1 Million New Yorkers Say They Will Flee New York City If Mamdani Wins Today’s Mayoral Race

A new JL Partners poll for the Daily Mail suggests New York City could face a historic population loss if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor. Nine percent of residents would “definitely” leave—about 765,000 people—while another 25 percent would “consider” going, raising fears of an economic crisis.

Opponents of Mamdani describe a future city as a “disaster,” “hell,” “chaos,” “destroyed,” and “s***hole.” His supporters instead predict it would be “affordable,” “improved,” “hopeful,” and “changed.”

The poll found seven percent of those earning over $250,000 would move away. Since the wealthiest one percent fund roughly half of NYC’s income tax revenue, even a fraction leaving could “crater” the city’s finances.

Pollster James Johnson said the “prospect of Mamdani is so scary to some that they are considering throwing in the Big Apple for new digs.” He noted older New Yorkers, Staten Islanders, and white residents are the most likely to leave.

The Daily Mail writes that some real estate buyers are already backing out. Realtor Jay Batra said, “They don’t want to hear about Mamdani and the rent freeze he is proposing.”

Cities like Boca Raton are preparing to attract fleeing residents and businesses. Mayor Scott Singer warned New York is “about to repeat some of the lessons from history that many voters have forgotten or never knew.”

The survey shows Mamdani leading the November 4 race with 45 percent among decided voters. By contrast, only 59 percent of New Yorkers say they would definitely stay if he wins.

Expectations for the city under Mamdani skew negative: forty-seven percent foresee more crime and violence, forty-three percent expect fewer businesses, thirty-nine percent think the terrorism risk will worsen, and forty-five percent predict antisemitism will increase. Housing affordability is his one strong point, with thirty-nine percent believing it will improve.

Mamdani proposes free childcare, rent freezes, public grocery stores, fare-free buses, and higher taxes on top earners and corporations. Critics argue this will prompt a business exodus similar to California’s losses. Former governor Andrew Cuomo says the agenda would “exacerbate the problem… flight from New York City by high-income earners.”

As Singer put it: “People are already preparing to leave before a Mamdani election. There’s less and less reason to stay there.”