New population estimates from the U.S. census bureau show losses in Baltimore City and Baltimore County are accelerating.

The city’s population decreased between July 2020 and July 2021 by just over one percent.

Even more people left the following year.

“More people should be moving to Maryland than moving out, but in fact the opposite is transpiring,” Anirban Basu said.

Over the past two years populations have dropped by over 20,000 people combined in the city and county.

Economist Anirban Basu said crime is definitely a factor.

“Some of our communities are very highly taxed, expensive to live, people are worried about crime of course including in Baltimore County which also lost population. Think about what’s happening in downtown Towson as an example,” he said.

Baltimore County saw a record number of homicides in 2021, and this year in Towson there’s been concerns over crime.

In Baltimore City there have been more than 300 homicides for the past eight years