3 in 10 Houstonians Considering Houston Exit

Aerial Shot of Interstate 610 and Uptown District of Houston, Texas at Night

Source: Aerial shot of Interstate 610 and Uptown District of Houston, Texas on a humid Summer night, following the derecho that struck the Gulf Coast on May 16th 2024. (Halbergman via Getty Images)

Houston — Concerns over future severe storms have some Houstonians considering leaving Houston, according to a 2023 University of Houston survey.

“I have heard from colleagues that they want to leave Houston and go back to Miami because of them losing power here,” Jason Craul, who moved from Miami five years ago, said to ABC 13.

According to the survey, 29% of people claimed they’d consider leaving the area, with Houston’s potential severe weather being a major concern, based on past experiences.

“Certainly, one-third of the Houston population’s not going to leave, but some of them will, and so, Houston will lose some people who otherwise would have been great contributors to our city and region,” Mark Jones with UH’s Hobby School of Public Affairs said.

Jones theorized many of those who would leave would likely remain in Texas due to the state’s economy. They’d potentially opt for other cities like Austin or Dallas.

Despite the survey’s findings, Houston has been growing fast in recent years, even in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and the freeze of 2021. The city has gained over 23,000 residents since 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The survey came out prior to the derecho that brought heavy winds and tornadoes to the area in May and Hurricane Beryl. If the survey was done again in 2024, the results may look a bit different after recent frustrations during storm cleanup.

3 in 10 Houstonians Considering Houston Exit was originally published on 93qcountry.com