Overview
- A Suffolk University/The Boston Globe poll of 500 likely voters in mid‑June found about half have at least thought about leaving Massachusetts in the past year, with roughly one in four saying they’ve seriously considered a move.
- More than 40 percent of respondents named the cost of living as the main reason for thinking about leaving, and a plurality pointed to food and groceries as their single biggest immediate financial strain.
- Roughly two‑thirds of those polled said they would back a ballot question to cut the state income tax from 5 percent to 4 percent by 2029, even as officials warn the change could force deep cuts to state services.
- The poll shows a K‑shaped experience across income groups: households earning $20,000 or less rated the state economy far worse and reported heavier financial strain than higher‑income residents.
- Fewer than 10 percent of voters said they personally benefited from the 2023 $1 billion tax relief package, a gap that helps explain why affordability worries persist and why the ballot fight could shape fall politics and budget choices.