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Are you leaving Mass. in 2026 because it’s too expensive?
One-third of the voters in a Globe/Suffolk University poll say they’ve considered leaving in the past year. Have you?
A recent Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll found something striking: one-third of the 500 voters surveyed say they’ve seriously considered leaving the state in the past year, largely because of the soaring cost of living — even though more than half also think Massachusetts is generally “moving in the right direction.”
For many residents, the squeeze comes from all sides. Nearly 37% said inflation and the overall cost of living are their top economic concerns. Another 25% cited health care costs, followed by housing affordability (17%) and taxes (10%). For about 20% of residents, the biggest single strain was their utility bill — no surprise in a state that ranks among the highest utility bills in the country.
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For some contemplating a move, it might not be one single issue pushing them away, but rather a growing sense that the trade-off — high costs in exchange for world-class hospitals, schools, and higher paying jobs — just isn’t adding up anymore.
And the outmigration is real: About 160,000 people moved out of Massachusetts in 2022, according to the most recent IRS data. The Globe/Suffolk poll also found that those most likely to consider leaving cluster at the youngest and oldest ends of the spectrum — 18- to 24-year-olds, and separately, adults 50 to 64 — and more than half identify as Republican or conservative.
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This trend carries a financial hit as well. A Boston University analysis found that outmigration cost the state $4.3 billion in adjusted gross income and $213.7 million in tax revenue in the 2020-2021 tax year.
Are you planning to move away from Massachusetts in 2026 because it’s become too expensive to stay? What’s driving your decision — or keeping you here despite the challenges?
Tell us by filling out the form or e-mailing us at [email protected], and your response may appear in a future Boston.com article.
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