MARYLAND. -- A recent report from Maryland's Comptroller Brooke Lierman highlights a troubling trend that has developed over the past decade or so. Simply put, more people are moving out of the state than moving in.
According to the report, 2.3 million people moved out of Maryland between 2010 and 2023. In that same time, 2 million people living in other states move into Maryland.
However, Maryland's population still managed to grow during that timespan, according to the report. That can be attributed to a combination of international migration and more births than deaths.
Still, lawmakers and officials on the Eastern Shore tell WBOC the report, while not shocking, is troubling.
"We're a high cost state to do business in, we're a heavily taxed state," said Bill Chamber, Executive Director of the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce. "There's no advantage for retirees to live in the state of Maryland, tax advantage anyway."
Most of the people leaving are heading to Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, South Carolina, West Virginia and Delaware in search of cheaper housing.
Those states also offer up a less regulated housing market, which makes it easier to construct new housing units.
"We've passed so much overburdensome regulation that drove up the cost of housing through code and energy code and things of that nature that just doesn't have the return on the investment," said Delegate Wayne Hartman(R-District 38, Wicomico, Worcester).
Even more troubling, said Chambers, is a shift in demographic. Pre-covid, the state was mainly losing older, high-income residents. Since the pandemic, the number of younger and lower to middle-income residents leaving the state has increased.
According to the report, that shift shows people are leaving, very likely, due to the cost of living instead of other incentives like lower taxes and warmer weather.
"Young people have decisions to make. Is this where I want to put down roots? Is this where I want to open a business? Is this where I want my family to live?" said Chambers.
Lately, said Chambers, the answer to those questions has been "no".
Hartman and Chambers both said the state's high taxes, highly-regulated housing market and lack of affordable housing are to blame. They want Maryland to mirror the policies of states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina, telling WBOC that could help reverse this trend.