This chart explains why so many people are packing up and leaving.
New York collects about $12,506 per person in state and local taxes, one of the highest levels in America. Only Washington DC collects more.
And if you live in New York City, the bill gets even bigger because city taxes are piled on top of state taxes.
The question is not whether New Yorkers pay a lot.
They do.
The question is what they are getting for it.
For years, residents have watched housing become less affordable, the cost of living climb higher, and quality-of-life concerns dominate local politics.
At the same time, New York has been losing people.
Not because taxes are the only issue.
But because many residents no longer think the overall deal is worth it.
That is the part politicians should worry about.
People will tolerate high taxes if they believe they are getting something valuable in return.
Good schools.
Safe streets.
Reliable services.
Affordable communities.
A better future.
But when taxes keep rising and everyday life keeps getting harder, people start asking where the money is going.
The migration numbers suggest a growing number of New Yorkers have already answered that question.
And their answer was to leave.
This is the level of effort some NYPD officers are putting in when criminals run from them in New York City.
NYC has become a complete mess. Criminals run wild, lawlessness is everywhere, and basic quality of life has collapsed. Hard pass. pic.twitter.com/MsmQHQKfLC
— Kim "Katie" USA (@KimKatieUSA) June 17, 2026
While street thugs were destroying police cars, burning school buses, and smashing windows on businesses, the Communist mayor in charge of law and order in the City of New York was in the middle of the mob, acting like a college kid who had his first beer at a frat party! pic.twitter.com/xyLzWgOVUJ
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) June 14, 2026