New Yorkers are moving en masse to Texas and Florida: why they decided to leave the capital of the world

New Yorkers are increasingly moving to other states. This is due to the requirements related to COVID-19, the economic situation and other aspects. The New York Post explained the reasons for the move of the inhabitants of the Big Apple.

Dmitry Vitsunas closed a restaurant in New York to open a new one from Texas

New York native Dmitry Vutsinas left the Big Apple for Austin, Texas in June 2021 and has no regrets.

“I don’t miss him at all ... he seemed empty and just a shell of what he was,” said 37-year-old Wutsinas, a chef. He had to close his a restaurant Otaku Katsu on the Lower East Side in October 2020. “Nobody went outside, went to restaurants. No one else ordered food. It was a disaster.

According to the United States Census Bureau, approximately 319 residents left New York State between July 020 and July 2020. This is a 2021% decrease over the previous year. New York has become the country's leading state in population decline. The population of Texas has grown by 1,6. The state does not levy income tax on residents and has recorded the largest increase in the country.

“I'm here to stay,” Woutsinas said of Austin.

Benjamin Demarchelier also traded New York for Texas

He and his wife recently bought a house there and are planning to have a baby. And last April, Woutsinas and another former New Yorker, 39-year-old Benjamin Demarchelier, opened Show Me Pizza in the Texas capital.

Both men love the more business-friendly nature of the state, as well as greater access to nature for hunting, fishing and hiking.

“[Texas] wanted everything to be open as soon as possible, and New York was in the opposite mood,” said Demarchelier, a longtime New York-based restaurateur who settled in Texas in November 2020.

Olivia Young has become more aware of the move

Like Woutsinas, 35-year-old Olivia Young left New York for Austin after the business closed. In November 2020, she closed her fitness studios Box + Flow after months of trying to keep business amid COVID-19. She moved in early 2021 and is enjoying a life that goes beyond business.

“We are much more than what we do ... Being outside of New York can be a lot more aware because you have the ability to slow down and connect with yourself and others,” Young said. She currently works as a consultant for food and fitness companies.

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"My friendship is stronger, my relationship is more intertwined ... They are not transitional or conditional - they are just honest."

Sunshine is the second destination for New Yorkers after Texas

Florida, just after Texas, experienced the second largest population growth. Its population increased by 2020 between July 2021 and July 211. Sunshine State also remained more open than New York during the pandemic. Sunshine recommended, but did not require, to cover the face with a mask. and also attracted people with a business interest.

Among them is Livio Rosado, 38, who lived in Freeport, Louisiana. Rosado was the managing partner of two Beautiful People beauty salons in nearby Merrick. In January 2020, he bought Greenroom Salon in Boca Raton as an investment. In the end, it turned out to be his salvation.

Its employees on Long Island were hesitant to return to work after a three-month shutdown from March to June 2020. “It was just chaos and we couldn't keep both points; we had to close one, ”recalls Rosado.

So, in June 2020, Rosado, along with his wife Amarilis, 39, and their 3-year-old daughter Camila, moved to Pompano Beach, a town about 17 km from Boca. They took off "Super cheap" apartment area of ​​18 sq.m. and did not look back.

Pros outweigh cons

“I just finished,” Rosado said of Long Island. He no longer has a financial stake in the remaining Beauty People salon.

His salon in Boca employs 14 stylists, four of whom have moved to Florida from three-state. There are also several former Beautiful People clients who have relocated from Long Island. What's more, Florida also does not levy income tax on its residents.

“I raised my salary by 10 percent,” he said.

And while there are moments in New York that he misses, like the Broadway shows, the pros of leaving outweigh the cons.

“There is more leeway,” he said of Florida. "Yes, now there is a pandemic - we have to take care of each other - but it wasn't like you need to stay in your box ... there is an economic flow here, people are spending money, they are going somewhere."