ALBANY, N.Y. (December 3, 2025) — Most of New York remained less populated in 2024 than in 2020 as the state continued to struggle with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Empire Center report found Wednesday.
The analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data showed New York state as a whole lost 1.8 percent of its residents in the first four years of the decade – a larger percentage decline than any state except West Virginia.
The population losses were heavily concentrated in New York City, which had recovered less than a quarter of the residents it lost in 2021 and 2022.
The ongoing decline means New York is likely to lose additional seats in Congress and the Electoral College after the next decennial census.
“These trends point to the need for a new direction in state and city policy, one that prioritizes affordability and economic opportunity while avoiding the excessive taxes and regulations that make it hard to live and do business in New York,” the report said.
The report was authored by Empire Center Senior Fellow Bill Hammond with research assistance from McCall Zeutzius.
The full report is available at EmpireCenter.org.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
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