More than half of the residents of the San Francisco Bay Area are considering moving out of the area permanently, and taxes are a major reason, according to a poll released October 11 by Joint Venture Silicon Valley.
“A significant number of residents say they are likely to leave the Bay Area in the next few years,” the poll stated. “A slight majority (56 percent) agrees with the statement, ‘I am likely to move out of the Bay Area in the next few years.’ Among those who are unlikely to leave, 14 percent say they want to move but can’t. Reasons offered by respondents likely to leave include the cost of living (84 percent major reason), high housing costs (77 percent), and quality of life (62 percent).”
Among homeowners, the top reasons given are the cost of living (78 percent) and the state and local tax burden (65 percent). Taxes were cited as a major reason for wanting to leave by 64 percent of men and 53 percent of women.
Asked if the amount of taxes they pay is a reason for moving away from the Bay Area, 58 percent said it is a major reason, 23 percent said it is a minor reason, and only 19 percent said it is not a reason.
Asked if the amount they pay in local taxes is a problem, 81 percent of respondents said yes (39 percent said it is an “extremely serious problem,” 21 percent said it is a “very serious problem,” 21 percent said it is a “somewhat serious problem,” and only 19 percent said it is a “not too serious problem”).
The poll, conducted by Embold Research, surveyed 1,610 registered voters in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, San Francisco, and Contra Costa counties from September 21 to September 26. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points. (Source: The 2021 Silicon Valley Poll, October 11.)