"Distressing" number of young people plan to leave Boston area, survey says. Here's where they want to go.
A new survey reveals more than a quarter of young people in Greater Boston plan to pack up and move in the near future.
The 2026 Young Residents Survey, commissioned by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Foundation, found that 26% of residents in their 20s and 30s say they are likely to leave within the next five years. That number is similar to what a 2023 survey showed.
About half of those who plan to leave said they would be exiting Massachusetts entirely.
"The 2026 survey reveals that a distressing number of young residents are still planning to leave Greater Boston, and many are being lured to states in the Southeast and Southwest," the Chamber Foundation said in a statement.
Moving out of Greater Boston
Among those who said they may move away from Greater Boston, 45% said they would stay in Massachusetts and 46% want to go to another state.
Forty-six percent of those who want to leave the northeast are looking to move south. Twenty-three percent said they want to be in a southeast state like Florida, Georgia or Tennessee, while another 23% would like to move to the southwest places like Arizona or Texas.
Within Massachusetts, central Massachusetts is the most popular destination outside of Greater Boston at 12%. Eight percent said they would move to western Mass., and 5% said the South Coast or Cape Cod.
Why young people want to leave Boston
The survey found that, while 79% of young people are satisfied with their day-to-day life in Greater Boston, that's down from 89% in 2023 - a decline that the foundation called "concerning."
The most important factors for those deciding whether to stay or leave are jobs, affordability and safety, the survey found. Seventy-nine percent said job availability and safety are important, while 78% said cost of rent is important and another 72% said the ability to buy a home is important.
The 2025 Housing Report Card from the Boston Foundation found that just 15% of renter households can afford a "starter home" in the Greater Boston area. The report estimated that a starter home in the region now costs just over half a million dollars.
"The region's affordability continues to be a concern as young residents struggle to seize opportunities that outweigh challenges, like housing and career growth," the Chamber of Commerce Foundation said. "Competitor states that are more affordable may be appealing to young residents who are eager to find housing to rent or purchase that is more affordable and accessible."
