Massachusetts remains a place many residents value highly, even as a growing number say the price of staying there feels overwhelming.
While most recent media discussions about the possibility of people leaving a state have centered around the notion that restoring higher income or property taxes on high-income individuals can be a cause, the pressures of rising prices bear down harder on those who are living paycheck to paycheck. New polling indicates that push and pull is affecting many families, students, and businesses across the Bay State.
Here's what to know
The poll from MassINC Polling Group revealed a sharp contrast in how residents see the state, as CommonWealth Beacon detailed.
Massachusetts is either "one of the best" or "above average" as a place to live compared with other states according to 63% of responses, but only 19% said the same about affordability. At the same time, 56% gave the state poor marks on that front.
Respondents gave Massachusetts high marks in areas such as health care, education, and public services. Those findings came from a June and July survey by the polling group for the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.
For Doug Howgate, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, affordability emerged as a central concern in the results. He told CommonWealth Beacon that worries about the cost of living have "ratcheted up a little more compared to other states" in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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High costs also appeared to shape opinions. Nearly 80% of residents earning $150,000 or more said the state is a better place to live than most others, compared with 53% of those making $50,000 or less, according to CommonWealth Beacon. Roughly two in five residents said they may leave, usually because of the high cost of living.
More background
Few issues seem to bridge the partisan divide in Massachusetts the way affordability does, according to Steve Koczela, president of MassINC Polling Group. As he put it to CommonWealth Beach, affordability concerns "show up everywhere."
The squeeze is especially apparent in unavoidable expenses like housing and utilities. Although Massachusetts ranks among the nation's highest-income states, those earnings can be undercut when basic costs continue to climb.
Younger residents appeared especially likely to consider moving. The poll found that adults ages 18 to 29, as well as people still pursuing their education, were much more likely to leave.
"We found a very strong relationship between thoughts or intent to leave Massachusetts and if you're either currently working on education or recently finished it," the outlet noted.
There were also signs of softer confidence in Massachusetts as a place to do business. According to CommonWealth Beacon, 51% of respondents said the state ranks among the better states for doing business, down from 59% in 2025.
What's being done?
The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation said it is looking at the problem through a competitiveness framework. The organization plans to release its latest Competitiveness Index, which compares Massachusetts on measures ranging from venture capital investment to child care costs.
Howgate told the outlet he wants that index to offer a "baseline and common language" for officials deciding which issues should rise to the top.
Keeping students and recent graduates in the state has become one major priority. Many come to Massachusetts for school and then leave, even though they often play an important role in the workforce and innovation economy.
"If you're on Beacon Hill, if you're interested in economic development, we need to be laser-focused on how to change the math or change the perception for that population to keep more of those people in Massachusetts," Howgate concluded.
Where can I learn more?
Housing and household costs are driving affordability debates far beyond Massachusetts. There are attempts to solve housing issues, as the cost of living rises.
• Across major cities, converting office space into apartments is gaining support as a housing affordability fix.
• In Baltimore, tiny homes for families are offering lower-cost stability amid housing pressures.
• Across the U.S., groceries and gas strain budgets as most households feel financially pinched.
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