The Bronx saw the fifth-largest population decline in the nation — a decline of roughly 41,000 residents from July 2021 to July 2022 — according to a recent U.S. Census report.
In addition to the Bronx, two other New York counties also experienced highest-in-the-nation population decreases, where Queens and Kings counties lost around 46,000 and more than 50,000 residents, respectively.
The Bronx was one of 10 counties in the nation that saw higher-than-expected growth over the past decade — reaching an all-time high of 1.47 million residents — per the 2020 U.S. Census data. Much of the Bronx’s growth — an addition of 87,546 people — over the past decade can be attributed to population increases in Morrisania (22%) and Crotona Park East (15%).
But since then, the borough has seen its population drop by about 81,000 from April 2020 to July 2022, leaving roughly 1.3 million Bronxites remaining in the Boogie Down.
The recent exodus out of New York City, census officials say, is part of a rising trend in domestic outmigration for other Northeast corridors such as Boston and Washington, D.C., which is often motivated by better-paying jobs and living conditions, according to sociologists.
Where did everyone go?
Census data points to the South and the West, where 10 of the fastest-growing counties are located, including counties with big migration hubs like Phoenix and Houston. College towns in urban settings also saw boosts in new residents over the July-to-July timespan.
“The migration and growth patterns for counties edged closer to pre-pandemic levels this year,” said Dr. Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for estimates and projections in the Census Bureau’s population division. “Some urban counties, such as Dallas and San Francisco, saw domestic outmigration at a slower pace between 2021 and 2022, compared to the prior year. Meanwhile, many counties with large universities saw their populations fully rebound this year as students…
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