Chamber Chat: Why are Marylanders Leaving the State?

SALISBURY, Md. – In this week’s Chamber Chat, WMDT’s John Trout and Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce President Bill Chambers discuss why Marylanders are moving out of the state.

Bill says that while businesses are fleeing due to higher taxes, an average of 40,000 Maryland residents are leaving the state annually. In particular, younger people are leaving due to rising costs of living and a lack of access to affordable housing.

“Rents are rising everywhere; not only for residents, but for businesses,” Bill says. “Our housing issues are dire, mostly because of the water and sewer capacity issues we have here in our topography. But metropolitan areas — Baltimore, Washington area — they’re really losing residents at a higher rate than we are on the Shore.”

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