmigration from Massachusetts Over the Last Two Decades," noted that residents leaving means a loss of political power. Massachusetts lost a U.S. House district seat during redistricting in 2012.

The population reduction also means economic losses, as fewer businesses and jobs are created, leading to tax revenue shortfalls.

The net loss in migration is across all income groups. However, Massachusetts is losing more middle- and high-income residents. In 2022, the state had a net loss of 16,984 high-income residents and 13,748 middle-income residents.

The trend is affecting those 25 to 44 years old more than any other age group. From 2006 to 2022, Massachusetts had a net loss of 129,800 residents in that age group. It also lost residents in the 45-to-64 and 65+ age groups, only making small gains in the 18-to-24 age bracket.

While it's difficult to pin down the reasons for people leaving the state, the study said the price of housing is likely one of the culprits.

"One dynamic at play here may be housing costs," according to the study. "These have grown precipitously from 2018, with prices for typical homes increasing 20 percent in 2021 and 33 percent in 2022."

Read the full analysis in Boston Indicators.

Another recent report came to similar conclusions. Earlier this year, United Van Lines ranked Massachusetts among those with the highest number of move-outs in the country.

See Also:

• More People Moving Out Of MA Than Almost Any Other State: Study
• Here's Where 9 MA Cities Rank On List Of Nation's Most Diverse
• MA Renters Are Paying More For An Apartment Than A Year Ago: Report