The Hudson Valley experienced a net gain from migration in 2019-2020 for the first time in a decade and it was a byproduct of Covid-19, according to “Moving In, Moving Out,” a special report released by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress (HVPFP), which is based in Newburgh. The report said that 48,642 people moved from the city to the Hudson Valley while 15,248 moved out of the region and into the city, resulting in a net gain for the Hudson Valley of 33,394 people.
Portions of the Hudson Valley north of Route 84 saw a fairly significant migration of people into the region. There also was a similar migration noted as well into Westchester County.
Founded in 1965, the regional nonprofit HVPFP is a policy, planning and research organization that promotes regional, balanced, sustainable and equitable solutions that enhance the growth and vitality of the Hudson Valley.
“While the data does not explain why they moved here, we do know from interviews and other qualitative information that people were seeking to leave densely populated areas and more to smaller cities and rural towns. This trend arose from concerns that people were more at risk of contracting the coronavirus if they lived in densely populated environments,” Adam Bosch, president and CEO of HVPFP told the Business Journals. He said that many people were familiar with the Hudson Valley, having second homes or vacationing in the area, and through the use of digital software they could still maintain their businesses in the city.
“A lot of things are attractive about the Hudson Valley. Its proximity to the city makes it a great place to live and commute to work. We also have a lot of great employers in the region,” Bosch said. “The Hudson Valley is also attractive to new residents because of its natural beauty, mix of urban centers, its preserved mountains and forest land, great restaurants and craft beverage businesses, and more. Our region also has some industries that are growing and thriving, such as TV and film, biotech and life sciences. In the case of this particular migration, I think it”™s fair to say that people were attracted to the Hudson Valley because it was less densely populated than the places they were moving from. It was an escape with outdoor spaces to safely recreate during the pandemic.”
Bosch said that HVPFP has long been respected as an objective voice for planning and consulting.
“Across more than five decades, Pattern has focused on government efficiency and effectiveness, community development, urban planning, demographic analysis, housing, transportation, infrastructure, main street revitalization and other topics that affect the lives of our neighbors,” Bosch said.
The “Moving In, Moving Out” report was based on data released in late spring by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that uses tax returns to track the movement of people between counties.
“These data are important for a few reasons. We know that a lot of people moved into our region during the pandemic, but these IRS migration data offer the first quantitative assessment of that trend,” Bosch said. “They put real numbers to a trend that has been largely anecdotal up until now. These data do not include the entire period of the pandemic. We would expect to get a more complete look when the IRS releases its next batch of data, probably sometime next year.”
According to Bosch, this is the first time in recent years that the Hudson Valley has gained population from migration.
“The region had been losing approximately 5,000 people per year to outward migration, generally from young families and retirees moving out of the region,” Bosch said. “For approximately 15 years, those people had generally moved out of the Hudson Valley to two categories of places. Many moved to New York City or Albany because of high-paying jobs and a general return to urban centers and walkable living. Others moved to Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Arizona ”” places that fit the bill of better weather and a cheaper standard of living.”
Bosch said that the region”™s leaders must continue to work on strategies that can attract and retain young families in the Hudson Valley.
“This is important for the health of our communities, enrollment in our schools, having an adequate workforce for our businesses and many other reasons,” Bosch said. “New residents often bring creativity, new business ideas, investment and other benefits to our communities.”
