Seattle is facing a potential exodus of residents amid a major wave of crime and homelessness, according to a new poll. The ongoing crisis in Seattle mirrors similar waves of migration from other cities dominated by the Democratic Party.
A Seattle Times/Suffolk University poll found that almost one-third of Seattle residents said that they are “seriously considering” moving from the city.
The June survey found that among those considering leaving the city, about one-third cited high housing costs and another third cited public safety concerns.
Among those who are considering pulling up stakes, renters are more likely to desire to leave the city as compared to homeowners.
Lower-earning residents referenced housing prices in their consideration, while higher-earning residents cited issues revolving around crime.
The poll found that of those who are considering leaving, 80% state that the city is a poor place to live, with 66% believing that they are not safe in their own neighborhood.
Earlier this year, the Seattle Times reported that the city’s violent crime rate reached a 15-year high. According to the city, violent crimes increased by approximately 4% from 2021 to 2022.
Furthermore, homicides increased by 24%, representing the highest number in the last decade.
Among violent crimes, there was a 19% increase in criminal shootings and shots-fired reports. In total, the number of such shooting incidents in 2022 represented a 125% increase compared to 2019.
Among the types of crimes, the rate of vehicle thefts increased by 30%, with more than 30% of stolen vehicles not recovered by law enforcement.
Seattle is crumblinghttps://t.co/PNbeQ2xuoP
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 9, 2023
Despite almost $1 billion in spending on the topic, homelessness significantly increased in the city. According to statistics from Seattle’s King County, the number of homeless increased by more than 30% from 2015 to 2022.
Seattle’s ongoing issues mirror similar problems facing Portland, Oregon. The fellow West Coast city faced the loss of about 3% of its population between 2020 and 2022.
Similarly, Portland has also suffered a significant increase in crime and is home to one of the largest homeless populations in the United States.
